Photos of Production GM Volt Accidentally Leaked!

It is a bit disappointing, from the front the concept had a scaled down 2010 Camaro look about it. I'm sad to see that has gone.

The back looks ok though.

Give me a high tech looking dash and a good price and I'll still be tempted though...

I think this is a positive development. We need more practical cars that are alternatively powered, and less sports cars.

These "accidental" sort of leaks are exactly what GM needs to hype the car maker's dismal image and poor financial standing...

Wow, that looks absolutely nothing like the concept. Profoundly uninteresting, at least on an aestheic level. Looks like GM's trying to kill the electric car one more time.

The Volt concept car was undrivable. The driver couldn't see out, it was worse than the Chrysler 300. This looks like a Taurus. I think since electrics are more likely to be sold in urban areas, which means driven at slow speeds, I think the jutting chin isn't too aerodynamically impractical, kind of like with the old Scion.

But they should have given it a prestige look, like Smart or Prius, so the driver could be instantly spotted as a lover of Mother Earth. ("Thaaaanks!")

That's a shame. I liked the edge of the concept. There is no reason why a car can't be both practical and stylish. I'm sure there is more interior space and maybe more cargo area in the new body, but it lost a lot of style.

Anyone else think the GM emblem sticks out like a sore thumb and should be revised just like the car itself?

I wonder if these are the same smug douchebags that killed the EV1.

Looks like an Impala and Prius mated. Looks good. Better than that Batmobile thing.

I'm sorry. They say that this car will attract more buyers than the concept car? I disagree. I am tired of these boring cars. The roads need something more edgy with the ability to look great and sleak. I wouldn't buy this car, but when I saw the concept car....I was tempted.

"I think this is a positive development. We need more practical cars that are alternatively powered, and less sports cars." -JSDreyer

As opposed to what? The Tesla Roadster? That is one sports car among all the different hybrid models available. We need viable alternatively fueled models across the entire automotive spectrum not just compact sedans.

Its official I no longer want to buy the volt

OMG, most of you people are total 'tards. That concept car, while "cool" looking, was totally useless. This version is actually quite stylish compared to a....Prius. God, the Prius is still such an ugly car.

Its exactly what the general public will buy. You want more sexy? Buy a f'n Tesla or STFU.

As for killing the electric car, you dolts will eat your hats en masse when GM sells these things hand over fist, and has to beat prospective buyers off with a stick. Toyota is in for a really hard lesson. That 2010 PHEV Prius with 9 mile EV range will be a total joke.

Oh, and don't worry, I'll still be here in 13 months to remind you lot how stupid and short sighted you were. Gracious, me? Hell no. Hold you idiot's feet to the fire is what I'm all about. :D

They took a dramatic concept car and filed the edges down to the point where it's simply a YABS (Yet Another Boring Sedan).

Could be a bad move on GM's part, as the Volt's original styling was one of the major differences between it and the Prius and the Insight.

Now they'll have to compete on other factors... if they can.

The reason for the update was all aerodynamics...one of the GM guys said that the concept had better drag coefficient going backwards than forwards...

Remember, parasitic drag from wind would cut drastically into the all-electric range...every lit bit of drag they could tweak out of the car means they need less battery to make it 40 miles on electricity. A smaller battery also lowers the footprint of the production as well as (and probably most importantly) the share of the battery in the price of the car.

The whole reason this looks like other cars is 1) because a slippery aero package is a slippery aero package 2) Design Language....the whole point of the volt is that it is a Chevy, a mainstream car and a halo car for the brand. They wouldn't want to get into a situation where the Volt was it's own brand. The architecture could be used in any number cars/body styles and they would want people to think Chevy when they think Green Cars.

Final thought: If you want a flashy car, get a Ferrari or a Porche. If you want to use the electric grid to get to work...buy a Volt.

Treehugger, at least get some money from GM.

These photos were not "leaked". It is part of their PR campaign and you guys fell for it.

"These photos were not "leaked". It is part of their PR campaign and you guys fell for it."

Please cite your sources.

If GM was going to leak photos of the volt, it would pick ones where there isn't guys standing in front of the car.

Site the sources for the leak.

Companies do this all the time to create buzz for a product. Having the photo's "leaked" makes them more interesting. People like so called secrets. If they just let the photos out, who would care.

Fact is, both leaks and incompetence are common. A lot of stuff that isn't supposed to be found gets found on websites. Bottom line, you can't know which it is.

Either way, people have been curious to know what the Volt looks like. No harm in showing them.

I like the concept too, but this is acceptable. Now if they can ship it?

I think this looks really cool! It's practical, but still has a bit of that futuristic look. It reminds me of a Civic a bit.

I personally think they achieved the perfect look!

I can't believe people actually liked the concept's looks. It was the ugliest car since the hummer and appeared to have as much visibility and aerodynamic efficiency as a cardboard box. This new design is making me think that the Volt is more than just pr boosting vaporware.

I have an uncle who lives in a small town in Kansas. He has bought American cars his entire life. He is in many ways just your average, "red-state" american. At a recent family reunion, my uncle made a few comments to me that I think explain GM's entire strategy with the Volt. He said, " Jack. I want to buy one of them new hybrid cars. You know. The electric ones. I'm tired of buying gas and sending money to folks that plain just don't like us. I'm willing to spend the money. It's just that those cars are so darn ugly. They stand out like a sore thumb. The last thing I need is people thinking I got something to prove by driving one of them." Enter the Volt, looking like a Taurus. The car a lot of americans have been waiting for. GM knows what they're doing with this car. I'll buy one.

"I wonder if these are the same smug douchebags that killed the EV1."

haha...

they do look like they deserve one up the ass.

I don't think people (those well-informed enough to know) should simply forget past sins and celebrate the future of gm as if they had been protecting the environment for decades. That would make no sense. If that's how you think, you don't take it personally enough.

It looks NOTHING like the concept car.
As the same time, I bet more people like it because it looks like it can fit their family.

I can't believe some of the comments I'm reading. The concept was as aerodynamic as a chrome brick. If you want a minimally efficient car you can't have angles all over the place like that.

Besides that, visibility was probably pathetic. It was just what the doctor ordered if you wanted to risk running over your six year old kid, standing up, while going forward. The huge front was nothing but SUV mentality, and it looked retarded on a supposedly efficient car.

GM admitted that the concept was just for show. Crashing sales and high gas prices gave the Volt life, but of course an actual production vehicle needs to be grounded in physical reality, which means 1) the driver must be able to look out and 2) it has have a CD lower than 0.85 or whatever dreadful number it surely had.

I think the new design is actually quite nice. I hope it sells very well. I know I would buy one, and I think the guys in the pictures deserve some praise. I'd like to see some of you critics design a practical, mass-produced electric car. Would you even know where to start?

To all who complain this is boring: insisting on vehicles that aren't boring is exactly how we got to having freeways full of SUVs. We need to have aerodynamics trump style. If the result is too boring for you, either get a hobby other than obsessing about what your car looks like, or visit the link from my name for some decals to decorate your car.

They were so close, could have been cool, could have redefined themselves, but no they had to come us with the new Chevy Citation!

And to all of those claiming that it needs to be that way to be aerodynamic you don't know jack about cars. Look at F1, Ferrari, the Porsche GT - do you not think they worry about drag coefficient.

Nope this is GM being GM - designed by committee ruled by the norm. The reason it is like this is because it is easier to make and won't cut into the sales of their more exciting cars.

Does anyone remember the first time they saw a Fiero? It made you stop in look in 1984 and for a time you thought - hey maybe just maybe GM could be cool again.

The bottom line is the European and Asian car manufacturers will come in and build a way better looking electric car and GM and will standing around in public with their pants down again!

Cheers - Eric

They could have styled it like an Oscar Meyer weiner-mobile if they found it was the most aerodynamic shape for fuel-efficiency.

I'm sure the braintrusts at F1 teams, Ferrari, and Porsche think about aerodynamic efficiency, but do you really think their main focus is on fuel efficiency?

You better get used to the Prius-y shape. So far, it's the most slippery one out there.

Anybody on here follow cars from concept to production? It's pretty rare that a concept car looks a whole lot like the production version. Concept cars are mostly advertisements. I think there's a few Treehugger readers that could stand to read Autoblog from time to time.

Another long, low car. Great if your daily driving is from home to work to soccer practice and to the mall. Not so great if you live in town and don't have access to off street parking.

But, let's face it, people who have to park in the street aren't going to be plugging their cars in every night.

looks way too big. I was hoping for a small two-door. This will probably appeal to the american people more though, so I suppose it's good.

It looks like Chevy is taking the same gambit that failed honda: a hybrid that looks like every other car. I wish 'em luck, but judging by the fact the fit hybrid is coming our way because of smug, the only consumer they'll grab is the jingoist who want buy a car with out an american name.

B.T.Y.
all you folks talking about it needing to loss the corners to be more aerodynamic, take a look at the toyota cellica. with most cars hitting .33 or .32 coeff. drag, frontal area is more important than shaving of a pointy edge.

Patrick you have a point - F1 teams, Ferrari, and Porsche focus on keep the car on the road as well. However come on - does the new Volt inspire you in any way? How fast are people really going in an electric car? I know Tesla is a fast car however the majority of people are going under 60 KM an hour and less than 40Km round trips.

Autoblog for sure has this market nailed down and props to them for being "The" source on this stuff.

You brought up concept to production - take the new Scirocco for example - sure it is not like the concept car but it is not a complete about face either - styling cues are there and you can see where it came from. With the Volt It felt a bit like showing a Ford GT for concept and then the production is a Fusion! Sure the rims and the headlight treatment are similar - I'll give em that. But that beefy back end is what made it look cool.

Cheers - Eric

Ack!!! They turned and edgy-looking car into a mommy-mobile!

I don't buy the whole "aerodynamic" argument either. Cars go forward and backward, there's no reason to make it a perfect hemisphere. Admittedly they needed to make it more aerodynamic, but the changes they made lead me to believe they just didn't have the money to do the radical tooling that the concept car needed.

For example, the headlights could have stayed the same without affecting aerodynamics - these headlights look nowhere as cool. And the faux grill on this just looks stupid - makes it look cheap.

There are some lines (via the creases) in the body that are just completely wimpified - take the hood for example - compare it to the prototype. Those are things that may have either a tiny or negligible effect on aerodynamics.

Bottom line ... they mommified it. I guess I'll wait for the Saturn Flextreme.

Very disappointing. I assume GM thinks that the design must be conservative to make the Volt appeal to the average buyer. This is completely wrong thinking. The design must be distinctive, exciting, and say, "Look at me! I'm driving an electric car! And it's sexy!" not, "Don't look at me. don't even notice me."

Oh, and the "accidental" leak? The oldest trick in the book. But it serves its purpose, which is to get public feedback to the design, which is just what's happening now, here. Now let's see if they actually listen.

What I want in an electric car is plug-in economy, a nice sized trunk with fold down rear seats and quality construction. I think Chevy should contemplate a luxury mode ala BMW or Mercedes for the rich people. P.S. I think the stying is great.

I'm so GLAD the Chopped Chevy/Gangster Car look is GONE!

@Aindriú
Yeah, as opposed to the Tesla, and the Enigma, and the Priapus, and the Lightening GT, and the Peugeot RC, and the NICE Super Light Electric Sport Car, and the Mullen L1X-75 GT, and the Fisker Karma. Family cars carry more people and cargo per mile, so they have a greater impact. And they're priced lower, so they sell more which also has a greater impact. Sports cars, with their low volume sales and high power requirements should be the last thing we convert.

Although I can't stand American cars, I hope GM pulls this off. It's a move in the right direction.

Most of the comments on stories about the Tesla, Fisker and other electric cars basically say: "Why don't the auto makers build an electric car for normal people like me who have kids and groceries? These toys are no use to me."

Well, here it is- and what do most of the comments say? "It's a bit dull."

WOW A WANT TO BE VOLT PRIUS

WHAT HAPPEN TO THE SPARK (VOLT CONCEPT ) ONLY 40 MILES ON A CHARGE

GM JUST DOES NOT GET IT

I wish Chevy would redesign their emblem too...it looks so cheap and cheezy looking.

I wish the Volt were more aerodynamically shaped. Maybe the Cadillac Volt version will be.

"I wish the Volt were more aerodynamically shaped. Maybe the Cadillac Volt version will be"

Umm you do know this is the most aerodynamic car GM has ever designed?

"Oh, and the "accidental" leak? The oldest trick in the book. But it serves its purpose, which is to get public feedback to the design, which is just what's happening now, here. Now let's see if they actually listen."

It’s not accidental, Leftlane News broke the embargo. The media gets their hands on all the goods a little while before the public does, that way they get a chance to write articles about it. Hence if you ever look at reviews for anticipated vehicles, they are all released on the same day.

Eric, you're right, it definitely doesn't have the looks of the concept car. These shots give it more of a "just another car" look that the concept car didn't have.

But you have to wonder, if they rolled the concept car out resembling these production shots, would the public have reacted in the same way? I doubt it.

The Chevy Equinox will run up to 150 miles before hydrogen fill up and up to 100 mph. It seems to have a better design than the generic looking Volt. There is green review on it at ecoforward.com. Looks like the EPA will be leasing a few when they're released.

I like the site and information. When can I get a Volt?