Chevrolet Improves Brand Efficiency with Volt and Improved Aveo

Chevrolet will be adding two more models to its European lineup in 2012. The electric Volt with a range extending generator and diesel Aveo will be coming. Maybe they can do something to improve Chevrolet's European image as a maker of cheap cars.

The Volt is the vehicle on which General Motors is betting its future. GM does not have as many of the small, efficient diesels that many European makers have, and its work on hybrids has not had the large gains in efficiency that Toyota has seen. The Volt is just the first range-extended electric car that GM is developing. They have already confirmed a luxury Cadillac variant, and Europe will also get the Opel Ampera.

The Volt's electric motor produces a total of 150hp from its two electric motors. What sets it apart from other electric cars is the 1.4 liter, gasoline engine that is used to power the batteries when the car runs out of juice. This brings the car's range to over 500km, which pretty much eliminates the range anxiety that often comes from driving an electric vehicle. The Volt accelerates to 100km/h in 9 seconds and has a top speed of 160km/h.

The other option for maximal efficiency in the European Chevrolet range is the new Aveo diesel. It uses a 1.3 liter, diesel engine that comes in two states of tune: either 75hp or 95hp, and it uses 3.6l/100km and 4.1l/100km respectively. The 95hp variant has lower emissions at 95g/km and the 75hp version emits 97g/km.

Chevy will also make an Aveo powered by liquified petroleum gas (LPG) later this year. The LPG engine in the Aveo will be 1.2 liters, but Chevy did not reveal any further specifications of the engine.

It looks as if Chevrolet is trying to improve its European image by bringing better, more efficient vehicles.