Cruze electric on the way

The mid-size sedan, which is predicted to overhaul Commodore sales, goes to volt power in the form of the Cruze EV, co-developed with GM Daewoo, LG Chem and LG Electronics.

"This Cruze EV demonstration project reinforces GM's commitment to being a leader in the development of electric vehicles and green technologies, building on our portfolio of hybrids and the Chevrolet Volt," GM vice president of global vehicle engineering, Karl Stracke, says.  "We'll apply the learnings from this and our other demo projects to help us deliver the world's best vehicles for our customers."

GM Daewoo also will test an electric-powered Lacetti Premiere vehicle in South Korea. The Lacetti sedan shares the same platform as the Cruze and is sold in Korea.

The Cruze EVs are equipped with a 31-kilowat battery that generates maximum power of 150 kilowatts. The test vehicles have a range of up to 160km and a top speed of 160km/h in testing. Zero-to-100km/h acceleration is estimated in 8.2 seconds.

The Cruze EV can be recharged in 8 to 10 hours on a standard 220-volt outlet, GM said. The battery pack is located under the vehicle and does not interfere with trunk space. GM did not provide specifics about the battery location.