Now, here's where things get really interesting: the car could just as easily take you from Montreal to Lac St. Jean for a visit to aunt Jeannine. Before the battery gets depleted, the engine/generator would kick in and charge the battery, allowing you to reach your destination... without even stopping for fuel.
Said battery can also be charged through an ordinary 120-volt power outlet in 10 to 12 hours. Using a 240-volt Voltec charging station, however, the process only takes four hours. Granted, it costs US$ 490, not counting the installation fees.
Manufactured by Compact Power Inc., an American subsidiary of South Korea's LG Chem, the battery is quite bulky, occupying a T-shaped cluster inside the chassis – one section splits the car lengthwise and the other rests sideways just in front of the rear wheels.
The battery comes with an 8-year/160,000-kilometre warranty. Replacement costs have yet to be determined, though.
Like a regular car
Driving the Chevrolet Volt is a whole lot of fun. In downtown traffic like here in L.A., you won't notice a single difference from any conventionally-powered automobile... beyond, of course, the extremely silent operation.
In full electric mode, the Volt is in fact so quiet that most drivers will start hearing new noises. The most obvious is tire friction on paved roads, especially concrete. GM engineers are actually working to mask these noises.
The power-assisted steering feels light and proves nicely sharp, while the brakes deliver progressive, linear stops. What about the suspension? No complaints, here, but a test-drive on the highway or some remote byroads would have provided a much better assessment. After all, the 1,715-kg Volt weighs about 300 kilos more than a Chevrolet Cruze!
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| The Volt's battery can be charged through an ordinary 120-volt power outlet in 10 to 12 hours or a 240-volt charging station in 4 hours. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
Said battery can also be charged through an ordinary 120-volt power outlet in 10 to 12 hours. Using a 240-volt Voltec charging station, however, the process only takes four hours. Granted, it costs US$ 490, not counting the installation fees.
Manufactured by Compact Power Inc., an American subsidiary of South Korea's LG Chem, the battery is quite bulky, occupying a T-shaped cluster inside the chassis – one section splits the car lengthwise and the other rests sideways just in front of the rear wheels.
The battery comes with an 8-year/160,000-kilometre warranty. Replacement costs have yet to be determined, though.
Like a regular car
Driving the Chevrolet Volt is a whole lot of fun. In downtown traffic like here in L.A., you won't notice a single difference from any conventionally-powered automobile... beyond, of course, the extremely silent operation.
In full electric mode, the Volt is in fact so quiet that most drivers will start hearing new noises. The most obvious is tire friction on paved roads, especially concrete. GM engineers are actually working to mask these noises.
The power-assisted steering feels light and proves nicely sharp, while the brakes deliver progressive, linear stops. What about the suspension? No complaints, here, but a test-drive on the highway or some remote byroads would have provided a much better assessment. After all, the 1,715-kg Volt weighs about 300 kilos more than a Chevrolet Cruze!
 |
| The Volt rides on low-rolling resistance Goodyear Assurance tires, just like the Cruze Eco. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |