GM Tools
Chevy Volt at Hawthorne Chevrolet
- Introducing Volt
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- Technology
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- Mobile
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- Power Grid
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- Battery
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- Gallery
Perfect for your commute
When our engineers designed Volt, they wanted to find a battery range that would allow many people to drive gas-free much of the time. We took a look at the survey by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics and we found that more than 75% of people commute 40 miles a day or less2. With that number in mind, we developed Volt to meet most people's basic driving needs while preserving their ability to drive on a pure electric charge most of the time.
Introducing Chevrolet Volt
Volt is an electric car that can create its own electricity. Plug it in, let it charge overnight, and it's ready to run on a pure electric charge for up to 40 miles1 - gas and emissions free. After that, Volt keeps going, even if you can't plug it in. Volt uses a range-extending gas generator that produces enough energy to power it for hundreds of miles on a single tank of gas.
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Technology
Volt is an electric vehicle with a range extender. Well, what does that mean? It means Volt runs off electricity from its battery, and then it runs off electricity it creates from gas. Let's assume you have a fully charged battery. Now, depending on the weather, the electrical features that are turned on and how you drive, you can drive up to 40 miles on the electricity stored in the battery - totally gas and emissions free. After that, its gas-powered, range-extending generator automatically kicks in to provide electrical power. So Volt can go for several hundred additional miles, until you can plug it in or fill it up again. And Volt is even a FlexFuel vehicle as well, capable of running on the biofuel E85 ethanol3.
See how Volt compares
The Volt propulsion system is powered exclusively by electricity. When its battery runs out of charge, it uses a small amount of gas in its onboard generator to create more electricity - enough to keep Volt going for hundreds of miles. While hybrids and battery-only electrics will also help us reduce our dependence on petroleum, Volt is a solution that seems to have greater possibilities for the future.
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Mobile
With the new OnStar mobile app, Volt owners can use a smartphone to access their vehicle's current electric range and fuel efficiency. Plus, managing the Volt charging functions is easy with this application. You can look up the battery's charge level, check on what time your Volt will be fully charged and ready to go, or even change charging priorities remotely with just a couple of taps. You can perform other commands remotely too - like unlocking doors or activating the remote start. The OnStar mobile app will be available when the Volt launches later next year.
Be sure to visit www.onstarmobiledemo.com from your smartphone now to learn more and experience this mobile app for yourself.
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Save money
Electricity is an extremely affordable way to power a car - the average American pays less than 12 cents per kilowatt hour. In other words, if you drive 40 miles or less that could work out to be about a $1.50 a day. And that can add up to big savings.
Power Grid
The power that you use for heating, cooling, cooking, refrigeration, light, sound, computers and entertainment comes to your house from the power plant through a network of transmissions and distribution power lines called the power grid. Various sources generate this power: wind, sunlight, water, natural gas, coal, oil and biofuels. You can see evidence of the power grid every time you drive past an electricity pole and see power lines. To put it simply, the power grid is the system by which electricity is brought to your home.
Volt allows you to use the power grid more efficiently if you charge it during off-peak hours. According to the US Department of Energy this is usually from around 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.5 Depending on where you live, charging during off-peak hours can save you the most money. If you'd like to know whether reduced off-peak electricity rates are offered in your area, contact your local electric company.
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Battery
On a pure-electric charge, Volt can travel up to 40 miles1, which means 75% of people can commute on battery power alone without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions2. The battery combines the power of more than 200 lithium-ion battery cells. Each cell is about the size of a 5-inch by 7-inch photo frame, weighs nearly a pound and can store up to twice the power of a similarly sized nickel metal hydride battery cell from today's hybrid vehicles.
Why lithium-ion?
When you compare lithium-ion and nickel metal hydride battery technologies, it's clear why lithium was picked to power Volt. As you can see in the charts, lithium is superior in terms of power density, energy density and cycle life.
Durable design
A great battery is nothing unless it lasts. That's why Chevy teamed up with LG Chem to design the most durable and reliable battery possible. Each battery cell is encased in a polymer-coated aluminum package to withstand harsh climates. It also uses meticulously developed anode, cathode and electrolyte chemistries to improve the battery life under high temperature conditions and a wide range of charge states. A liquid thermal cooling and heating system keeps the battery at a comfortable temperature, as it's being charged and discharged.
Warranty
The Chevrolet Volt provides customers with a standard, 100,000-mile/8-year warranty6 on its advanced, lithium-ion battery. The Volt's comprehensive battery warranty covers all 161 battery components, 95 percent of which are designed and engineered by GM, in addition to the thermal management system, charging system and electric drive components.
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Gallery
You can tell Volt is ready to change the world just by looking at it. Check it out for yourself.
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