Plastics help Volt hit new target

DETROIT — The Chevrolet Volt, General Motors Co.'s hybrid electric car, has gotten a makeover.

The 2016 Volt, unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, features a sportier exterior design — GM calls it “muscular” — and an emphasis on aerodynamics. Notably, the new design also incorporates active grille shutters, which open and close automatically to manage airflow into the engine compartment.

Active grille shutters are typically made with glass-reinforced nylon veins, and housings of glass-reinforced polypropylene. GM did not disclose the specific material it uses in the Volt's shutters.

The second-generation Volt also features a lighter drivetrain and a new, 192-cell lithium-ion battery pack, pushing the vehicle's electric range to an estimated 50 miles. The 5.5-foot-long battery pack retains the T-shape of the first-generation Volt's battery and has a glass-reinforced polyester structural composite cover.

GM is investing $435 million in the production of the Volt at its Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Plant and at its Brownstown (Mich.) Battery Assembly Plant, which produces the lithium-ion battery packs, a news release indicates. GM says about 70 percent of the Volt's components will be manufactured in the U.S. and Canada within its first year of production.

The new Volt is set to hit dealerships in the second half of 2015.

Also at the show, Chevy introduced its Bolt EV concept, an all-electric vehicle designed for 200 miles of range and intended to be sold in all 50 states if put into production. Details are not yet available on the concept, but GM said it features extensive use of lightweight materials including aluminum, magnesium and carbon fiber.