Reductions in battery cost and improvements in other components will gradually bring down the cost, but that will take place gradually, and the Volt will remain a specialty vehicle for some years.Lately, it seems as though the Chevrolet Volt has been lost in the shuffle that is the growing EV segment, where efficiency ratings are all the rage. The car's Voltec range-extended electric drive system is the first generation of a powertrain that will be used in other vehicles and in higher volumes in the years and decades to come. GM warranties the battery pack for 8 years or 100,000 miles in most states. In general, electric operation usually runs one-third to one-fifth the cost per mile of gasoline. That brings it closer to the price of more conventional green cars like the Toyota Prius hybrid or its new plug-in variant.Ĭalculations on payback depend on daily mileage covered, local electricity costs (which can range from 3 cents to 25 cents per kilowatt-hour) and how often the owner can recharge and at what cost. The Volt is priced at $39,995, and qualifies for a $7,500 Federal tax credit (and a variety of state, local, and corporate incentives too, including a $2,500 California purchase rebate). Cars sold in New York added that equipment for 2013. Halfway through the 2012 model year (on cars built after February that year), Volts sold in California were upgraded to comply with stricter emissions regulations that allowed them to be granted single-occupant use of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on the state's crowded freeways. Much to the dismay of the most plug-in-happy owners, the highest gas mileage it will display is 250 mpg. The futuristic cockpit design is centered around digital displays that offer a great deal of information on the car's running statistics, the battery state of charge, the remaining electric and gasoline range, and its history of energy usage. The blanked-off front "grille" prevents air turbulence, and the exhaust exits under the car-there's no exhaust-pipe outlet at the rear.
The changes were all in the service of cutting aerodynamic drag. The first Volt concept was introduced at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show, and the distinctive but slab-sided production car is quite different from the concept's long, lean shape. In what's called "range-sustaining mode," a Volt will travel about 300 miles on a tank. Chevy's done a superb job with noise suppression it happens so quietly you might miss it if you're not paying attention.
Once the battery energy is depleted, the Volt's 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine switches on. But its selling point against pure electric cars like the Nissan Leaf is that it runs as long as you want it to-you can drive it nonstop across country, stopping only for gasoline, just like any other car. It seats four in comfort, performs briskly, rides and drives quietly, and offers the features and accessories you'd expect of any car. Whatever your image of electric cars, we've driven the Chevy Volt under a variety of conditions-and there's no questioning the fact that it's a real car. With the 1.4-liter four-cylinder "range extender" engine, it has more than 300 miles of use per charge and fill-up. In electric-only mode, the Volt has 38 miles of driving in a full charge, according to the EPA. However, in limited circumstances, it also acts as a plug-in hybrid, with batteries contributing some torque along with the engine, which runs when the battery is depleted. The Volt has been described as an extended-range electric vehicle, since it uses a set of lithium-ion batteries to provide motive power to the front wheels.
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