General Motors has just begun shipping Chevrolet Volts to dealers from the Hamtramck factory in Detroit, and the firm estimates that it could sell more than 10 times the number of Volts it’s able to build in 2011. That’s not stopping the product planners from looking to the next phase of the company’s range-extended EV platform, though. It looks like the General is planning a five-passenger small crossover or MPV on the Volt’s architecture, which may be called the Chevy Amp and could debut at the Detroit auto show in January.
It’s a bit of an open secret that GM has been considering a five-door, five-passenger variant of the Volt. The company even showed the Volt MPV5 concept at the Beijing auto show in April, and has been very clear that, for economic reasons, it needs more vehicles using the Volt’s electric-drive system. A few weeks ago, GM’s European chief told a publication on the Continent that Opel is hoping to expand its Volt-underpinned products to include a five-passenger crossover and a more conventionally shaped five-door hatchback (instead of the Volt’s sedan-like silhouette).
Considering the relationship between voltage and amperage—volts equal amps multiplied by resistance—an Amp-branded MPV seems plausible. December trademark filings by General Motors show applications for Chevrolet Amp and Chevrolet Strobe, in addition to the recently announced Sonic, née Aveo. (As is always the case with trademark filings, keep in mind that companies frequently lay claim to certain names they wish to protect, but which will never adorn a vehicle; in this case, GM’s European brand Opel will be selling the Volt as the Ampera.) GM also has registered the domain names ChevyAmp.com, ChevroletAmp.com, ChevroletAmp.net, and ChevyAmp.net, the latter two being purchased just this past October.
We expect news of GM’s full concept and production-car lineup for the Detroit auto show soon, so check back for updates.
Thanks to: Car and Driver