#Chevy volt range in cold weather update

(And - ‘Range anxiety’ - the fear of becoming stranded with a dead battery at the side of the road - has simply not been an issue with my PHEV, because with its backup engine it has a range comparable to any vehicle. I’m 2,000 km into the current tank, and the gas needle has barely budged. Earlier this summer, I went 5,000 km and nearly two months between gas fillups. It has literally gone weeks without the engine starting. Importantly, it has met my key objective, which was that it be able to handle my typical daily commute on battery alone.

The bottom line: on average, my PHEV is easily achieving the promised battery range.

It has even touched 130 km a few times this summer. On the other hand, the battery range has routinely exceeded 100 km in the other three seasons. Plus I preheated the car while it was still plugged in at home to reserve the battery for driving.) (I found myself relying mainly on the heated seats for my comfort, using the interior heating mainly to keep the windows defrosted. Third, features like interior heating, heated seats and heated steering wheel draw directly from the battery and therefore reduce range. Second, performance of any battery drops in cold temperatures. First, winter tires reduce efficiency in any vehicle. Significant, but not totally unexpected, for several reasons. My experience: the battery range dropped last winter, dipping under 60 km on the very coldest days. The rated battery range of my PHEV is 85 KM, meaning that’s how far it’s supposed to go in electric mode before the engine starts.

It runs on battery until the battery is empty, and then a gasoline engine kicks in to take over.) Range (A quick note: The Volt is a PHEV, not a full electric.

#Chevy volt range in cold weather update

Here’s an update on the experience so far.Here’s an update on the experience so far. I still consider it my ‘new car’ - but already a full year has passed since I bought my Chevy Volt.