Watching TV each day, I’m reminded more and more of a film from my youth, Mad Max. The film series that made Mel Gibson into a global star featured a world of the future where govenrments had collapsed and a wild west ethos prevailed. The currency of value being not gold nuggets, but the last remaining fuel supplies. This video, part of a competition run by Chevrolet for the new Volt, is a good take on the whole Mad Max genre.

Have I driven a Volt yet? No, but we hope to soon. And while it may not be the number one on your list for a driving experience gift, we find this new technology intriguing. The car is marketed not as a ‘hybrid’ like Toyota’s Prius, but as a ‘range extender’ technology. This mans that the engine rarely, if ever, drives the wheels. It simply supplies a power source running at a steady setting to generate electricity to both power the electric motors and add change to the battery pack. In addition, the batteries can be charged from a standard household electrical connection in around four hours.

The transmission uses a clever planetary gear system to juggle the different sources of power, together with different driver selectable modes for varying driving conditions. In normal mode, the car drives in the most efficient mode in terms of power use, principally light electrical. The sport mode automatically sharpens the accelerator pedal response to provide quicker torque application. Selecting mountain mode 10 to 15 minutes before entering very high inclines, adjusts the generation system to provide sufficient battery charge needed in this environment without compromising performance. The hold mode is quite clever. Designed specifically with European customers in mind, it allows the driver to save the battery’s charge until she or he reaches a city where congestion charge areas or tolls promote the use of zero-emissions vehicles. Lastly, low shift mode works in tandem with sport mode to accommodate the most sporty driving style.

How all this might work on a test track is something we’d like to try out and we hope to get behind a Volt steering wheel soon.

This post has been sponsored by Chevrolet