GM shows off 120V and 240V chargers for 2011 Chevy Volt

Posted by admin on Aug 12, 2009 in Blog, Technology | 2 comments

As part of the massive media campaign rolled out today by General Motors in preparation for the new 230-mpg Chevy Volt and some B20 biodiesel trucks, GM showed the the two chargers that will come with the Volt when it becomes available in November 2010.

With each Volt purchase you’ll get one of these two chargers – either a portable 120V charging unit that can plug into any outlet in the garage and can also be carried along in the vehicle, or a dedicated 240V unit that will require installation into a more powerful connection, just like a dryer.

Of course, the 240V unit will charge up the Volt quicker than the portable unit, but GM knows that customers will have different needs and so wants to offer options.

the 120V unit has two charge rates. The normal rate is 12 amps, but if this causes circuits to break or other problems in the house, there is a user-selectable 8 amp charge option. The 240V charger has a 16 amp output, which is just over what the Volt’s 16 kWh battery is suited for. The charger has three lights to indicate that the unit is receiving AC power, if there is a fault, like a ground fault circuit interrupter indicator, and whether or not there is a ground present.

The now-standard J1772 connector had plenty of safety features built in. One useful feature: The Volt won’t move if you leave it plugged in. This disabling feature is not dependent on whether there is current coming in or not. The car itself detects if the handle is plugged in, eliminating the possibility of a bright orange tail.

One extra that GM is adding to the J1772 is a flashlight that will light up whenever the release handle is depressed. Water and weather and sunlight won’t be a problem for these chargers, either. Both chargers can be mounted outdoors, if needed, and the female connectors can be dipped in water or sprayed clean.