General Motors is reportedly preparing to introduce its second-generation Chevrolet Volt hybrid sometime in 2015.
The company has developed a new front-wheel-drive hybrid platform for the redesigned model, however it is not expected to feature drastic alterations to the current body style, unnamed industry sources have told Edmunds.
"It is different, but not drastically different," the insider said. "Just really a bit of a styling change to it."
With GMs main competitor Toyota now offering an entire range of hybrids which account for 28% of all Toyota and Lexus sales and the Prius being the top selling car in California for the past two years, will we finally see GM expand the range to include the Volt MPV which GM revealed way back in 2010?
Former GM CEO Dan Akerson early last year promised that the next Volt will be significantly lighter than the current iteration, with a list price likely around $30,000 to $33,000. The company already dropped the retail price to $34,995 (including $810 destination fee) for the 2014 model year, however a further discount would help the hybrid compete against plug-in offerings from Toyota, Nissan and Ford.
The current Volt provides up to 38 miles of electric-only range before the 1.4-liter four-cylinder generator kicks in. Lower weight will likely bring improvements to electric range and gasoline consumption, though GM has yet to publicly confirm any specifics.
The second-generation model is expected to be launched for the 2016 model year.
