Chevrolet’s all-new 2016 Volt is greener, leaner, and meaner (looking) than it’s 2015 predecessor. With a world debut coming in January, the Bowtie automaker has released a series of teasers videos to build hype.
The latest film shows the camouflaged plug-in hybrid doing some snow driving, skating over slippery white roads at normal speeds with no issues. The front-wheel drive hatchback is “as quiet as it is powerful,” says Chevrolet, which speaks to the second generation Volt’s improvements.
The Chevy equips a new 1.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine and a redesigned battery pack that is more efficient, smaller, and lighter than before. Unlike the current Volt, both the gas powerplant and electric motors can be used to power the car on the new model.
The current iteration drives on battery power only until energy levels drop below a certain threshold. At that point, the internal combustion unit starts, sending power to an electric generator to create more juice.
General Motors claims the new powertrain will increase driving range anywhere from 5 to 12 percent.
The American carmaker released another video on December 17th, showcasing the all-new Volt’s ‘regenerative braking on demand.’
Steering wheel-mounted paddles allow the driver to scale the amount of regeneration that occurs on throttle lift off, tailoring the driving experience to the individual. The system is a variation of the one found on the Cadillac ELR hybrid.
The new car is expected to cost $7,000 to $10,000 less than the current model’s MSRP of $34,185, and will be revealed next month at the North American International Auto Show.
The plug-in hybrid will go on sale sometime in the second half of 2015.
