Chevrolet has revealed that its second-generation Volt will offer a 40% improvement in EV range from 56km to 85km.
The company says that owners currently use battery power for 80% of trips, and the increased range will push this up to over 90%, meaning the average owner will see 1,600km between fuel fills if they recharge regularly.
The car is fitted with a new 18.4kWh battery (up from 16kWh) with revised chemistry that means 96 fewer cells and a 9.8kg weight saving compared with the old battery.
The 1.5-liter range extender gasoline engine is also new, up in capacity from the outgoing model’s 1.4-liter motor. Chevrolet says that overall weight savings in the drivetrain make for a 45kg saving over the first-generation package.
The 85km EV range figure is based on EPA testing, which rates the Volt’s combined fuel consumption at 106mpge (gasoline equivalent), or 2.22l/100km, with the 1.5-liter range extender offering fuel consumption of 5.6l/100km in gasoline-only mode.
The Volt goes on sale in the USA later this year with production due to begin this month. It was announced at the end of 2014 that right-hand production of the second-generation Volt wouldn’t be happening because of poor sales in those markets, but Opel is expected to announce what it calls an ‘electric successor’ to the Volt/Ampera that will go on sale in 2016/17.
August 10, 2015