GM to unwrap Volt at celebration today

When the Volt is unveiled today it will have a new look (above) from the prototype previously seen

General Motors Corp. will officially unveil a near-production version of Chevrolet Volt today during its 100th birthday celebration — a milestone after more than 18 months of developing a vehicle faster than any other vehicle in recent memory.

The long-awaited reveal gives people a look at GM's most important future product and one that analysts and auto executives alike agree can be a "game changer." The Detroit automaker has created four largely foam models of the Volt that will be displayed in key global markets, and another version of the Volt that's "fully-representative" — both inside and outside — that runs on electricity.

What viewers of today's worldwide Web cast won't see, however, are the complex systems designed for the extended range electric vehicle created by more than 500 engineers, designers and other employees racing to have the vehicle ready to begin production by November 2010.

Its radiator is slightly thicker than normal because of the cooling needs of the 400-pound, 5-foot long lithium-ion battery pack. The Volt won't have a traditional grill, a move designed to reduce drag and make it more aerodynamic; and the electrical system has been completely redesigned as have many of the systems, such as the radio and wipers, that draw power from the battery.

GM insists it will begin assembling the Volt in Hamtramck in late 2010 and has been pushing hard to make it happen, according to four key Volt executives who sat down with The News recently.

"You cannot stop this train," says Frank Weber, GM's vehicle line executive for the Volt.