Most automotive enthusiasts are well aware of General Motors love of using a given platform/chassis and engine configuration across as much of their vehicle family as possible. Considering the size of the company, with various brand names around the world, using a given chassis or powertrain makes sense, cutting down on development and testing costs, and allowing for different styles on different models without inter-brand competition. The Chevrolet Volt will be the first electric model offered by General Motors, and it will hit the streets with much anticipation. During the summer of 2008 GM has been kind enough to tease the public quite a bit, with vague glimpses of the Volt interior and exterior, and along with those there have been rumors and statements from the company about more models using this electric drivetrain system.

Cadillac has already hinted to offering a luxury model using the eFlex technology, and Saturn has displayed their Flexstream concept which features the eFlex system, but after that, where else could the Volt see “siblings” pop up?

General Motors North American VP or Buick, GMC, and Pontiac feels that the Pontiac brand would be the best fit for the next Volt-based model. GM has worked to give Pontiac a more youthful attitude, with sharp sporty styling and features more acclimated to the younger generations. Those same younger groups are also more economy minded, so to have an electric car like the Volt hit the showrooms wearing a more aggressive, Pontiac badged skin, could make for a popular alternative to the Volt, and help General Motors to spread their eFlex technology throughout the alternative powered vehicle market. Another advantage of platform sharing, as mentioned, is the lowered development costs, and that could help to cut back on the costly R&D efforts as well as the high cost of the components of the Volt and related models, which in effect will make the units less expensive to the consumers.

While the Volt is still technically a year away, the rising prices of gas are causing the public to demand alternative fuel vehicles, and General Motors is leading the way among US automakers to give their customers as many options throughout the brand family as possible.