The Cost Of Keeping A Chevrolet Volt Running Isn’t As Bleak As You Think

There is still quite a lot of mystery surrounding the ownership of a partial electric vehicle, or even a full EV. We’re simply only beginning to delve into the livability of vehicles with batteries, running entirely, or partially, on electricity and voltage.

Autoblog has taken the time to detail what goes into maintaining a Chevrolet Volt’s battery and its essential components. This comes at a crucial time, since many previously leased Volts will be entering used car lots across the nation, just in time for the 2016 Chevrolet Volt to make it to dealers.

And, with many of these Volts surpassing 100,000 miles, maintenance is always required, no matter what’s powering the car.

Luckily, the largest components of the Volt’s battery pack, the three lithium-ion modules, will likely never need to be replaced. And, even though a total for all three of them will set you back a bit over $11,000, the likelihood of failure is very, very slim.

As for the battery control and battery interface control modules, that’s a different story. Those pieces may have been replaced under warranty in previous ownership but, should they need replacing, the prices aren’t astronomical. The part runs around $255 a piece, but labor and programming can cost up to $2,100 at a dealership.

That’s a chunk of change, but nothing like some analysts predicted when the Volt first arrived on the scene, claiming prices of over $30,000 for servicing. It’s only poised to get better, too. Battery prices continue to become cheaper for consumers, as the technology crawls past its infancy, and a new-generation of mechanics will have even greater skills to service these cars more efficiently.

If it’s worrisome, however, you can always find a used Chevrolet Volt with its 8-year/100,000 battery warranty still in tact.