Preproduction Chevy Volts live up to promise of 40 miles without gas!

GM has gained some market share back amid Toyota’s recall nightmares but that will only last as long as its products live up to the same or better quality standards. The Chevy Volt isn’t yet in full fledged production but the preproduction vehicles are off to a good start with regular tests showing 40 miles of driving without using any gas.

That’s living up to GM’s original promise made when it first introduced the Chevy Volt concept and is a sign that the company’s ongoing investment in research has netted a sound product. In some ways the Chevy Volt will leapfrog the current gasoline, hybrid and electric car markets because it neatly combines desirable traits from each.

Capable of 40 miles on battery power alone, most people won’t need to use any case during a daily commute. But, if they need to travel farther a small engine powered by gasoline will charge the batteries on the fly, enabling it to travel much longer distances. Traditionally consumers have felt a certain trepidation about buying a car with an explicit range limit.

Some areas are showing signs of new infrastructure investments to support charging electric cars quickly just like gas stations do for combustion engine cars, but recharge stations are still a rare sight. The Chevy Volt bridges the gap between electric and gasoline in a way that allows drivers to primarily use electricity but easily take advantage of the existing gas station infrastructure.

A variety of car companies are beginning to invest more heavily in battery technology in Michigan, according to Freep.com. The challenge they face is gauging actual demand for batteries that would power electric cars or plug-in hybrids like the Chevy Volt because the vehicles are so new.

Despite the unknowns, GM has invested in its Warren Technical Center battery lab which services over 1,000 engineers. Ford is building hybrid battery packs at its Rawsonville Plant.