MILFORD – General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says his very first drive of a Chevrolet Volt development vehicle left him thrilled with what represents a radical break from the past.

Barely 14 months after debuting as a concept at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, the Chevrolet Volt passed a major milestone on its way to production when an engineering development vehicle, or “mule” rolled out of the workshop at the Milford Proving Ground with a full E-Flex powertrain, Lutz told Green Fuels Forecast in an exclusive interview. During Lutz’s first behind-the-wheel test on May 22 – he drove about 20 miles, primarily on the Vehicle Dynamics Area (known as Black Lake) at the Milford Proving Grounds.

The first batch of vehicles are based on the 2007 Chevrolet Malibu body, dubbed the “Mali-Volt.” The body’s have been heavily modified to accommodate the new drive system, which consists of an electric motor to drive the front wheels, a 1.0L flex fuel three-cylinder engine to drive the generator and a 16kWh lithium ion battery pack packaged down the center tunnel of the car. In mid-April 2008, the first prototype lithium-ion battery pack was installed, followed by several weeks of static testing and some initial calibration.

GM is currently concentrating on packs from only one of the two development suppliers. Lutz declined to reveal whether the mules are running with packs from Compact Power or Continental/A123 Systems but did explain that “we feel we have a lower risk with the one company than with the other.” Packs from both suppliers are still being exercised on the test stands at the Warren MI, Technical Center and in Germany.

The current group of “3 or 4 vehicles” now running with battery packs is “going to increase very quickly.” Toward the end of this year GM will have the first batch of “real” prototypes running with the actual Volt bodywork. By the spring and summer of 2009, the integration vehicles incorporating all the production intent systems will be up and running. By that time, GM expects to have several hundred vehicles running at test facilities and on the road. These vehicles will be used for crash testing and so engineers can complete all the software development and calibration, as well as validate battery durability.

Discussing the development team, Lutz tells GFF that “two months ago they were still sort of, ‘Yeah, well we’ll do the best we can, but gee we just don’t know, you can be sure we’ll try real hard.’ Now I would say it’s just a growing level of confidence. The guys are now convinced that unless we have some sudden whoops that we don’t see, we’re good for November of 2010.”

To view a video podcast interview with Lutz, click on GreenFuelsForecast.Com

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