EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -
The 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year was revealed Tuesday and earning this year’s recognition was the Chevrolet Volt.
Motor Trend unveiled the winner live from General Motors’ wind tunnel in Warren, Mich., through streaming video on the publication’s website.
“The Volt absolutely delivers on the promise of the vehicle concept as originally outlined by GM, combining the smooth, silent, efficient, low-emissions capability of an electric motor with the range and flexibility of an internal combustion engine,” said Motor Trend editor-in-chief Angus Mackenzie.
“It is a fully functional, no-compromise compact automobile that offers consumers real benefits in terms of lower running costs,” Mackenzie added.
The automaker’s Voltec propulsion system serves as the energy source for the vehicle. Composing the system is a 16-kW/h lithium battery pack and a 149-horsepower electric motor, as well as a 1.4-liter gasoline engine and a generator.
Thanks to GM’s powerflow management of the system components, officials said the Volt has a 25- to 50-mile range when it is being run solely on electric power, with extra range totaling as much as another 310 miles when the internal combustion engine is brought into the equation.
“The more we think about the Volt, the more convinced we are this vehicle represents a real breakthrough,” Mackenzie shared. “The genius of the Volt’s powertrain is that it is actually capable of operating as a pure EV, a series hybrid, or as a parallel hybrid to deliver the best possible efficiency, depending on the user’s duty cycle.
“For want of a better technical descriptor, this is the world’s first intelligent hybrid,” Mackenzie continued. “And the investment in the technology that drives this car is also an investment in the long-term future of automaking in America.”
Explaining more about the award, officials noted that the publication’s staff conducts a weeklong process to choose contenders. The vehicles undergo performance testing as well as tracked-based ride and handling testing. They are also tested for how they perform on a “real-world loop.”
That particular element is composed of freeway and regular two-lane highway driving as well as driving on a loose-surface track.
Evaluations are based on the following criteria:
—Advancement in Design
—Engineering Excellence
—Efficiency
—Safety
—Value
—Performance of Intended Function
Volt Takes Automobile Magazine Honors, Too
In more good news for GM, the Volt earned Automobile magazine’s 2011 Automobile of the Year award, as well. A presentation of the award at the Los Angeles International Auto Show to GM U.S. vice president of marketing Joel Ewanick is scheduled for today.
"This is the most sophisticated, most important vehicle on the road today. It won’t just change what we drive, but also how we drive,” the publication’s editors wrote.
“Owners will plug in at night, heat or cool their cabin before they leave the garage, and adopt new driving styles to maximize their electric range,” they added. “Then, when the battery is depleted, they’ll mindlessly motor on, free of the limitations that accompanies pure electric vehicles.”
Offering his commentary, Ewanick — who made the 2,394-mile trek to the show from Detroit — said: “We are very grateful for this prestigious recognition from Automobile magazine. Automobile of the Year is a testament to the pioneering technology of the Volt, as well as the talent, intelligence and hard work of everyone at GM who made it a reality.”