Like a Volt from the blue

GM's Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle was the surprise of the opening day of the Australian International Motor Show as Holden made the definitive statement it will sell the car here.

GM Holden has been building toward an Australian future for the Volt and yesterday chairman and managing director Mark Reuss confirmed a 2012 on sale date. The announcement was the culmination of feverish behind the scenes to ensure the car is manufactured in right-hand drive and therefore available to wear a Holden badge.

``It is a reflection of the importance of the Australian market for General Motors that a vehicle as significant as Volt has been provided for this show,'' Reuss says. ``This technology is potentially the most exciting addition to GM's range of alternative fuels. As we move forward, it will be innovative solutions such as Volt that will sustain global motoring by reducing our dependence on foreign oil.''

Volt, the production version of which was unveiled just weeks ago in Detroit and shown in Paris last weekend, will be on sale in the US by 2010. The difference between Volt and other hybrid fuel/electric vehicles is that while there is a small internal combustion engine in the Volt it is used only to drive a generator and recharge the batteries. All motive power is through electric motors.

When operating solely on its battery, Volt can drive up to 64km without using any fuel or producing any emissions.

Once the battery energy is depleted, a small petrol engine generates electricity to power the vehicle for hundreds of additional kilometres.
The battery can be fully recharged in three hours while plugged into the household electricity grid. GM estimates that compared to similar sized petrol-powered vehicles, Volt will save motorists almost 1900 litres of fuel a year.

It also calculates that charging the vehicle at night through a standard power outlet will use less electricity annually than an average fridge.
Holden also announced at the show new branding for its alternate fuel vehicles and fuel-saving technology. EcoLine badging will be attached to a range of Holden models to signify their economic and ecological advantages.

Reuss says the EcoLine branding gives a name to Holden's commitment to developing more sustainable and cost-saving solutions. ``The energy challenges we face require many answers. For Holden, the future of sustainable motoring is a clear strategy of energy diversity,'' Reuss says.

The badging will appear on all LPG and dual fuel models, diesel versions of the Astra and Epica and all of the new Active Fuel Management models.

As part of the EcoLine launch it was also announced that all Holden V8 automatics will come with AFM from next January. AFM, also known as cylinder deactivation, allows four of the engines cylinders to shut down under suitable conditions such as when cruising at a steady speed. When acceleration is needed or the engine comes under load the cylinders are automatically reactivated.

Holden claims the system can provide fuel savings of up to one litre per 100km.

Reuss says AFM delivers the best of both worlds to performance enthusiasts; improved fuel efficiency with the power they want in a V8.

GM also put on display its new Cadillac CTS, which will share the company's premium brand marketing with Saab and Hummer.

After a 70-year absence for Cadillac, the CTS will be on sale in Australia before the end of the year with the sedan to be joined by the sleek Coupe version early next year.

To give showgoers a taste of what's to come, GM has flown out the Coupe Concept shown in the US earlier this year. GM Premium Brands director Parveen Batish says Cadillac will appeal to prestige car buyers and offer an alternative to the traditional European brands.

A little more left field but still with the plenty of top-end GM genes is the Elfin Type 5, mixing it with the Pagani Zonda and Koenigsegg CCX at Supercar Central.

The Type 5 is a world away from the marque's previous V8 monsters, the MS8 Clubman and Streamliner.