Next-Gen Volt Powered By Higher-Efficiency Engine
General Motors is improving the efficiency of its next-generation Chevrolet Volt by adding a new 1.5L, four-cylinder engine that should deliver 20 percent more electric acceleration.

Photo of the 2016 Chevrolet Volt drivetrain courtesy of GM.

Photo of the 2016 Chevrolet Volt drivetrain courtesy of GM.
General Motors is improving the efficiency of its next-generation Chevrolet Volt by adding a new 1.5L, four-cylinder engine that should deliver 20 percent more electric acceleration, the automaker has announced.
GM is debuting the 2016-MY Volt at the North American International Auto Show in January, but has released some new details about the vehicle's powertrain, which has been re-engineered.
The drive unit that consists of a pair of Voltec electric motors operates between 5 and 12 percent more efficiently and weighs 100 pounds less than the current system. Additionally, the range-extending 1.5L four-cylinder gasoline engine uses direct injection, a high compression ratio (12.5:1), cooled exhaust gas recirculation, and a variable displacement oil pump.
General Motors is also increasing the percentage of U.S.- and Canadian-sourced parts in the 2016 Volt to about 70 percent. That represents a 20 percent increase from the first generation model that was introduced in late 2010.
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