Independent-minded tinkerer takes on GM's vital Volt

— -- He is responsible for the day-to-day tasks of bringing the Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car to market by 2010. Not a hybrid, Volt's small on-board engine is only for charging the battery when away from a plug and at no time provides power directly to the wheels.

Developing the Volt and its E-Flex powertrain on a tight time frame aims to recast GM as the most advanced and environmental automaker — and able to do what even Toyota can't.

"This is the tip of the spear heralding the paradigm shift away from 'Let's spend billions to use a bit less oil' to 'Let's spend hundreds of millions to use no oil at all,' " GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said by e-mail.

It's uncharted territory for Weber's more than 200 engineers and 45 designers, demanding breakthroughs in battery technology and other areas, plus meeting high expectations for style and value.

Running it is a 41-year-old independent thinker and tinkerer who seeks to live in harmony with nature.

"I like to create things," Weber (pronounced VAY-buh) said. "I don't like too much that somebody comes and gives the answer."

The Wiesbaden, Germany, native is so independent-minded that as a child, after three years of classical piano lessons, he stopped formal training and taught himself jazz piano. He composed his first piece at age 10.

His do-it-yourself mindset continued after he enrolled in mechanical engineering at the Technical University in Darmstadt, Germany. He bought his first car. It was just a couple of years old and never had a problem. Weber hated it. He started replacing parts that still worked, just to tinker.

So he traded it for a 1966 Beetle convertible that required constant attention — and is a car he still owns.

But GM chose Weber for the Volt project for more than his inner grease monkey and creative nature.

He is credited with skillful leadership as director of advanced concept engineering in GM's European Technical Centers. Before that, he worked on the team that developed the global midsize vehicle line due to go on sale later this year, starting with the Opel Insignia, which replaces the Vectra.