The second-generation Chevrolet Volt can travel 85 kilometres on a full charge, according to EPA testing, nearly 40% better than the first-generation system.
Green Car Congress reports that the additional range would enable the average Volt owner to travel well over 1,500 kilometres in multiple trips between petrol fill ups.
The website says that Chevrolet expects many drivers of the new Volt to use power solely from their batteries for more than 90% of the trips they make – a 10% improvement on the first generation.
In a paper (Duhon et.al, SAE 2015-01-1164) presented at SAE World Congress in April this year, GM engineers reported that in an evaluation of one year of in-use operating data from the first generation Chevrolet Volt, initial Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) starts were reduced by 70% relative to conventional vehicles under the same driving conditions. These Gen 1 Volt drivers were able to travel 74% of their total miles in EV without requiring the ICE’s support.
Chevy’s partner LG cut the number of cells in the 18.4 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion pack by one third to 192 and revised the hardware that manages them, creating a lighter, more powerful battery.
