When GM revealed its original prototype design of the Chevy Volt it attracted the attention of many with its uniquely muscled look. Soon after, GM made it clear that the Chevy Volt design would need to change in order to improve its aerodynamics and now the company has surfaced a few teaser shots.

GM released photos of the Chevy Volt that hint at a few of the changes its design team is working on. While the car still looks unique, the overall design statement is toned down. Take a look below, the images were posted on GM’s Fastlane blog.

The Chevy Volt has a couple of points that make it stand out, (1) 40 miles without gas and (2) it primarily draws its power from electricity. In order to achieve 40 miles without kicking in the gas engine, GM will need to build in as much efficiency as possible and the design team is well aware of that.

Bob Boniface addresses that point specifically when he talks about drag.

When you’re driving down the road, it takes energy to slice through the air that is pushing against the car. That force is known as drag and it can account for up to 20 percent of the energy consumed in an average vehicle. One of the challenges as a designer is to reduce aero drag, while still creating a design that is compelling. We do that by experimenting with different angles and curves and then testing the car in our wind tunnel, which blasts air at the car to measure the effect of drag.

It’s good to hear that GM is continuing to put a concerted effort into building a new class of car, one that operators can be proud to drive.

Boniface also references tapered corners that allow air to flow more freely around the vehicle. And while these pictures are good at building intrigue, they don’t reveal enough to generate an overall impression.

Good work teasing out a little more buzz GM.

Related:

Entry was posted on Thursday, August 14th, 2008 at 11:28 pm under Auto, Green Technology.

Read more entries by Matt Jansen.
Stumble It!