| Nov 09, 2009 |
Posted By: Mark Bilek |
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The Cadillac Converj concept at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show. Note, GM Vice
Chairman Bob Lutz in the background. |
According to a report in the Detroit News, General Motors has given the green light to a Cadillac version of the extended-range electric Chevrolet Volt. The vehicle is rumored to be very similar in size and shape to the Cadillac Converj concept, which appeared at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.
The unnamed vehicle would be Cadillac's second gas-electric vehicle, following the critically lauded Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, and would be introduced sometime after the Chevrolet Volt makes its debut in late 2010. According to General Motors Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, "if the Converj was approved, the production model would resemble the concept, likening it to the Chevrolet Camaro's evolution from concept to production."
Like the Volt, upon which it would be based, the new Caddy hybrid would allows drivers to travel up to 40 miles solely on electric power. Then a gasoline engine kicks in to sustain the battery's remaining charge and keep the car running for several hundred miles. Unlike current gas-electric hybrids, the Volt is driven by electric motors. This makes the Volt unique among hybrid vehicles and a logical bridge to a mass-market all-electric vehicle.
[Source]