Europe
2011-01-10
DETROIT – The Chevrolet Volt has been named the 2011 North American Car of the Year.
The North American Car of the Year is selected by a jury of 49 automotive journalists from Canada and the United States, representing newspapers, magazines, websites, television and radio shows.
For 2011, the Volt garnered more juror votes than the Nissan Leaf or Hyundai Sonata, which were also finalists.
This is the third time Chevrolet has won the North American Car of the Year, and the fourth time for General Motors. Most recently, the Chevrolet Malibu was the 2008 North American Car of the Year.
"It's a great honor to be recognized as the North American Car of the Year," said GM CEO Dan Akerson. "Since development began, we believed the Volt had the potential to transform the automotive industry. Today, the Volt is the first electric vehicle to win the prestigious North American Car of the Year award, and the first vehicle ever to receive the industry's highest automotive, technology, and environmental recognitions."
The North American Car of the Year is the latest in a series of major awards presented to the Volt, which previously was named:
"Such recognition provides customers with credible, expert endorsement of new models," said Akerson. "This is particularly important for vehicles like the Volt that feature significant new technologies. Being named the North American Car of the Year will help convince customers that the Volt is truly a breakthrough vehicle, delivering the benefits of electric driving without the range anxiety associated with pure electric vehicles."
The Volt is an electric vehicle that can operate under a range of weather climates and driving conditions with little concern of being stranded by a depleted battery. The Volt has a total driving range of more than 600 kilometers. For the first 60 kilmeters, the Volt can drive gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range for additional 550 kilometers on a full tank.
In December, the first Volts were delivered to retail customers in California, Texas, Washington D.C. and New York. Due to strong public interest, Volt U.S. production is being raised to 45,000 Volts in 2012 from 30,000. European customers will be able to get their hands the Volt at Chevrolet dealerships by the end of this year.
About Chevrolet
Chevrolet is General Motors' largest global brand with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. It is the fourth biggest global car brand in terms of sales and also one of the fastest growing brands in the world. Chevrolet Europe delivers attractive, distinctive design, practical, economical cars and outstanding value for money. After re-launching the brand in Europe in 2005, Chevrolet more than doubled its sales to over 500,000 in 2008. In 2009, Chevrolet held its market share in Europe at 2.3 percent, selling 426,000 cars. Chevrolet has a network of 2,900 dealers and service points in Europe. The Chevrolet line-up includes the all-new Spark city car, the small Aveo, compact Cruze sedan, Captiva SUV, mid-size Epica and the legendary Corvette sports car. In 2011, Chevrolet will launch the Orlando, an all-new family van, the Camaro coupe and convertible, the new Aveo and the Cruze hatchback as well as re-launching the Captiva SUV with four new engines. Chevrolet's biggest markets in Europe are Russia, Italy, Germany, France, Spain and the U.K. Established in the U.S. by Swiss émigré Louis Chevrolet in 1911, the brand is preparing to celebrate its centenary with the launch of the ground-breaking Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. More information on Chevrolet can be found at http://www.chevroleteurope.com or http://media.chevroleteurope.com.
The Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range capability wins the 2011 North American Car of the Year title Monday, January 10, 2011 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. A Volt, pictured here, in front of the Spirit of Detroit statue Sunday, January 9, 2011.
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