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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