Volt 23,662 miles Factory Fill

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This is so interesting. Questions:

- The Volt's gas engine only turns on to run a generator, so its demands on engine oil should be far less than on a regular gas-powered car. True or false?

- Does the gas engine turn at only one specific RPM or a narrow range? If so, how does this affect oil life or stress?

- The first part of my first statement might not be right. According to the wikipedia:
"When the engine is running it may be periodically mechanically linked (by a clutch) to a planetary gear set, and hence the output drive axle, to improve energy efficiency."

- Is the gas/electric switchover point programmable by the user (switch at 50% battery vs. 10%, for example)? What is the factory recommendation & what did the OP use?
 
I know I can shop on line and see Volts in the $34K range.

But what did you pay and what are people paying?

Yikes - the wife is really interested. And frankly this type of vehicle would be great for her.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
I know I can shop on line and see Volts in the $34K range.

But what did you pay and what are people paying?

Yikes - the wife is really interested. And frankly this type of vehicle would be great for her.


I saw one at Disney's Test Track (sponsored by GM) last summer with a sticker price of $43,500. It looked like a base model too IIRC.

I thought the sticker said it got around 50 MPG? Was this just with the gas engine/ no charging. With the OP's usage of around 211 MPG, that really changes my opinion of them..
 
Including incentives, rebates and discounts, you can get a base Volt for $20k. I'm into mine for about $22k plus tax, sticker was a hair under $36k.

Here's the breakdown for mine:
$36k MSRP
$4000 discount off MSRP
$7500 tax credit
$1500 CA cash rebate
$750 USAA member discount
$500 Costco gift card

Dealers are knocking $5k of sticker now, and there are additional incentives, compared to when I bought mine.
 
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Yikes - the wife is really interested. And frankly this type of vehicle would be great for her.


If we weren't so used to gas, I suspect a majority of people would readily concede an electric car is the better option.

I think the Leaf is the best option in most cases, you just have to let go of not having an engine.
 
I'm gone for a while and did nt notice this thread had resurfaced, so I'll try and answer some of the questions.

I re-filled with M1 EP 5W-30 I had laying around.

I think in some ways the oil is stressed more in this application because the engine turns on and immediately revs to 2k+ rpms then shuts off after a little while. The oil rarely see operating temperature.

The electric/gas switch over point is not selectable, but on the newer Volts I believe there is a "hold" mode so you can maintain a desired state of charge for the battery.

Lifetime MPG is up to 250 mpg now.

The computer says we've used 11.3 gallons in the last 7300+ miles.

The Leaf seems to be a decent car, but you can't hop in and drive from SF to LA non-stop in one.
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Yikes - the wife is really interested. And frankly this type of vehicle would be great for her.


If we weren't so used to gas, I suspect a majority of people would readily concede an electric car is the better option.

I think the Leaf is the best option in most cases, you just have to let go of not having an engine.

You also have to let go of your fear of driving more than 30 miles from home. And your fear of flat bed tow trucks.
 
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Yikes - the wife is really interested. And frankly this type of vehicle would be great for her.


If we weren't so used to gas, I suspect a majority of people would readily concede an electric car is the better option.

I think the Leaf is the best option in most cases, you just have to let go of not having an engine.


An electric car might be a viable option for those who regularly drive only short trips.
A Leaf would not be sufficient for my daily commute in very cold weather, although it would be fine in the warmer months.
Then there's the simple fact that I can drive either Accord or the BMW 500 miles on a tank of fuel and another 500 miles of range requires only a ten minute stop at any gas station.
An electric car can work for some drivers, although whether the economics make sense will require a careful review of the lifecycle costs involved.
A new battery pack would not be cheap and its cost would pretty well negate the savings in running costs.
Also, the existing power generation and distirbution infrastructure would not support any significant number of electric cars.
 
Originally Posted By: bigt61
Originally Posted By: Apollo14
Originally Posted By: Pablo
Yikes - the wife is really interested. And frankly this type of vehicle would be great for her.


If we weren't so used to gas, I suspect a majority of people would readily concede an electric car is the better option.

I think the Leaf is the best option in most cases, you just have to let go of not having an engine.

You also have to let go of your fear of driving more than 30 miles from home. And your fear of flat bed tow trucks.


It's nowhere near as low as 30 miles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nissan_Leaf#Range
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
An electric car might be a viable option for those who regularly drive only short trips.
A Leaf would not be sufficient for my daily commute in very cold weather, although it would be fine in the warmer months.
Then there's the simple fact that I can drive either Accord or the BMW 500 miles on a tank of fuel and another 500 miles of range requires only a ten minute stop at any gas station.
An electric car can work for some drivers, although whether the economics make sense will require a careful review of the lifecycle costs involved.
A new battery pack would not be cheap and its cost would pretty well negate the savings in running costs.
Also, the existing power generation and distirbution infrastructure would not support any significant number of electric cars.


Sure your personal needs are your personal needs, and most people need some sort of vehicle for longer trips.

But the idea is that on a daily basis, there are a large number of people whose total mileage remains in the single digits.

You charge your electric vehicle at night time, when the electricity demand is low and the supply is in surplus. That electricity is actually otherwise wasted.

There is no need to actually invest in more power plants nor is there any increase in any emissions from the power plant.

Inductive charging at home would mean not having to stop at gas stations nor spend any time refueling and the technology could be set to only recharge at off peak times as the plug in chargers can be already.
 
The utilities are really trying to increase off-peak demand, by charging low rates. As stated, there's excess capacity off-peak.

The Time Of Use EV plan that I'm on with SCE gives me power at $0.09/kWh between midnight & 6AM, so that's when the Volt gets charged.

Conversely, my electricity is ridiculously expensive from 10AM - 6PM, but we're not home during these hours anyway.
 
All of this sounds plausible only until your expose it to the harsh light of reality.
Consider the average annual mileage that people do and a car that can only do a hundred or so miles on a good day seems less than practical.
The idea of off peak power demand works only in those areas with very moderate climates, like much of California.
Around here, power demand peaks in the evenings on both hot summer nights and below zero winter ones, exactly when an owner would need to be charging his EV for the following day's commute. The idea that there is significantly less power demand in the evenings doesn't apply in a number of major markets.
Charging at home means that I need to remember to plug the darn thing in each afternoon and unplug it each morning.
Probably no time savings there over a stop at the gas station, aside from the fact that the charging port will be iced over a few nights each winter, so I'll have to get some warm water to even start the process.
Until EVs can reach two hundred or so miles nominal range at a price that makes their actual cost per mile competitive with that of conventional IC cars, they'll remain a niche product sold largely due to the government incentives offered.
 
12000 annual miles / 365 = 33 miles a day. That's within the range. The Chevy Volt has a 50 mile range for the purpose that the vast majority of trips will be within range.

So for a large enough number of people, on a large enough number of occasions, the range makes sense. Will it make sense all the time for all people? No of course not.

Charging at evening vs charging at *night*. Put the charger on a timer to charge at night ie off peak, not the evening. Plus the inductive chargers will just require you to drive over.

Were I in the market for a new car, a Leaf would be seriously considered. So many trips are short which the Leaf is ideal for, and the maintenance is hugely reduced. Right now I put off some short trips to combine them to avoid short tripping my vehicles. With an electric car I wouldn't. It actually increases convenience while being efficient on power used and wear and tear ie no warm up period to worry about.

I know lots of people who have taken the plunge, having considered it in the "harsh light of reality", and it was the better option. Commuting to work included.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
All of this sounds plausible only until your expose it to the harsh light of reality.

Until EVs can reach two hundred or so miles nominal range at a price that makes their actual cost per mile competitive with that of conventional IC cars, they'll remain a niche product sold largely due to the government incentives offered.


Completely true, and the sales of them reflect this perception. There are a ton of folks who could use them, but even more who cannot.

Their "value" remains uncertain...
 
The Volt offers fifty miles of range simply because that was the best Chevy could do while keeping costs and weight within check.
The Volt carries the cost and weight burden of both a battery pack and an IC engine, so I'd say that its EV range is pretty good.
Thing is, the Volt isn't an EV, it's a hybrid.
Under favorable conditions, like now, where the weather is mild enough that neither heat nor AC are required and the days remain long enough that the headlights aren't needed either, I could probably make my fifty mile round trip commute with a Volt in EV mode and a Leaf would also work just fine.
A Volt would also be perfectly practical for trips as well as those cold winter days when battery capacity is sapped and heat is a necessity, while the Leaf wouldn't be.
I know that this may be hard to grasp from a Californian perspective, but on a below zero morning or a ten degree afternoon, heat is a necessity, not a luxury, if only to keep the inside of the windows clear of frost. The days are also short enough that headlights are required in both directions, and neither ambient cold nor the use of heat nor the use of the headlights are conducive to decent EV range.
A Leaf would simply not work for me or many others for most of the year.
That's why they remain a drug on the market and is also the reason that Nissan has reduced the asking significantly.
If you could make one work for you, then have at it.
The idea a low maintenance car seems intriguing, but then the only added maintenance with an IC engine is the ocassional oil change and a set of plugs eventually, both of which the Volt will need. Really not much maintenance expense involved.
The Leaf will still need brakes, tires and all of the other little computer parts vital to its operation. If a new battery pack is eventually required, that cost will pretty well ditch any fuel savings..
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The Volt offers fifty miles of range simply because that was the best Chevy could do while keeping costs and weight within check.
The Volt carries the cost and weight burden of both a battery pack and an IC engine, so I'd say that its EV range is pretty good.
Thing is, the Volt isn't an EV, it's a hybrid.
Under favorable conditions, like now, where the weather is mild enough that neither heat nor AC are required and the days remain long enough that the headlights aren't needed either, I could probably make my fifty mile round trip commute with a Volt in EV mode and a Leaf would also work just fine.
A Volt would also be perfectly practical for trips as well as those cold winter days when battery capacity is sapped and heat is a necessity, while the Leaf wouldn't be.
I know that this may be hard to grasp from a Californian perspective, but on a below zero morning or a ten degree afternoon, heat is a necessity, not a luxury, if only to keep the inside of the windows clear of frost. The days are also short enough that headlights are required in both directions, and neither ambient cold nor the use of heat nor the use of the headlights are conducive to decent EV range.
A Leaf would simply not work for me or many others for most of the year.
That's why they remain a drug on the market and is also the reason that Nissan has reduced the asking significantly.
If you could make one work for you, then have at it.
The idea a low maintenance car seems intriguing, but then the only added maintenance with an IC engine is the ocassional oil change and a set of plugs eventually, both of which the Volt will need. Really not much maintenance expense involved.
The Leaf will still need brakes, tires and all of the other little computer parts vital to its operation. If a new battery pack is eventually required, that cost will pretty well ditch any fuel savings..


Almost 80% of Americans have a round trip commute of less than 40 miles. Given the range of the Leaf, it would work for most Americans - even on those cold mornings.

Headlights do not impact EV range all that much.

I doubt if I will ever need to change spark plugs on the Volt given that I'm getting over 600 miles to the gallon now. With regenerative braking, the brakes should last well over 150k miles. Air filter? Maybe change it once.

Now if I lived in an area that regularly has snow and ice and could only have one car, I would have a gas AWD car like a Subaru.
 
I was seriously looking at the Leaf as a proposal for local patrol use at work.
According to various Leaf sources I looked at, you can't count on forty miles of range under very cold conditions, battery potential declines with age and use and deep discharges are not desirable for long battery pack life.
Almost making it home on a ten degree evening wouldn't cut it.
I've seen a few Leafs here and I wonder how they did over the last very cold winter.
A Volt would make a lot more sense than a Leaf, particularly if you could buy one at the Prius C prices one poster quoted above.
For that matter, a Volt would make a lot more sense than any Prius if low operating costs are your goal.
WRT AWD in winter, it's very nice to have, but not really necessary. After you've driven a bit in slick winter conditions, you can drive pretty much anything without problems.
As others have noted in other threads, a set of dedicated winters transforms almost any car into a great snow machine as well.
 
140 mile round trip to work, up to 115F in summer, 25F in winter, volt doesn't cut it. Sounds good though, and for most people it would probably work fine.
 
I would never in a million years invest in a vehicle that could quite possibly cause me to say "oh, that's too far for my car to go" or "I'd like to, but my car is going to be charging, so I'm going to have to pass."

An electric car is not a primary vehicle, period.

There is life beyond your daily commute.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
I would never in a million years invest in a vehicle that could quite possibly cause me to say "oh, that's too far for my car to go" or "I'd like to, but my car is going to be charging, so I'm going to have to pass."

An electric car is not a primary vehicle, period.

There is life beyond your daily commute.


That's why EV is likely not the only vehicle in a household. If I were to buy an EV I'd make sure I have at least a beater as a backup.
 
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