![]() Because the Michelin Energy Saver tires prioritize low rolling resistance over grip, the 190 feet required to stop from 70 mph is longer than desirable, and we discovered rather bizarre cornering behavior. The ride is satisfyingly firm but never painful, even over tortured pavement.Ĭhevy dieted away a couple hundred pounds versus the previous generation, so this plug-in hustles to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 16.1 seconds on the way to a governed 102 mph. The steering is properly weighted, tight on center, and quick to hunt down apexes. The powertrain is, for the most part, silent in operation, and there’s minimal wind noise. The better news is that the Volt is now a decent driver. Bottom line: This near-$40K Volt could roll for barely half that amount in Colorado. Earlier this summer, Chevy also was sweetening the deal with 20 percent off MSRP on 2016 models. In addition, eight green-leaning states offer credits ranging from $1500 (Louisiana and Tennessee) to $5000 (Colorado). The federal government provides a $7500 tax credit. ![]() Nearly $40,000 for a not very luxurious compact sounds expensive, until you factor in the low operating costs of driving to work on electricity from home, not to mention the various Volt givebacks. In addition, our test vehicle was equipped with two Driver Confidence packages costing $495 apiece (including features such as blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and forward-collision warning), a $495 navigation system, and a $20 front license-plate bracket, lifting the grand total to $39,950. The base LT starts at $34,095 the $38,445 Premier adds leather, Bose audio, bright-finished aluminum wheels, automatic parking assist, a heated outside mirror, and an auto-dimming inside mirror. (Teslas are similar in that regard.) Tapping a paddle located behind the left steering-wheel spoke gives you maximum regen to slow the car to a halt without energy-wasting friction braking.Ĭhevy sells Volts in two trim levels. The 8.9-gallon gas tank adds more than 400 miles of highway cruising range.ĭropping the shift lever to the L position (below D) provides extra regeneration so that the Volt’s speed can be controlled in most circumstances using only the accelerator pedal. The fourth mode, Hold, saves whatever battery charge is on hand for later use when pure-electric driving is desired, such as visiting city centers where combustion engines are prohibited or taxed. Mountain keeps battery charge in reserve to help the engine ascend steep grades. Sport sharpens throttle response but is otherwise identical to Normal. In addition to the default Normal mode, three other driving modes-Sport, Mountain, and Hold-are available by punching a console button. This occurs so gently that it’s easy to miss the subtle shudder when combustion kicks in. Once the battery is tapped out, the 101-hp engine fires up to drive the front wheels and recharge the lithium-ion cells, with help from the motor/generators. With the battery topped off again, we logged 53 miles of electric range in suburban driving, again in Normal mode. ![]() ![]() Following a full charge, we measured an EV range of 45 miles while cruising at 75 mph in Normal mode. Independent of the battery’s state of charge, the Volt always leaves home as a pure electric with a short Starship Enterprise ditty after a tap of the start button. An 18.4-kWh battery pack inside a T-shaped box runs down the Volt’s spine and under its back seat.Ĭharging the battery takes 13 hours using a 120-volt circuit or a more reasonable 4.5 hours using a 240-volt source. The clever part is what GM calls a Voltec unit, which houses the motor/generators, two planetary gearsets, three clutches, a DC-to-AC power inverter, and a final-drive differential, all in a compact aluminum case. The Volt falls closer to the Prius end of the spectrum as a sleek four-door hatchback with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two AC motor/generators for propulsion. ![]()
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