Chevrolet joins with Con Edison to promote electric transportation

Chevrolet will join with Con Edison as part of a development and demonstration program to introduce electric vehicles to New York City.

The arrangement was announced March 28 at the New York Auto Show, where the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range will be on display. Production of the 2011 Volt begins later this year at GM’s Hamtramck Assembly near Detroit. Pricing has not yet been announced.

“Chevrolet is committed to a successful Volt launch, and to achieve that, we need to work with our utility partners to introduce our customers to electric vehicles and the infrastructure that will support them,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet marketing. “So far, we have invested more than $700 million in the U.S. to reinforce our leadership in this new technology.”

Chevrolet has previously announced that Volt sales will start simultaneously in California, Michigan and Washington D.C., with other markets to follow. In addition, Chevrolet is partnering with utility providers in each lead market and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on development and demonstration programs designed to introduce customers to electric vehicles and to establish vehicle charging programs.

Con Edison, a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Inc., provides electric, gas and steam service to more than 3 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, New York. 

Chevrolet will deliver more than 100 Volts to 10 utilities across the U.S. – including Con Edison – as part of the extended demonstration program. The overall program includes 500 charging stations that will be installed for residential, business and public use. They will be used to learn more about the installation process, vehicle charging and to gauge customer feedback.

The program is made possible with a grant of more than $30 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds from the Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Chevrolet Volt is an electric vehicle with extended-range capability. It is designed to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is depleted, an engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range if there is no access to an electrical outlet to recharge the battery, providing peace of mind by eliminating range anxiety.