Every school day, hundreds of Wayland students wake up, jump in their cars and drive to school. Students follow the same ritual every morning of turning their ignition key and stepping down on the gas pedal, but this tradition may not last much longer.

With this new economic downturn, automakers are scrambling to come up with hybrids and more fuel-efficient vehicles. US automaker Chevrolet is working on a cutting-edge, ingenious concept vehicle called the “Chevy Volt.”

The Volt runs on a giant lithium-ion battery and is capable of traveling up to 40 miles on a single charge. The car has a gasoline generator that kicks in when the battery is depleted. Specifically, the gas generator draws gasoline from the tank and burns it to create electric current. That electricity is then transferred to the electric motor to propel the car. The gas generator enables the car to travel an additional 300 miles on a single tank.

“I think it’s a step towards a more sustainable travel,” said senior Mike Gentilucci. “Forty miles is a lot of gas.”

The Volt is not just another hybrid car. While standard hybrids have separate gas and electric engines that work in tandem, the Volt has a single electric engine.

The Volt’s design complements its electric engine. Sleek lines, rounded corners, and a low air resistance will help reduce drag and increase efficiency. In addition, Chevy installed regenerative brakes, which add power to the battery during braking. The electric drive peaks at a top speed of 100 m.p.h and is rated as a 150 horsepower engine. The car will plug into a standard wall outlet, finishing a full charge cycle in about eight hours. The company estimates that each full charge would cost 50-80 cents, and that a daily charge would use less electricity than the average refrigerator.

GM (Chevrolet’s parent company) is firmly committed to the project. The first model is expected to be available to the public for sale in 2010. Even with the company’s recent financial troubles, GM is confident that the Volt will remain on schedule.

“The development of the Volt remains on-schedule despite the ongoing talks in Washington, D.C. It is one of the of the highest, if not the highest, priority programs in the company and that hasn’t changed, nor has the commitment of resources to fund it,” said Jon Lauckner, GM’s Vice President of Global Program Management, on his blog.

The Chevy Volt, is by no means a solution to our dependence on fossil fuels, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Roughly 50% of electricity in the United States is produced by burning coal, while another 30% is derived from nuclear or non-renewable energy sources.

As the United States begins to take a serious look at renewable energy alternatives in the next decade, electric cars could be the next step in freeing ourselves from dependency on fossil fuels. Cars that can take direct electrical current can utilize solar, wind, and constantly improving battery technologies.

When asked about the car, junior Lauren Vachon said, “I’d be concerned about the car’s weathering elements. I’d also want to know more about the safety features.”

The first model is expected to sell for $30,000-40,000 range, well beyond what a student could afford. But, as the technology becomes more accessible, that price will likely drop in the coming years. Before we know it, Wayland students might be practicing a new tradition: unplugging the car, turning the ignition key, and stepping down on the electric pedal.

Sources:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/11/autos/volt_official_reveal/?postversion=2008091614
http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/chevy-volt-overview.ars
http://www.greencar.com/features/preview-2011-chevy-volt-electric/
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/MULTI/80917011/1014