an EV range of at least 60 miles

Like all business, GM wants to control the information it gives to the public about its future products.

So, while it wants you to know that the second generation Chevrolet Volt will debut at the 2015 Detroit motor show, at the same time, it doesn't want anyone knowing what it will look like – not just yet, which is where the art of camouflage comes into play.

Prototypes are a doubled edged sword for automakers; on one hand, you have designers who want everything hidden and on the other hand, you have engineers who want to evaluate the cars with as little interference as possible.

"If it were up to me it would be a shoebox driving down the road," said Lionel Perkins, GM camouflage engineer. "The design team wants us to cover more of the vehicle and the engineering team needs to have enough of the vehicle’s weight and aero exposed so that the tests in the development process are consistent with the product that will come to market."

GM shared some of the tricks that it uses on its testers:

Black and white patterns – The color scheme creates a shadow that hides vehicle design elements.
3D – Layered camouflage throws off onlookers, but has to be applied without interrupting airflow around the car.
Swirls – In the old days of car camouflage, the design relied mainly on a grid pattern, but over the years engineers discovered that grids are difficult to realign if a piece is removed to make a change to the car. Swirl patterns better hide such developments.
Bubble wrap – Camouflage can be made from many different materials including plastics, vinyl and foam. Good, old bubble wrap is a lightweight, easily attachable three-dimensional material used to confuse prying eyes.

One other thing about GM's prototypes, which also holds true for most other carmakers, as you can see from our scoop shots, is that, the camouflage package is not only unique for each car, but it's also constantly updated and revised.

“Each car is unique. We are like a dress maker, and the car is our model,” said Perkins. “No two models are the same. We need to make the right dress that fits the body we are dealing with."

Model will be unveiled early next year

General Motors has released some new details about the 2016 Chevrolet Volt.

First and foremost, the company confirmed the model will feature an all-new 1.5-liter four-cylinder range extender engine. There's no word on specifications but the engine will be built at the Flint Engine Operations plant in Flint, Michigan.

The engine will be backed up by a new Voltec Multi-Mode Electric Drive Unit that will allow the Volt to drive in pure electric or extended range electric mode. That particular system will be built at the Warren Transmission plant in Warren, Michigan.

General Motors didn't have much else to say about the car but they noted about 70 percent of the Volt’s parts will be made in the United States or Canada. The company says they believe is the most for a plug-in or conventional hybrid.

GM has invited current Chevrolet Volt owners to an event in Hollywood where they were able to take a look at the 2016 model, scheduled to debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.

Guests weren’t allowed to take photos, but Chevrolet’s announcement featured a teaser pic that was sent to Jalopnik by one of the participants. As you can see, the second-generation Volt has a more dynamic front end, with an upper grille that houses the bow tie logo and a much bigger lower grille.

The redesigned headlights and new vertical LED DRLs are also significant changes compared to the current model, with the car also looking wider and lower. According to the owner who sent the photo, the new Volt looks “fantastic,” but we should take into account that this is the opinion of a current Volt owner, a car that is not exactly a standard of beauty.

GM didn’t tell Volt owners anything about the new model’s price and specs, but it released details on its press site about the 2016 Volt’s charging system. The automaker says it has made it easier for customers to recharge the battery and to check the charge status.

The new model features GPS location-based charging, which allows owners to set their charging preferences exclusively for their “home” charging location, with the vehicle automatically adjusting to that setting when it is at that location. The car will recognize when it arrives “home” based on GPS data.

This function will allow owners to pre-set their charging level (8 amps or 12 amps on 120V only) and whether they wish to charge immediately, set a departure time for each day of the week, or set a departure time and a utility rate schedule to charge only at off-peak rates.

Additionally, the new Volt features more intuitive charge status indicators. An updated charge status indicator light on the on the top of the instrument panel will show the approximate charge level through a series of flashes. In addition, an available illuminated charge port makes it easier to plug in after dark as well as indicate approximate charge level through a series of flashes.

Finally, GM will offer a new 120V portable cord set including a cord nearly 25 feet (7.6 meters) long, longer than the current 120V portable cord.

Car will have a regenerative braking on demand function

Chevrolet has released a new video of GM Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Mark Reuss, test driving the 2016 Volt.

In the clip, Reuss confirms the model will have a regenerative braking on demand function which is controlled by steering wheel-mounted paddles. The system will enable drivers to engage the regenerative braking system when they're slowing down or approaching a stop light. Furthermore, Reuss says "It is even more refined than the [system on the] ELR."

The video also gives us our first glimpse of the interior. While it is covered by camouflage, we can see the 2016 Volt will have a digital instrument cluster, metallic trim and an evolutionary center stack with a larger infotainment display.

As we have previously reported, the 2016 Volt will have a new two-motor drive unit that weighs 100 lbs (45 kg) less than its predecessor and is approximately 5-12 percent more efficient. The model will also have an all-new 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection, a variable displacement oil pump, cooled exhaust gas recirculation and a high-compression ratio of 12.5:1.

The all-new 2016 Volt is designed to turn heads everywhere it goes--from the test track to the open road. And it's as quiet as it is powerful, providing an exciting and unparalleled driving experience.