GM updates us on the Chevrolet Volt's battery and powertrain development-We love Cars

GM updates us on the Chevrolet Volt's battery and powertrain development: "

Filed under: Hybrid, Technology, Chevrolet, GM, Electric

2011 Chevrolet Volt - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has provided another of its regular updates on the development of the Chevrolet Volt, focusing on its battery and powertrain. With a little over six months to go until the first production model rolls off the line, GM says it is making rapid progress on getting the Volt ready for final validation and certification. Over the past several months, the engineers have been accumulating test miles on the 80 pre-production IVER cars that were built last summer. The fleet has now accumulated over 500,000 miles, with some of the cars having run upwards of 20,000 miles while completing the durability tests.

The durability test cycle is an accelerated test that replicates the wear and tear that typically happens to a car over its lifecycle. According to chief engineer Andrew Farah, the Volt prototypes have met all their goals in both durability and performance. Farah told the attendees that the Volts are regularly hitting the 40-mile electric range target during normal driving, even at temperatures as low as 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Read more about the Volt's status after the jump.

Gallery: April 2010 Chevy Volt update