Chevy Volt may use GM’s peppy new 1.4L engine as its backup
By Matt Jansen
GM could be giving the Chevy Volt slightly more power by integrating it with the company’s new turbocharged 1.4L, 4 cylinder engine. The concept model used a smaller engine, but GM has confirmed that it’s investigating other options. The new engine supposedly offers a notable gain in MPG while still providing good acceleration.
Amid a series of announcements regarding job cuts and compensation reductions, GM just confirmed that its electric hybrid Chevy Volt may utilize its newest engine. Here are some details from Green Car Congress on the engine:
Injection nozzles in the new 1.4L engine are positioned centrally in the combustion chamber for the direct injection (up to 200 bar) to make sure that a homogeneous mixture is produced and also ensure that the design will not become outdated, as it will also be suitable for other future developments such as HCCI.
GM is expecting to use the new engine for its upcoming Chevy Cruze, and integrating it with the Volt also could make sense. It’s uncertain how that will affect GM’s prediction that the Chevy Volt will achieve 50 MPG while running on gasoline.
But, with the Chevy Volt still over a year away from production some uncertainty is to be expected. When compared with other engines though, this newest 1.4L supposedly offers a 9 MPG gain. According to the Flint Journal:
[This engine] will be the mainstream engine for the next generation Chevy compact car scheduled to go into production in mid-2010 at our Lordstown, Ohio, plant. When teamed with a manual transmission, the new engine will offer customers a 9 mile-per-gallon increase in fuel economy over Chevy’s current entry in this segment.
Traditionally Flint has been a manufacturing base for GM, and the city is seeking assurance from GM that the company will keep jobs there. GM neatly skirted any firm answers by saying “I really can’t speculate on the future of specific products or facilities. But, rest assured, we have every intention of ensuring that Flint has every opportunity to play an important role in GM’s future.”
But more importantly, consumers in Flint, just like anywhere else in the world are looking for significant MPG gains from their vehicles. The Chevy Volt offers hope that daily commuters could escape the gas pump almost completely, using electric energy for the first 40 miles.
That’s the number GM needs to focus on, as well as providing economic performance from the backup gas engine.
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Stumble It!
July 22nd, 2008
I am part of a campaign aimed at General Motors to become Green Motors and become a hybrid/electric car manufacturer. Check it out here: http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/save-general-motors-and-the-planet-at-the-same-time
General Motors is falling apart, losing billions, and in jeopardy of going out of business. If we can convince them that there is a viable market for them taking drastic action to convert their cars and trucks to being the most environmentally efficient in the world, they have nothing to lose by unconditionally embracing the green movement.