2013 Chevrolet Volt Increases EV Range to 38 Miles

The all-electric vehicle range of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt will be 38 miles on a single charge. That gives owners a three-mile EV range increase from the 2012 model. Where would you go in 38 miles?

The all-electric vehicle range of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt will be 38 miles on a single charge, providing owners with a three-mile EV range increase from the 2012 model. The miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) will increase from 94 miles to 98 miles and the total range, including extended range operation, will be 380 miles.


Based on real-world experience by Volt owners since the vehicle launched in late 2010, engineers made minor changes to the material composition of the battery cell chemistry, resulting in improved performance and durability. Manganese spinel chemistry remains the foundation for the Volt’s battery system, but the amount of each material has been slightly modified to provide better life performance.


“The best way to explain what we’ve done at the cell level is to compare it to a cake batter recipe.  Sometimes if you use more sugar and less vanilla you get a better tasting cake. We’ve done some work at the cell level to modify the ‘ingredients’ to make a better end result,” said Bill Wallace, GM director of Global Battery Systems Engineering. “This attention to detail will allow our customers to experience more pure EV range, which is the true benefit of owning a Volt.”


In addition, the total storage capacity of the Volt battery has been increased from 16 kWh of energy to 16.5 kWh, and engineers have expanded the state-of-charge window to use 10.8 kWh of the total battery energy – up from 10.3 kWh used in the 2012 model.  The battery system maintains a buffer to ensure battery life, but that buffer has been reduced.


The improved EV range capability will result in slight increases to the Volt’s charge times. A full recharge using a 120V could take 10.5 hours and 4.25 hours using a 240V charging unit.

Cells with improved chemistry have accumulated 150,000 test miles to date. The tests have revealed less battery degradation, the ability to withstand temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius and less impact by energy throughput. 

For the first 38 miles, the Volt can drive gas and tailpipe-emissions free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16.5-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank. Volt owners have travelled more than 65 million miles since the vehicle launched late 2010. Roughly two-thirds of those miles were powered by grid electricity.

Read more at media.gm.com. 

Six Lucky Bands are Cruze-ing to Vegas with Chevy and Billboard

The 2012 Billboard Music Awards are this month in Las Vegas, and guess who’s sponsoring the Battle of the Bands?

Cars and music just seem to go together. And when you’ve been mentioned in over 500 songs, who better than Chevrolet to sponsor Billboard’s Battle of the Bands?


This is one rockin’ good time: 18 hand-picked and up-and-coming bands from across the U.S. took a shot at national TV exposure, a career milestone to be determined by your vote, fan engagement and live performances through a contest aptly called “Cruze-ing to Vegas.”


During the contest, 18 bands were narrowed down to six. Now, Chevy has loaned each of the six finalist bands an all-new Chevrolet Cruze for a road trip that will take them from their home base to Las Vegas for the Battle of the Bands competition. It will be the ultimate road trip too, beginning on May 10, as film crews will document their every move.



Six Bands: Giggin’ for Gas in Their Chevy Cruze
The bands will have to be as inventive on the road as they are in their music. They’re not receiving any gas money. They will “gig for gas” whether it’s at local venues or playing on street corners. Maybe they’ll crank up the Pioneer® nine-speaker premium audio system2 and Sirius XMTM Satellite Radio3, open the doors, and stage outdoor karaoke, complete with air guitars. How they scrap for gas money is up to them. One thing is for sure - thanks to Cruze’s 36 MPG4 highway, they might not have to earn as much as they would with another car.


We’ll see how resourceful they are in packing their gear into Cruze’s cavernous interior and ample cargo space. And we’ll find how skillful they are at using the OnStar® Turn-by-Turn5 navigation to plan ahead and reach their destinations.

Follow Them on the Ultimate Road Trip
From playing gigs along the way, to tweeting and blogging their adventure with fans, to creating playlists, to the final Battle of the Bands on May 18 in Las Vegas, you can see the bands videos on www.billboard.com/battle.


You can also see the winning band get the ultimate prize: a chance to be honored as the “Dreamseeker Artist of the Year” at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards airing live on Sunday, May 22, on ABC.


Kevin Mayer, Chevrolet’s director of advertising and promotions said, “Chevrolet has long been associated with music. Partnering with Billboard.com on ‘Cruze-ing to Vegas’ is the next link in connecting our brand with music.”


Just visit www.billboard.com/battle, check out the videos, listen to the music and be a part of “Cruze-ing to Vegas.”


Read more: http://www.chevrolet.com/culture/article/billboard/

Is This Thing On? Volt Owner Shares Amusing Experience

Chevy Volt owners come in all shapes and sizes and have all kinds of different experiences on the road. This story, though, goes to show what all Volt owners have in common: absolutely stunned reactions from other drivers!


I had been interested in electric vehicles ever since I saw Chris Paine’s “Who Killed the Electric Car?” and had been following the Volt from concept to production. My interest was primarily motivated by a desire to see our country move away from dependence on foreign oil. A test drive in a Volt sealed the deal for me and I ordered one the next day. I ordered my Volt in May 2011 and took delivery on October 6, 2011. I purchased my Volt as I plan on keeping the car long term.

Surprisingly few people even notice that it’s something different since it doesn’t have an unusual attention-drawing appearance so I’ve only been asked about the car by strangers on a few occasions. Of the friends that have ridden in it, without exception the first thing they notice is the absence of engine noise. Their second reaction is amazement at the car’s ability to press them into their seats when I punch it. They are consistently impressed with the performance having expected a more “golf cart-like” experience.

I was sitting in the car with my wife in the parking lot adjacent to the service bay of a non-Chevy dealership when I noticed two of the mechanics approaching from behind to give it a once over. They were surprised to see us sitting in the car when they came around to the window. “Oh sorry.” one of them said. “We’ve never seen one before. Is it actually on right now?” he asked. “Oh yes it is.” I replied with a smile.

It’s hard to pick just one thing [that I like best]. My top three are (1) I almost never need gas. Right now I’m at 390 MPG. I actually waved at a gas station as I drove by on the day I took it home. (2) It’s fun to drive from a performance standpoint. The handling and response are outstanding. (3) It’s just a cool looking car. Sleek and sporty. Zero range anxiety is another appealing feature of the car.

I’ve owned lots of cars over the years. In terms of off-the-line performance it is second only to my 1968 Dodge Dart GT with a 440ci engine and it out-handles that car by a long shot. In that regard (handling and feel) I’ve never driven anything better.


Read more: http://chevroletvoltage.com/index.php/ownerstories.html?view=story&id=104

NHTSA Closes Chevrolet Volt Investigation

The following is GM’s statement regarding the closing of the NHTSA investigation.

"NHTSA's decision to close their investigation is consistent with the results of our internal testing and assessment. The engineering enhancements that GM announced January 5, 2012 will provide additional protection for the battery minimizing the risk of a post-crash fire in the days and weeks after a severe crash and rollover.

The voluntary action that GM is taking is intended to make a safe vehicle even safer. In fact, the Volt has earned top safety ratings from key 3rd party organizations and is a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

GM is proud of the technological innovation the Volt represents. We appreciate the confidence our Volt customers continued to provide during the investigation. Our overriding commitment will always be to provide our customers with the best ownership experience and peace of mind in the industry and we’re focused on delivering that every day."

Read more at ChevroletVoltage.com.