Good news for anyone thinking about leasing or buying a new Chevrolet Volt – AutoGuide reports that Chevrolet has increased the electric car’s battery size to 17.1 kWh for the 2015 model year.
“This was done as part of our continuing improvement efforts, to make the product better, to respond to the demands of our customers, and what they expect from the product as we go along. So it’s likely that some customers may experience an improvement in range over previous model years,” General Motors manager of electrification technology communications, Kevin Kelly, told AG.
This is the second time the Volt’s battery unit has increased since the model was introduced. In 2013, Chevrolet replaced the Volt’s original 16 kWh battery with a 16.5 kWh unit, resulting in the Volt’s all-electric range rising from 35 miles to 38 miles and its efficiency improving from 93 MPGe to 98 MPGe.
AG reports that the EPA has yet to certify the Volt’s new battery for range and efficiency ratings; however, the Volt is expected to travel 40 miles on electricity before relying on its gas-powered generator.
Comments
OH MY GOD I GET A WHOLE 2 MORE MILES PER CHARGE? I’M GOING TO BUY ONE RIGHT NOW. THAT EXTRA 1.2 KWH REALLLLLLLLLLY MADE THE DIFFERENCE FOR ME.
full sarcasm.
Get real Nick, you obviously are ignorant to the Volt.. This is not a full electric car, it has a gas motor for a generator.. but you probably won’t ever get it, you will just troll away.. GM has a full-electric car and they have a extended range car, go figure…
its not until you tell them you can drive 12k miles in a year and spend only 60 bucks on gas will they understand….they only see the trees.
What don’t I understand here buddy? My sarcasm was a way of proving a point. Once you get outside of that measly 38 mile range, the Volt only gets an average 40mpg on the highway. My AWD Subaru Legacy gets 32mpg on the highway. If I got the diesel version, it would get even better mileage than the Volt does on the highway. That’s for an AWD car. Sure, the Volt gets decent (emphasis on decent and not excellent) city mileage, but it’s not really that impressive when you look at gas propelled gas cars getting the same mileage as a gas powered electric car. How is this supposed to help ween ourselves off the oil industry? If they can make the range comparable to range of the Spark or the Leaf, then we’re talking some true Uhmerican ingenuity.
Nick, the part you don’t get is that most people drive less than 40 miles per day. I drive 95%+ in EV mode to with a result of well over 300 mpg. According to the statistics available from the Volt Driver app my mileage isn’t all that impressive. Thousands of drivers get much better mpg than I do.
The Volt is a heavy car. There’s a 435 lb battery onboard so obviously it’s going to affect mileage when the ICE is on.
For the past two years, I’ve used 4 weeks of petrol compared to the car that I replaced. That is how we wean ourselves from oil. If just 20% of U.S. drivers matched my Volt experience the world would be a very different place.
If you’re a road warrior, then diesel is a better fit.
You’re right Nick, the engine in the 1st gen Volt isn’t that efficient. Even accounting for the curb weight of the Volt, the engine can’t hold a candle the to efficiency of the 3rd gen Prius engine, even less so with the 4th gen. Even the 2nd gen Volt’s charge sustain MPG is not impressive.
WHere are the lean-burn engines at?? So-so Atkinson cycle engine tech is not exciting.
When I was researching the Volt prior to buying my 2012, not too soon after I took delivery, I discovered that GM lied! I actually am exceeding the range they stated and I make my 45 mile drive one way without the ICE having to some on, although I admit on my 45 mile drive, it is a lonely country road having three stop signs the entire way and very little traffic.
I received a call from a salesperson whom I ordered my second Volt from and was told that the 2015 Volt I ordered on May 16 might be here next week and I suspect GM “lied” again and I’ll blow my old statistics out of the water when I probably can easily do 50 mile drives. And at 12.5 cents per kilowatt hour (not the cheapest electric rates in the country) I’m driving my Volt nearly on a mile-per-mile basis for what it cost me to drive when I was a senior in high school in 1970 when gasoline was 37 cents per gallon, but try telling that to “Nick” who I suspect is an annoying little troll.
I forgot to mention yesterday, that in 25 months I have owned my Volt and at 26,000 miles… it has been back to the dealership twice for an oil change (that I really didn’t need but elected on my own to have done) and two tire rotations. Additionally, GM (without being “coaxed”) graciously offered Volt owners a courtesy inspection of the coolant level in the battery and several other spot checks and a window mod for the rear view mirrors to lessen the “wop-wop” noise made when the windows are rolled down. The window “wop-wop” was free of charge and to me suggests that in the past, GM might have dropped the ball with previous leadership at the helm, but Mary Barra has “picked up the ball” and is now running GM in the right direction to the finish line. I’m a happy “Volter” as I see the forward thinking with this new management team in place.
At 26,000 miles (and I drive my Volt on bumpy ranch roads on our ranches here in Texas) not a squeak, nor a rattle, nor a burp the entire two years. And I am not “getting rid” of my 2012 Volt. The salesperson at the dealership is buying it and I bought my 2012 Volt “off the shelf” and now two years later, I decided to order one that had every whistle and bell that GM offered instead of buying a Volt “off the rack.” I bought my first car in 1965 and had a bunch of new cars over the years and nothing compares to the satisfaction this open-minded Republican has experienced in two great and pleasurable years (and inexpensive to “fuel) that I have witnessed and enjoyed.
My 2012 Volt is still “stunning” each time I take it out for a spin and I suspect I’ll be even more delighted with the 2015 and as this platform advances forward as new technology becomes available.
I commonly exceed the Volt’s EPA rating by quite a bit, but I drive in Utah where the air is thin and dry. More importantly than all this is that GM’s TMS has kept my battery healthy. After 40k miles, I haven’t experienced and observable decline in the battery’s performance or driving range.
The Volt is a total kick-ass car.
Erick Belmer at over 350K miles (mostly charge sustain), still working well he says. http://www.voltstats.net/Stats/Details/1579
While getting an oil change, I was looking at a new Volt, when a another customer came up and was really checking out price and options sheet. He said, that he was also getting an oil change on his, one of the 1 st production, Volt. The new Volt had a lot more options than his original Volt. Things like a leather seat, and a heated steering wheel… for a lot less money… Over $5,000 less money.
I asked him how he liked his Volt, and he said it’s the best car he’s ever owned, and he was close to trading it in, for a new Volt. From what I’ve read… The vast majority of Volt owners are extremely happy with their purchase. If my wife and I decided to throw caution to the wind… It would be to buy a Volt. An auto that has been thoroughly, and yet quietly, updated by General Motors.
R Symyrna, the 2015 Volt doesn’t have a heated steering wheel option, unfortunately. Wish it did like the Leaf does, along with the all-around-view monitor and a heatpump instead of just resistive heat.
The car is very popular with most owners.
I see the larger battery as a prelude to the new model that will get the more efficient inverter and possibly a Turbo 3 cylinder that will increase the range and help lower the price.
There more afoot there than GM is saying.
I just wish they would do better marketing to show how this system works and show some real world results. Most people I ask have said they are beating the posted numbers and are pleased with their ownership. Many tell me how they have only filled up once or twice in the entire time they have owned the car.
I have read much about new vehicles, and many buyers ask first about the MPG. If they only knew that the Volt is the very first car in history that will always give you much more than the EPA ratings under normal use!
Is the battery actually changing, or are the extending the “usable” portion of the battery? As I recall, the original Volts ran from 20% to 80% charge for long term battery durability, and I think some of these improvements might be from slight adjustments to that charge range.
I bought a used 2012 volt for $28000. I also fairly reciently had solar panels (7000 watts worth) installed on the roof of our house. So now when I’m driving around town not only can I avoid the gas pump I also avoid the electric utility and drive on yesterdays sunshine.