The chassis underneath the unibody Volt is almost all composed of the same parts used on the Chevrolet Cruze sedan and some German Opel models, with the exception of the ABS brakes, which as we know are connected to the car's electrical system and recharge the battery every time the car is braked or the accelerator pedal is released.

http://www.reedmantollchevy.com/2012-chevrolet-volt-philadelphia.htm

It all starts with a steel unibody assembled by robots using body panels stamped at GM factories in Flint and Lansing. There are more than 900 robots in the body shop at D-Ham, and they can make 285 welds in 14 seconds.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/11/peek-inside-the-chevrolet-volt-factory/

 

It's a unibody. All GM vehicles except for pickup trucks and SUVs are built that way. Floor pans are asembled from dozens of parts. I'm not sure how much carryover there is between Cruze and Volt. Obviously the area where the battery pack is has a very different structure to accomidate the pack.

 

Thx Steverino and Petefoss esp photos.

So then the concept of a "platform" really has no meaning. What's all this business about the new D2XX PLATFORM. Their is no platform. Each car is a unibody.

 

I think at least some of the reported $7k-$10k price reduction for gen 2 Volt is based on using the D2XX platform. The new D2 platform will also support crossovers, so maybe we will see a Volt crossover too.

"The new compact platform will also simplify General Motors’ operations across the board, including engineering, design, sourcing, support, and tooling — giving GM the ability to enjoy increased economies of scale on a global level. And for good measure, as D2-based vehicles will be built all over the world."

"In addition, a common global architecture that supports cars and crossovers will finally allow The General to decrease time to market. At least 12 namplates will be underpinned by the D2 platform, including the next-generation versions of the Chevy Volt and Cadillac ELR."

"The Lordstown plant is expected to commence production of the all-new 2015 Cruze in the third quarter of 2014. At about the same time, GM’s Korean operations will ramp up production for Asian markets. Platform mates are expected to follow the launch of the Cruze, and the entire D2-based model rollout is expected to be completed by 2016, according to sources."

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2012/08/gms-next-gen-d2-platform-to-support-at-least-12-nameplates/

Based on the above, it would seem that gen 2 Volt will arrive as a MY 2015 or 2016.

 

Steverino,

I question how much of the Volt shares with the Cruze. For starters the Cruze does NOT have a 400 pound battery tucked inside it's floor pan. The Floor Pan of the Cruze is quite different. The Cruze is not a hatchback so the body is different as well. The suspension of the Volt has to carry the 400 pound battery and uses different suspension components borrowed from the Cadillac CTS. The Volt also uses larger 4 wheel disc brakes. The Cruze uses smaller disks in front and drum brakes in the rear.

Different floor pan. Different Body Style. Different suspension. Different brakes. Makes me wonder what chassis parts of a Cruse have anything to do with a Volt?

 

SThe suspension of the Volt has to carry the 400 pound battery and uses different suspension components borrowed from the Cadillac CTS.

The CTS has a front short and long arm (SLA) configuration and a rear independent multilink. The Volt is front McPherson struts and a rear torsion bar. I don't see any compatibility there.

 

George,

I was puzzled about this too, but after looking at Wikipedia's definition of "platform", I think I have it clear now.

automotive platform

"Platform" no longer necessarily mean a shared physical floor pan, but means shared design concepts, including suspension, steering, brakes, fuel systems, etc. that can share both similar engineering and as many of the same same parts as possible.

 

Bingo hvacman. That's the answer I was after. So it's just about sharing "parts". It has nothing to do with the unibody shape.

Therefore all this business about a common "platform" for a MPV and Volt is really kind of BS in my book as MPV and Volt would still have unique unibodies.

 

What Mike said. My list for what would be on the D2XX platform was shorter and little different, but I also assumed the Malibu would be on the E2XX:

Chevy Cruze (and variants)
Chevy Volt and ELR
Chevy Equinox
GMC Terrain
Opel Astra (and variants)
Opel Antara
Buick Verano (and variants)
Buick EREV CUV?

 

"A preliminary count tells us that at least 12 namplates will be underpinned by the D2 platform, including the next-generation versions of the following vehicles:
Chevrolet & Holden

• Chevy/Holden Cruze and body style variants
• Chevy/Holden Volt
• Chevy Equinox/Holden Captiva – as reported previously
• Chevy Orlando

Opel/Vauxhall

• Opel Astra and body style variants
• Opel Antara
• Opel Zafira will move to a joint architecture developed by Opel PSA Citroen-Peugeot
• Opel Ampera

Buick

• Buick Verano/Excelle and body style variants
• Compact Buick crossover (Envision?)

GMC

• GMC Terrain

Cadillac

• Cadillac ELR