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

[RegGuheert]

I just picked my 2013 Volt up from Keyes in CA and drove it home last night.

Congratulations on getting your new Volt! Here's hoping it serves you for much longer than your LEAF did!

I must tell you that if you're at freeway speed, the predominant noise is the road noise, and I could hardly tell the engine was running except for steep grade climbing where you're pushing 70 mph and the engine has to go all out to keep up with your demand.

When I test-drove a 2012 Volt in March, one thing we did was tke it out on the freeway and ran the battery down. I was straining to hear the sound of the engine starting, but I couldn't really detect it over the road noise at 65 MPH. I could hear it a little bit once we got off the highway and drove on city streets. I must say I was pretty impressed by that!

 

[SanDust]

I must tell you that if you're at freeway speed, the predominant noise is the road noise, and I could hardly tell the engine was running except for steep grade climbing where you're pushing 70 mph and the engine has to go all out to keep up with your demand.

I have a friend who has a Leaf and who got a Volt a month or two ago. I spent a few hours this weekend in the Volt with him. Most of the time we were on I5. He could switch back and forth between the ICE and the motor. From the passenger seat I had no sense of when that was happening. He said at lower speeds there was more of a difference and at freeway speeds sometimes there was a little more vibration in the wheel, but that was about it (I didn't hear anything at lower speeds because when we got off the freeway he switched over to the engine).

 

[scottf200]

From the LEAF Early Capacity lost thread. Seemed more appropriate here:

I guess that's why they put a qualifier in there and said that the ICE won't start by itself. That situation only works if the car is started by the owner either directly or via a remote-start command.

Sure, I quoted that part. But that still doesn't prevent a Volt from filling a garage with CO inadvertently.

Here's a scenario that seems plausible to me: What happens in a couple of years when people no longer get OnStar for free and they stop paying for it? Will they go out to the garage and turn on the car to preheat it, not knowing it might run the gasoline motor?

Maybe this is far-fetched, but I can imagine it happening to some Volt owners. Is there something preventing this from happening?

I think if you own a Volt and you start the car (manually or remotely, doesn't matter), especially in cold weather, you must assume that at any moment there's a good chance of the ICE turning on to help heating up the cabin, so you have to use the same principle as operating an ICE car where you don't do it in an enclosed space.

In fact, many people complain that the ICE turns on in cold weather too often (for their taste) so in 2013 they changed the software to let people select to not have the ICE turned on unless it's VERY cold (as opposed to just cold). For people who don't have this new option (2012 and 2011 owners), they've figured out to trick the ICE from not turning on too often by running the cabin in Comfort mode upon (instead of ECO mode) to make the electric heater from the battery to work harder at warming up the cabin to prevent the ICE from turning on as often to provide heat to the cabin.

a) 2013 option keeps ICE from coming on when plugged in. From manual: Engine Assisted Heating (Plugged-In): If equipped, this feature turns on or off the ability for the engine to run to help heat the vehicle when it is plugged in.

http://www.chevrolet.com/content/dam/Chevrolet/northamerica/usa/nscwebsite/en/Home/Ownership/Manuals%20and%20Videos/02_pdf/2k13volt.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

b) Using COMFORT (vs ECO) actually keeps the ICE water temp higher longer. I tested it using my Scanguage and found the ~114F number that the ICE would come back on after the initial Engine Running Due to [Low] temp ERDT[L]T. Using COMFORT the ICE stays warmer longer and thus reduces ERDTLT. Typically used in conjunction with a lower fan setting.

c) 2011/2012(most) the ERDTLT comes on at ~26F. 2013 you have a very cold (~15F) and cold (~35F) setting.

 

[scottf200]

For those watching this thread (get notified) below are the Volt world sales numbers.

Great numbers for both. Nice. 296 million EV miles!

Car / #Sold / EV miles / EV miles per car
LEAF / 50000* / 161,000,000* / 3220
Volt / 40250  / 135,000,000  / 3354*

LEAF sales and EV miles: http://insideevs.com/nissan-passes-50000-leafs-sold-worldwide/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Volt sales numbers: ditto article.
Volt EV miles from: http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

For those watching this thread (get notified) below are the Volt world sales numbers.

Great numbers for both. Nice. 296 million EV miles!

Car / #Sold / EV miles / EV miles per car
LEAF / 50000* / 161,000,000* / 3220
Volt / 40250  / 135,000,000  / 3354*

LEAF sales and EV miles: http://insideevs.com/nissan-passes-50000-leafs-sold-worldwide/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Volt sales numbers: ditto article.
Volt EV miles from: http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

need more info on how the data was gathered because I do not (in any sensible possible way) believe the info to be remotely correct

 

[IBELEAF]

Can you please explain what/who Ally is/does? Never heard of them and I want to lease only. Trying to get payments for $0 down and pay only first month's payment at time of signing.

Tia,

Ian B

Aside from what was already said. Ally offers the highest interest rate in savings (currently at 0.90%)

 

[scottf200]

Car / #Sold / EV miles / EV miles per car
LEAF / 50000* / 161,000,000* / 3220
Volt / 40250  / 135,000,000  / 3354*

LEAF sales and EV miles: http://insideevs.com/nissan-passes-50000-leafs-sold-worldwide/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Volt sales numbers: ditto article.
Volt EV miles from: http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

need more info on how the data was gathered because I do not (in any sensible possible way) believe the info to be remotely correct

Perhaps this is one factor. Ardric22 (LEAF and Volt owner) had an interesting take on EV miles driven in this thread. Please update that thread as you see fit.
Volt Vs. Leaf practical range comparison
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9576" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Car / #Sold / EV miles / EV miles per car
LEAF / 50000* / 161,000,000* / 3220
Volt / 40250  / 135,000,000  / 3354*

LEAF sales and EV miles: http://insideevs.com/nissan-passes-50000-leafs-sold-worldwide/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Volt sales numbers: ditto article.
Volt EV miles from: http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

need more info on how the data was gathered because I do not (in any sensible possible way) believe the info to be remotely correct

Perhaps this is one factor. Ardric22 (LEAF and Volt owner) had an interesting take on EV miles driven in this thread. Please update that thread as you see fit.
Volt Vs. Leaf practical range comparison
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9576" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ya, GCR reported the exact same thing with a disclaimer that LEAF totals are from Carwings and less than 50% of LEAFs participate so the LEAF total is likely to be at least 100% higher than what is portrayed here

**edit**

disclaimer at bottom of Inside EV article

*Figures are based on all LEAFs registered with the Carwings telemetry system, which is not mandatory and not all vehicles are registered.

last figures i remember seeing is about a 45 % participation rate on carwings

 

[scottf200]

last figures i remember seeing is about a 45 % participation rate on carwings

Similar issue with Volt numbers. OnStar only tracks USA Volts as far as I know. And not all Volt owners sign up for OnStar (big brother concerns).
Volt [USA OnStar] EV miles from: http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Obviously this is all for the novelty of it since all the numbers are not known. Still the 300 Million EV miles is impressive.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

last figures i remember seeing is about a 45 % participation rate on carwings

Similar issue with Volt numbers. OnStar only tracks USA Volts as far as I know. And not all Volt owners sign up for OnStar (big brother concerns).
Volt [USA OnStar] EV miles from: http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Obviously this is all for the novelty of it since all the numbers are not known. Still the 300 Million EV miles is impressive.

so pushing a quarter million when its more likely to be nearly a Billion...

 

[mwalsh]

Decided to buy a Volt as our second car tonight, because it appears my tax liability for this year is going to tick-up some, to right around the $8000 mark. So given that it's the only PHEV out right now qualifying for a full $7500 credit, it appears to be the only logical choice. I would probably have prefered one of the Ford Energis, but they only qualify for $3751 worth each (unless I buy two :lol: ).

It's going to be towards the end of the year, likely right around Christmas time (no point in getting it any sooner), and I am going to have to rent one for the wife to test for a week or so, just to make sure she's OK with it, since she's going to be the primary driver. With any luck there will still be some CVRP money, for an additional $1500 incentive, and the green HOV stickers will still be available.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Decided to by a Volt as our second car tonight, because it appears my tax liability for this year is going to tick-up some, to right around the $8000 mark. So given that it's the only PHEV out right now qualifying for a full $7500 credit, it appears to be the only logical choice. I would probably have prefered one of the Ford Energis, but they only qualify for $3751 worth each (unless I buy two :lol: ).

It's going to be towards the end of the year, likely right around Christmas time (no point in getting it any sooner), and I am going to have to rent one for the wife to test for a week or so, just to make sure she's OK with it, since she's going to be the primary driver. With any luck there will still be some CVRP money, for an additional $1500 incentive, and the green HOV stickers will still be available.

waiting might be a good thing. the downward pricing pressure exerted by Nissan (and others i am guessing) might land you a great deal on a 2014!

 

[mwalsh]

waiting might be a good thing. the downward pricing pressure exerted by Nissan (and others i am guessing) might land you a great deal on a 2014!

That would be nice. I was actually thinking that towards the end of the year they might have some blowout deals on remaining 2013 inventory.

 

[Volusiano]

Right after Nissan announced the new pricing on the 2013 LEAF models, the GM CEO said that the new generation Volt will be thousands of dollars cheaper, too. I hear the next gen Volt will be out in 2015, if you want to wait that long, too.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

waiting might be a good thing. the downward pricing pressure exerted by Nissan (and others i am guessing) might land you a great deal on a 2014!

That would be nice. I was actually thinking that towards the end of the year they might have some blowout deals on remaining 2013 inventory.

considering LEAF and C-Max Energi pricing, you might not have to wait that long. I think that GM will lower 2014 pricing a lot or add bling and lower it a little due to market forces.

LEAF one was bleeding edge, but LEAF two looks to be a buyers market for sure. more competition, more choices means ++ for us!

 

[Volusiano]

Of course with new technologies, the longer you can wait the better. But if you need a new car today, why wait? Sure, you can save $ if you wait, but remember that you won't be saving gas $ TODAY if you wait. So it's all a wash.

On the other hand, if you don't need a new car today, then it's all just talk and the longer you can wait, the better for you, on any car.

 

[mwalsh]

You know how I feel about the Volt...if I buy it'll be mostly for the tax credit.

 

[TomT]

The new genset is supposed to come online with the 2014 model, or so they said...

Right after Nissan announced the new pricing on the 2013 LEAF models, the GM CEO said that the new generation Volt will be thousands of dollars cheaper, too. I hear the next gen Volt will be out in 2015, if you want to wait that long, too.

 

[Volusiano]

The new genset is supposed to come online with the 2014 model, or so they said...

Right after Nissan announced the new pricing on the 2013 LEAF models, the GM CEO said that the new generation Volt will be thousands of dollars cheaper, too. I hear the next gen Volt will be out in 2015, if you want to wait that long, too.

There was talk about it but I think it did not materialize after all for the 2014 model year (as also not seen in the 2014 Cadillac version of the Volt). Maybe they've decided to wait for the next generation Volt before putting in a new genset. Here's an article that said that: http://insideevs.com/insider-1-4l-engine-discontinued-in-chevrolet-volt-for-next-year/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, if you don't plan on using the extended range too often, it shouldn't be a big deal if a better genset is in place but rarely used. Sure, it's nice to have, but not a deal breaker worth waiting for.

 

[scottf200]

Cool graphic by kdawg

Note: USA only Volt and not all Volt owners sign up for OnStar (just like LEAF owners and carwings).

charting real world Volt data provided by
http://www.chevrolet.com/volt-electric-car.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
(Anomolies are when the source was down/not_working -- easy to follow the trend lines tho.)