If you want to drive electric most of the time to reduce your emissions and save on fuel costs, it’s very possible. Plug-in hybrids have a gas engine and an electric motor, so they can plug in to charge the battery, but can also run on gas only when needed. Since then, I’ve also added a 2017 Chevy Bolt EV to my garage, and I can say without equivocation that these are some of the finest cars I’ve ever owned. I’ve been the proud owner of two Chevy Volts: I loved driving my 2013 Volt for several years, then traded it for a 2016 Volt (Gen 2). Both are more than enough for most drivers’ 30 miles a day of driving needs.īeing able to drive electric most of the time, but access the convenience of gas when needed, has helped many people make the switch to electric, including me. Early models offered about 40 miles of all-electric range, while the latest Volt has 53 miles. ![]() The Bad - Tons of tech going on in this car, might overwhelm some.The Chevy Volt is the best-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) of all time: more than 130,000 have been sold since its release in 2010. The Good - Plug-in, extended-range awesomeness with good torque. Will Chamberlain is a local freelance automotive journalist and full-time Realtor with eXp Realty in Beaver and can be reached at Chevrolet Volt Premiere Hatchback Also, when you are completely charged with a full tank, you will get around 40 miles all electric and 380 miles on the gas, witho a combined total range of around 420 miles. General Motors claims 106 mpg-e which incorporates the electric charging average and 42 mpg average gas-only. So mileage, that’s a rough estimate because you are using two types of fuel and it’s hard to quantify your home battery-charging costs. So upgrading to a 240 line is recommended if you plan to own a plug-in vehicle of any kind. Charging it from almost empty takes 12 or more hours on a regular plug in your garage. There is also a Mountain setting that reserves battery for hill climbs. ![]() You can actively change how the car operates to be the most efficient at the specific time. It's ideal for people who drive in town, then highway to work, then in town again. What this does is lock the battery at the current charged level and uses the generator almost exclusively to save battery for city driving. One of the features I loved about the Volt was “Hold” mode. You can plug in for 40-plus miles of electric charge and use the gas engine to help on highway commutes. But really, if you commute in the city to suburbs primarily, the Volt is a really nice alternative to gasoline or even hybrid cars. The car jumps to attention and will blast down the highway. It’s a smooth application of power and even more rewarding when in sport mode with a full charge. For the most part, most people won’t notice the difference while driving this car as opposed to any other small sedan.Īs far as a transmission goes, the car is really just a CVT with electric propulsion, so there is no shifting like traditional gear boxes and the car doesn’t hop around gears. Acceleration is pretty decent, and driving an electric vehicle is actually really nice, with no hesitation in the gas pedal. Those combine with the 1.5-lion range extender gas engine to provide a total output of 149 horsepower but 297 pound-foot of torque that will propel this hatchback to 60 mph pretty quickly. ![]() ![]() Under the hood is a Voltec Electric drive unit and a Li-ion battery unit. This week we take a look at one of my favorites: the Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle. Keep in mind these are all introductions to the cars of the future that will combine all of this tech in different ways to make all sorts of efficient vehicles. Then everyone would really understand the pros and cons of all types of electric, hybrid and plug-in vehicles.Įach has a niche, and each has its drawbacks. Everyone should spend some time with a Volt, a Prius, an Insight and a Tesla.
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