General Motors on Thursday showed off some of the aerodynamic styling of the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, which is scheduled to ship in late 2010.
In a company blog post, Bob Boniface, who is the director of design for the Volt, released photos of the exterior. The release of images was timed with a GM management conference in Traverse City, Mich.
Boniface said that the Volt design team is spending a significant amount of effort in wind tunnels to minimize the wind drag, which can account for 20 percent of a car's energy.
"We believe the Chevrolet Volt's exterior design is an attractive balance between aerodynamic performance and styling," he wrote.
Speaking to MarketWatch, a GM representative said that the company still intends to deliver Chevy Volts to dealers in late 2010.
The drip-feed of photos and updates on the Volt underscores how important the product launch is to GM.
The company is being pummeled financially by its reliance on sales of SUVs, trucks, and large cars as consumers shift to more fuel-efficient cars.
The Volt, which will be able to go 40 miles on an electrical charge, is a high-profile model to demonstrate GM's commitment to diversifying its fleet with more fuel-efficient technology.
The Volt will also have a gas engine used to recharge the lithium-ion battery, giving the car a range of 400 miles.