On Thursday, US President Barack Obama had a chance to check out the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle during a visit to the Compact Power battery plant in Holland, Mich. LG Chem, the parent of Compact Power, is making the battery cells for the Volt.
The Volt has claimed that it has a range of about 340 miles and is powered with electricity at all times. For up to the first 40 miles, the Volt is powered solely by electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery, using no fuel and producing no emissions. When the Volt's lithium-ion battery runs low, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 300 miles on a full tank of gas.
The Volt battery pack will be assembled in Brownstown Township, Mich., and shipped to the Detroit Hamtramck Assembly Plant for mating with the Volt. Chevrolet announced on Wednesday the Volt battery will have a standard eight-year/100,000 mile warranty.
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