Gen 1 GM Volt Plug-In Hybrid (2011-2015)

[LTLFTcomposite]

LEAF = ugly exterior design + self destructing battery (no TMS)

 

[lorenfb]

LEAF = ugly exterior design + self destructing battery (no TMS)

So, then 'step-up' to the MS! Why demean oneself driving Leaf?
Driving a Leaf in Boca must really feel awful with all the MSs passing you, right?

 

[TomT]

Actually, it is a very elegant engineering design for a PHEV (which is what the Volt is) - far better than anything anyone else has...

Volt = Klug Drive Train (2 motors + ICE + planetary gears)

 

[mwalsh]

Actually, it is a very elegant engineering design for a PHEV (which is what the Volt is) - far better than anything anyone else has...

+1. Except for the few small quibbles I have about it - klunky shifter; little bit of lag in acceleration (almost like a turbo lag) from a standing start when you have absolutely nothing left in the battery pack; engine/generator that runs at full-tilt even when you'd think it wouldn't have to (like in some slow speed city driving).

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

So, then 'step-up' to the MS! Why demean oneself driving Leaf?
Driving a Leaf in Boca must really feel awful with all the MSs passing you, right?

You can't imagine how demoralizing it is. Makes it hard to get out of bed and face each day, but I do so by reminding myself that such indignity is all relative.

 

[evnow]

I almost hate to say it, but I'm almost always recommending Volt over LEAF these days. Yesterday I got 43 miles EV and 44mpg. Today I was on-track for 49 miles EV, but started refueling again at 30 miles, so I'll never know if I would have made the 50 mile club.

I've been getting over 100 miles on Leaf these days of warm weather.

It all depends on the # of trips some one makes in the following 3 buckets.

A. Less than Volts' EV range
B. Between Volts' EV range & Leaf's
C. More than Leaf's EV range

For me C is very low (practically none in last 2 years). We always fly when we travel. But B is quite high. So Leaf makes more sense than Volt.

For those with a large number of C trips, Volt makes sense. For those with not many B & C trips - either would be fine.

 

[JeremyW]

engine/generator that runs at full-tilt even when you'd think it wouldn't have to (like in some slow speed city driving).

Ugh yeah, when I used my company's volt for two weeks I really noticed this. City driving when the pack is depleted is annoying. Too rev-happy. On the highway the engine is hard to hear. (Unless you are climbing the grapevine at 70mph!)

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

engine/generator that runs at full-tilt even when you'd think it wouldn't have to (like in some slow speed city driving).

Ugh yeah, when I used my company's volt for two weeks I really noticed this. City driving when the pack is depleted is annoying. Too rev-happy. On the highway the engine is hard to hear. (Unless you are climbing the grapevine at 70mph!)

On longer trips try using hold mode on the highway and save the battery for the stop and go.

One thing I think would improve the Volt is if they added a "long distance" mode, where it automatically switches to gas "hold mode" when you have sustained speeds over, say, 50mph, and saves the battery for the stop and go part of the trip. Like hold mode though, you'd need to monitor your remaining battery power and distance remaining to your destination (assuming you can charge there) so you arrive with an empty battery.

 

[mwalsh]

On longer trips try using hold mode on the highway and save the battery for the stop and go.

One thing I think would improve the Volt is if they added a "long distance" mode, where it automatically switches to gas "hold mode" when you have sustained speeds over, say, 50mph, and saves the battery for the stop and go part of the trip. Like hold mode though, you'd need to monitor your remaining battery power and distance remaining to your destination (assuming you can charge there) so you arrive with an empty battery.

I did that yesterday. It didn't seem to help a whole lot when it came to EV range (some, but not a lot). But what it did do is bump up my mpg quite nicely....using gasoline only when cruising between 50mph and 65mph.

 

[Valdemar]

I know if Volt offered a 7kW OBC and a CHAdeMO port I'd be driving one.

 

[GRA]

Ugh yeah, when I used my company's volt for two weeks I really noticed this. City driving when the pack is depleted is annoying. Too rev-happy. On the highway the engine is hard to hear. (Unless you are climbing the grapevine at 70mph!)

On longer trips try using hold mode on the highway and save the battery for the stop and go.

One thing I think would improve the Volt is if they added a "long distance" mode, where it automatically switches to gas "hold mode" when you have sustained speeds over, say, 50mph, and saves the battery for the stop and go part of the trip. Like hold mode though, you'd need to monitor your remaining battery power and distance remaining to your destination (assuming you can charge there) so you arrive with an empty battery.

Yes, one of the other manufacturers (Mitsubishi, on the Outlander? Ford?) has an 'EV Auto' mode that does this. I'd say have some factory presets, but let the owner adjust the speed and hysteresis to suit their normal commute patterns, and allow the owner to also set a reserve capacity to switch on the ICE. So, factory setting might be battery only when speed drops below 50 mph for more than 5 seconds, resuming hold mode when speed exceeds 55 mph for more than 5 seconds, and let people adjust over say 50 +-20 mph speed, +-1 to 10 mph and 0 to 60 second hysteresis, and 0-5kWh reserve.

 

[GRA]

I know if Volt offered a 7kW OBC and a CHAdeMO port I'd be driving one.

I can just see some value to a faster OBC on a PHEV like the Volt, but as has been discussed before I can't see any value to having a QC port on one. Given a choice between refueling for another 300 miles in five minutes or 40 miles in 20-30 minutes (recharge speed limited by battery size), I'm opting for gas.

 

[pkulak]

I know if Volt offered a 7kW OBC and a CHAdeMO port I'd be driving one.

I can just see some value to a faster OBC on a PHEV like the Volt, but as has been discussed before Ican't see any value to having a QC port on one. Given a choice between refueling for another 300 miles in five minutes or 40 miles in 20-30 minutes (recharge speed limited by battery size), I'm opting for gas.

Yeah. I would never ever quick charge a Volt. Even if I was stopping there anyway, since $5-8 for the QC is more expensive than the gas it would replace.

 

[Valdemar]

Ok, maybe not QC, but given most public L2s tend to charge $2/hr here a more powerful OBC would allow me to not use gas w/o thinking twice.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

LEAF = self destructing battery (no TMS)

stop living in the past

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=17043" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomT]

Sorry, but it is still very much the present for a great number of us!

And if we want to play the outlier game, I have a co-worker with an April 2013 that lives in the valley and is showing battery degradation that is close to Stoaty's model... So, no, it is NOT yet the past...

LEAF = self destructing battery (no TMS)

stop living in the past

 

[scottf200]

Title: Exclusive: 2015 Chevrolet Volt Has Larger Battery, Drivers May See More Range
http://insideevs.com/confirmed-2015-chevrolet-volt-larger-battery-drivers-may-see-range/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We spoke to Kevin M. Kelly who is the Manager of Electrification Technology Communications and he confirmed that the battery had increased in size, and that drivers could expect to see some range improvements.

“We did make an engineering change in the battery cell used in the 2015 Chevrolet Volt, which resulted in an overall storage capacity increase from 16.5 to 17.1 kWh.
This is a part of our effort for continuous improvement. As a result of this change, we would expect that some customers may see a slight improvement in overall EV range.”

This is the second time the Volt’s battery has been increased since its debut in late 2010. The 2013 model year Chevrolet Volt had its battery capacity increased from 16 kWh to 16.5 kWh, which translated to an extra 3 miles of range (up to 38) and 4 more MPGe.

 

[lorenfb]

- scottf200 -

"Title: Exclusive: 2015 Chevrolet Volt Has Larger Battery, Drivers May See More Range"

600 more watt-hrs (~ 3% increase), have to love that great improvement, right Scott?

 

[palmermd]

Sorry, but it is still very much the present for a great number of us!

And if we want to play the outlier game, I have a co-worker with an April 2013 that lives in the valley and is showing battery degradation that is close to Stoaty's model... So, no, it is NOT yet the past...

LEAF = self destructing battery (no TMS)

stop living in the past

+1 - Absolutely the present and not the past.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

With the leaf's failing batteries and MS failing drive units it does seem like of the plugin "big 3" the Volt is the best at actually delivering on what it promises.