GM releases first image of production Chevy Volt, wind up helping cranks, development aid

From December 2007, the question is motor TrendThe high electrical area of 40 miles, GM Chevrolet Volt set has its engineers to achieve was not easy. A way to get closer to it is through extensive wind tunnel tests to minimize drag. After GM global vehicle line executive and global vehicle Chief Engineer for the E-Flex system Frank Weber's Volt's electric sensitive aerodynamic improvements instead mass reduction, which is generally more important in the traditional cars. Drag accounts for roughly 20 percent of energy consumption by an average vehicle.According to GM global design honcho Ed Welburn, GM has already managed to cutting the production of Volt's drag coefficient by 30 percent over the the concept with more tests and revisions planned to further reduce it. The Volt is still in an early stage of development, so that all wind tunnel tests on a model scale 1 / 3 is done, a detailed floor contains and engine compartment and analysis with computer models. A comprehensive prototype is tested, towards the end of the development cycle of physical and mathematical scale model results.The Michigan Volt validate within GM Advanced Design Center in Warren, the first vehicle that design studio located on the new Flex systems are developed. It is led concept exterior celebrated Bob Boniface, volts, that will monitor a team of 45 designers, engineers, sculptor, researchers and administrative staff. Beyond the Volt Studio are responsible for the development of other future vehicles based on the E-Flex platform, the the Volt.Motor trend support rating: