Chevy amps up its gas-electric hybrid
Redesigned model offers enhanced electric-only range and faster acceleration
The Chevrolet Volt combines the best of both worlds in terms of propulsion: it offers the convenience of a gasoline engine with all the green benefits of a plug-in hybrid.
The Volt, which is GM’s latest gasoline-electric model, is all new all over again. As with its predecessor, this amped-up four-door melds the best attributes of earth-friendly electric vehicles with the plentiful power and speedy refueling of traditional gasoline-powered models. In short, it’s the perfect option for people that want to drive green but are afflicted with range anxiety.
Nuts and volts
Redesigned for 2016, the new Chevy Volt promises more of everything motorists want — greater efficiency, enhanced electric-only range and faster acceleration, all with a battery that actually contains fewer cells than before.
Getting more from less, the heart of this car’s propulsion system is an 18.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that’s 10 kilograms lighter than its predecessor. Despite the weight loss, this assembly is still huge, seriously impinging on passenger space. Shaped like a gigantic capital “T,” at least it’s mounted close to the ground for a low centre of gravity.
The battery is capacious enough to provide an electric-only driving range of 85 kilometres. That’s more than double what the Toyota Prius Prime offers, a major rival.
Tapping into that tidy reservoir of stored electrons is a two-motor drive unit. Compared to the Volt’s previous system, this new arrangement is about12 per cent more efficient and a whopping 45 kg lighter.
As for the all-important issue of replenishment times, it takes 13 hours to re-energize the battery from a standard 120-volt household outlet. However, that drops to just 4.5 hours if you plug into a 240-volt charger.
But just because this Chevy is focused on efficiency doesn’t mean it doesn’t drive well. That duet of motors provides a rather stingy 149 horsepower but, when it comes to torque, they’re absolute monsters, belting out 294 lb-ft of tire-squealing twist.
Those output figures are enough to whisk the Volt to 96 km/h in just 8.4 seconds. Once the battery is depleted, a gasoline engine takes over. In the 2016 model, this unit displaces 1.5-litres and ups the car’s total driving range to an impressive 676 km.
As for efficiency, the 2016 Volt is rated at 2.2 L/100 km. Running solely on gasoline it should return 5.6 L/100 km, impressive in both areas.
Room for five
Closing the hood and opening a door, this extended-range electric provides room for five, in theory at least. The two front buckets are about as spacious as you’d expect in a mid-size sedan, but it’s a different story for folks with coach-class tickets.
The outboard rear seats are acceptable enough for adult passengers, but the middle position is all but useless.
What it may lack in passenger space, the Volt somewhat makes up for with cargo space, providing nearly 301litres of volume.
Black, brown and rich inside
Like grandma beckoning family during the holidays, this car’s cabin welcomes passengers with open arms. While the majority of its materials are hard plastic, the graining is attractively upscale, giving the interior an unexpectedly rich appearance. This is particularly true of the car I evaluated, which featured a rich brown-and-black colour scheme.
Reinforcing this feeling of swankiness, there’s plenty of technology. There’s a standard eight-inch display crowning the centre stack. It’s home to Chevrolet’s intuitive and speedy MyLink infotainment system. With its easy-to-discern layout and colourful interface, there’s little to complain about here.
The drive
The first thing you’ll probably notice about driving the Volt is torque. It’ll squawk the front tires off the line if you’re not careful, but acceleration does taper off as speed increases.
Adapting to varied conditions, four driving modes are offered. Normal provides optimal efficiency while Sport increases throttle response at the expense of range. Mountain is designed for use in hilly terrain, while Hold preserves EV range by running the car on gasoline power.
The Volt has a solid, hefty feel, which is not unexpected, since it weighs more than 1,600 kg, 184 kg of which is battery.
Fortunately, much of its mass is near the ground, which makes the car seem very planted.
Another critical aspect of hybrids and EVs is regenerative braking. Luckily for Chevy, this is another thing engineers nailed. The transition from regenerative to friction stopping is smooth and easily modulated.
There’s plenty to like about the new Volt, but it’s not perfect. I do have a couple of minor gripes. For starters, fat A-pillars obstruct outward visibility, which is never a good thing. Secondly, the front seats aren’t very comfortable. The bottom cushions are just too low, making it feel like you’re sitting on the floor.
The verdict
If you want to go all-in on electric power, and range is a concern, Chevrolet’s Volt is the car to get. With impressive battery range as well as a smooth and economical gas engine, it provides plenty of efficiency along with lots of real-world usability.
But this versatility comes at a price. The range-topping Premier-trim car I evaluated cost nearly $42,490, which is a lot of scratch for a vehicle that’s not terribly practical or built by a luxury brand.
Fortunately, pricing for a less-richly appointed base version is about 38 grand.
And the Volt qualifies for at least $11,517 in Ontario incentives, and $12,747 for the Premier trim, which takes away much of that pricing sting and drops it into the price bracket as fully loaded compact cars.
But the best thing is really how the Volt seamlessly integrates the benefits of a gas engine and an EV setup. Combined with its impressive range, a host of useful technology and the fact it mostly feels like a conventional car to operate, the range-extended plug-in hybrid has a lot going for it.