Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Chevrolet Volt Will the Chevy Volt Succeed?
544 messages, Last post on Oct 28, 2009 at 1:11 PM
You are in the Chevrolet Volt Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
Replying to: larsb (Jul 21, 2009 8:31 am) 
|
|
|
Replying to: dmathews3 (Jul 21, 2009 10:24 am) (Editor’s Note: This is applicable for North America) The Chevrolet Volt is an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle. It uses Voltec - GM’s electric propulsion system - to drive the car at all times and speeds. The Voltec electric propulsion system is made up of a 16-kWh battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine generator of electricity. Voltec enables up to 40 miles of gas- and emissions-free electric driving with extended-range capability of more than 300 miles. The Chevrolet Volt uses electricity as its primary source of energy to drive the car. There are two modes of operation – Electric and Extended-Range. In both modes, the Volt is propelled by an electric drive unit. The electric drive unit converts electrical energy into mechanical energy to drive the front wheels. It also delivers instant torque, the equivalent of 150 horsepower and a top speed of 100 mph. There is no compromise in vehicle performance in either mode of operation. Electric Mode: In Electric mode, the Volt will not use gasoline or produce tailpipe emissions. During this primary mode, the Volt is powered by electrical energy stored in its T-shaped lithium-ion battery. The Volt can operate in this mode for up to 40 miles until the battery has reached a low energy level. Extended-Range Mode: When the battery’s energy is depleted, the Volt seamlessly switches to Extended-Range mode. In this secondary mode, electricity needed to power the vehicle is created on-board by a flex-fuel powered engine-generator. This mode of operation extends the total range of the Volt for hundreds of additional miles, until the vehicle can be refueled or plugged in to recharge the battery. The engine-generator has the capability to provide the level of electrical power that the Volt needs for the most frequent maneuvers. However, the battery will continue to generate some power and work together with the engine-generator to provide peak performance when it's required, such as driving up a steep incline or for high acceleration maneuvers. The engine-generator will then continue to provide electricity to power the vehicle and simultaneously return some energy to the battery to replenish and maintain a low energy level. The battery will not be recharged to a “full” state by the engine-generator. Contrary to a conventional battery-electric vehicle, the extended-range mode eliminates “range anxiety,” giving the confidence and peace of mind that the driver will not be stranded by a depleted battery. Regenerative Braking: During both modes of operation, energy is captured during braking, converted into electricity and stored in the battery. This process of capturing energy is called regenerative braking. Regenerative braking increases the overall efficiency of the vehicle. Charging: The Chevrolet Volt can be recharged by plugging its specially designed power cord into a standard household 120V outlet or use 240v for charging. Charging begins automatically. The Volt’s charging technology enables the battery to be charged in less than three hours on a 240v or about eight hours from a 120v outlet. Charge times are reduced if the battery has not been fully depleted. At a cost of about 80 cents per day (10 cents per kWh) for a full charge that will deliver up to 40 miles of electric driving, GM estimates that the Volt will be less expensive to recharge than purchasing a cup of your favorite coffee. Charging the Volt about once daily will consume less electric energy annually than the average home's refrigerator and freezer units.
|
|
|
Replying to: michael2003 (Jul 21, 2009 3:04 am) |
|
|
It's still ONLY the electric motors that move the vehicle. Put it this way, the electric motors don't know and don't care where the electricity is coming from, they either have power to run or they don't. I have no idea what the efficiency of running the ICE to supply electricity for the propulsion system is. THAT would be an interesting number to see instead of talking about the range of a tank of gas which includes miles that are 100% battery driven. Would burning 5 gallons of fuel to create electricity move the Volt as far as if those same 5 gallons were used by the ICE to directly propel the car? Essentially what you have is a portable gas-powered generator on board with the Volt. That doesn't seem like the most intuitively-efficient idea I've ever heard of.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: pf_flyer (Jul 22, 2009 1:28 am) The efficiency is gained by running the engine at its most fuel efficient RPM and not having the speed excursions that you would get with a conventional automatic transmission. Basically, the Volt becomes a Prius when the batteries are discharged. So it still benefits from regenerative braking and engine off at a stop. All that said, you would never design a car to use only the motor /generator with no battery on board. It is efficient , but not as efficient as say a manual transmission equipped vehicle chugging down the interstate in high gear. Remember, the primary mission of the Volt is to get you to work and back or to the shopping mall, not for Indianapolis to Denver runs. I just checked my electric bill and my cost for a KW-Hr is 7.2 cents. So a "fill-up" for me would be about 58 pennies. (My driving is always less than 40 miles per day unless I am on vacation) If gas is at $3.50/ gal, the $1500 I save on gas every year starts to look very interesting. |
|
|
|
|
Replying to: buyamerican2 (Jul 22, 2009 10:06 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: stephen987 (Jul 22, 2009 11:13 am)
|
|
|
Replying to: dmathews3 (Jul 22, 2009 11:22 am) |
|
|
If we waved a magic wand and all cars were EV's, those electric rates are NOT going to stay the same and there's no way is it going to cost 58 cents to "fill up" a Volt. Since you say your normal driving is less than 30 miles a day, you honestly think a Volt would only cost you less than $18/month to run?? That's a patently ridiculous number. Electric vehicles will not be "free" to operate and the introduction of EV's will definitely increase electric rates as the increased load and demand caused by charging of EV's is something that is not on the grid now. And it really doesn't matter if you say, "Oh we can charge them during off peak hours". Those hours will no longer be "off peak" once we add a "car charging" peak will they? Robert Heinlein said it in his 1966 novel, "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress", although the phrase apparently originated in the 1930's... There ain't no such thing as a free lunch
|
|
|
Replying to: pf_flyer (Jul 22, 2009 12:54 pm) That's about 80 cents for most people. For commuters like myself who drive about 22 miles a day round-trip, and maybe 100 miles on a weekend, the electric cost would be about $25 a month, and the gasoline costs might be $40 a month, for a total of about $65 monthly That's not TOO much different than what I pay for gasoline per month for my Camry hybrid, from Dec-Jun this year was about $47 a month. Would I trade for a much higher car payment just to save $18 a month? Not likely. The economics don't look to be there for people already driving a mid-size fuel-efficient car. And the comment about how electricity will go up because of EVs hitting the market? PSHAW !!! All that charging ( or most of it ) will occur at night when the grid is flowing and unchallenged. And how many EVs will sell per year? 60,000? 80,000? 100,000? Not the Volt, not at $40K. If would take a LOT of years, a LOT of car sales, and a LOT of progress before the EVs made a dent in the grid to the point that the utility companies could claim higher demand and raise prices merely because of EVs.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Chevrolet Volt Will the Chevy Volt Succeed?
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2011 Chevrolet Volt
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
