MONTREAL, Quebec - As GM’s revolutionary Volt will finally be arriving in Canada, consumers may be asking themselves how well the extended-range vehicle will perform in our nasty weather conditions. It’s hot in summer, but cold as hell in winter; can the Volt withstand the daily grind year-round?
A small bunch of journalists were invited to meet up with Dan Mepham, Product Manager for GM Canada. The automaker isn’t ignorant to the fact that certain people are interested in the Volt but are cautious as to how the car will perform in Canada. We also got another crack at driving the car before it hits the press fleets this fall.
We at Auto123.com are anxious for that time to come, so we can provide you with a full road test. We’re also planning on driving the Volt again next winter, so stay tuned.
The technical details of the Volt as well as our driving impressions have already been covered extensively, so we’ll spare you the redundancy. However, here are some interesting details about the Volt for us Canadians.
Will the Volt start when it’s freakin’ cold out?
Yes. The battery pack actually prefers cold temperatures than very hot ones. Using the Volt’s on-board computer, the OnStar MyLink mobile app or the www.myvolt.com website, you can program starting times for the car.
For example, if you leave the house at 7:15 AM every morning for work, the car will heat up or cool down the battery pack before startup, depending on the outside temperature. If you’re running late, you can also use the keyfob’s remote starter, which will prep the battery pack for optimal temperature before firing up the car.
The Volt actually has 3 cooling circuits with their own coolant tanks; one for the battery pack, one for the cockpit and the gasoline engine as well as one for the car’s electronics.
What range can I expect in winter?
The Volt’s range is estimated between 40 and 80 kilometres. With the heater on full blast and the heated seats turned on, you’re most likely to achieve a range of 40 km. But since the Volt is an extended-range vehicle, once the batteries run down to their minimal state of charge, the 1.4-litre gas engine fires up and you just keep going.
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| Photo: Michel Deslauriers/Auto123.com |
A small bunch of journalists were invited to meet up with Dan Mepham, Product Manager for GM Canada. The automaker isn’t ignorant to the fact that certain people are interested in the Volt but are cautious as to how the car will perform in Canada. We also got another crack at driving the car before it hits the press fleets this fall.
We at Auto123.com are anxious for that time to come, so we can provide you with a full road test. We’re also planning on driving the Volt again next winter, so stay tuned.
The technical details of the Volt as well as our driving impressions have already been covered extensively, so we’ll spare you the redundancy. However, here are some interesting details about the Volt for us Canadians.
Will the Volt start when it’s freakin’ cold out?
Yes. The battery pack actually prefers cold temperatures than very hot ones. Using the Volt’s on-board computer, the OnStar MyLink mobile app or the www.myvolt.com website, you can program starting times for the car.
For example, if you leave the house at 7:15 AM every morning for work, the car will heat up or cool down the battery pack before startup, depending on the outside temperature. If you’re running late, you can also use the keyfob’s remote starter, which will prep the battery pack for optimal temperature before firing up the car.
The Volt actually has 3 cooling circuits with their own coolant tanks; one for the battery pack, one for the cockpit and the gasoline engine as well as one for the car’s electronics.
What range can I expect in winter?
The Volt’s range is estimated between 40 and 80 kilometres. With the heater on full blast and the heated seats turned on, you’re most likely to achieve a range of 40 km. But since the Volt is an extended-range vehicle, once the batteries run down to their minimal state of charge, the 1.4-litre gas engine fires up and you just keep going.
 |
| Photo: Michel Deslauriers/Auto123.com |