GM Chevy Volt

[dpeilow]

Good job what the US calls premium is our common or garden variety petrol

 

[ElSupreme]

Good job what the US calls premium is our common or garden variety petrol

EDIT: My following comment is not entirely true. They are quoted differently but US87 is only equal to about 91-92 in Europe/UK.

This is more a way that octane is quoted. The 'regular' in both Europe and North America are actually basically the same.

Octane rating - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[dpeilow]

This is more a way that octane is quoted. The 'regular' in both Europe and North America are actually basically the same.

Octane rating - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"regular" gasoline in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US 91–92

Nothing here is below 95.

United Kingdom: 'regular' petrol has an octane rating of 95 RON, with 97 RON fuel being widely available as the Super Unleaded. Tesco and Shell both offer 99 RON fuel.

United States: in the US octane rating is displayed in AKI. In the Rocky Mountain (high elevation) states, 85 AKI (90 RON) is the minimum octane, and 91 AKI (95 RON) is the maximum octane available in fuel...In some east coast states, up to 94 AKI (98 RON) is available.

 

[ElSupreme]

"regular" gasoline in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US 91–92

Nothing here is below 95.

That the baseline was different I did not know. I somehow thought our 87 was the same as your 95. But it appears our 87 is only your 91. I imagine it is due to the prevalence of turbos in Europe that pushes up your octane ratings.

 

[vfx]

. The problem is, there's no money to be made from compromise,....

Get people riled up over a false conflict that supports your money making venture then you have a winning formula. Oil says "Freedom to drill/frack/burn!", get the press to gin it up and suddenly there is no compromise.

I wonder where all the Volt hate came from?

 

[vfx]

More Fox turning EV "Fair and Balanced". Whodathinkit?

http://www.hybridcars.com/news/fox-news%E2%80%99-o%E2%80%99reilly-electric-vehicles-%E2%80%98i%E2%80%99m-that%E2%80%99-44392.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter


This may not be the best thread but the Volt has been in the crosshairs the most.

 

[Adm]

Chevrolet will chop the price of the Volt by €7500,= in Germany. Starting price in Germany is about €42000,=, so that's a significant number.

However, the price of the Chevy Volts European twin, the Opel Ampera, will remain the same.

Source: Automobilewoche

 

[Kipernicus]

2013 Volt Receives Design Tweaks, New Features

This weekend General Motors released the majority of their order guides for the 2013 product lineup. While most 2013 models are seeing nothing more than the normal year-to-year stuff, the 2013 Chevrolet Volt is seeing some noteworthy changes, including tweaks to the car’s design and a new EV hold mode.

According to the order guide, the 2013 Volt will now have a body-colored roof and rear liftgate. Since it’s 2010 launch the Volt has exclusively features a black roof top and black on the rear liftgate. Ironically, black roofs are an industry trend amongst sedans, so it seems odd that Chevrolet would now decide to abandon the black roof. Perhaps they feel this will make the Volt look more like a “normal” sedan?

The Volt’s main technical differentiator, its powertrain, is also seeing a slight upgrade. For 2013, Volt will have a new “EV Hold Mode.” The new mode will be in addition to the normal, sport and mountain modes. EV Hold will allow Volt drivers to force the car to go into extended range mode (meaning the gas engine is generating power) to hold the battery pack’s power.

For example, if a Volt owner’s commute includes 20 highway miles and then a lot of inner city driving, the owner can use EV Hold until they reach the city, where the car benefits the most from being in EV mode.

The EV Hold mode has been on the Opel Ampera in Europe since launch.

Rounding out the 2013 Volt changes is the addition of new tech features. Like most new GM products, the Volt is gaining lane departure warning, forward collision alert and MyLink will now be available with Volt’s navigation system.

Expect the 2013 Volt to begin production later this year. Much larger changes are expected for the 2014 Volt.

Source: GMInsideNews

 

[Robert.Boston]

For example, if a Volt owner’s commute includes 20 highway miles and then a lot of inner city driving, the owner can use EV Hold until they reach the city, where the car benefits the most from being in EV mode.

That's pretty clever.

 

[rabar10]

(Mod note -- Political compass comments split off to: Political compass test)

 

[doug]

For example, if a Volt owner’s commute includes 20 highway miles and then a lot of inner city driving, the owner can use EV Hold until they reach the city, where the car benefits the most from being in EV mode.

That's pretty clever.

Indeed. Besides the efficiency gains, it helps cut urban pollution. (Though some think using gas on the highway should get them kicked out of the HOV lane.)

Hopefully they have some smart GPS/Nav system that can help make optimal use of the "EV hold" mode. On the type of commute described, ideally the Volt will have used its complete EV range by the time it reaches its next charging opportunity.

 

[SByer]

Indeed. Besides the efficiency gains, it helps cut urban pollution. (Though some think using gas on the highway should get them kicked out of the HOV lane.)

It should be gas/PPM@65mph. No big SUV or car with<25 mpg and only two passengers should be in the diamond lane. The PiP driven solo shouldn't. The Volt should. But that's geeky and fiddly and would never make it as a regulation. Yeah, I get that the diamond lanes in CA are under CARB, and Mary&Co have an overly myopic focus on emissions at the expense of everything else - that's not a long term enough focus for me.

 

[stopcrazypp]

It should be gas/PPM@65mph. No big SUV or car with<25 mpg and only two passengers should be in the diamond lane. The PiP driven solo shouldn't. The Volt should. But that's geeky and fiddly and would never make it as a regulation. Yeah, I get that the diamond lanes in CA are under CARB, and Mary&Co have an overly myopic focus on emissions at the expense of everything else - that's not a long term enough focus for me.

In California any two seat car with two passengers can use the carpool lane (no matter what mpg). For other cars it is three passengers or more (unless you have a special sticker for solo usage).

 

[Kipernicus]

In California any two seat car with two passengers can use the carpool lane (no matter what mpg). For other cars it is three passengers or more (unless you have a special sticker for solo usage).

I thought the 3 person carpool was only for that stretch of 80 near the Bay Bridge? I believe down in the peninsula it is just 2 people for all cars, and in LA I think it is 2 people. Could be wrong.

 

[bonnie]

In the Sacramento area, two people qualify a car for HOV lane privileges. I've only seen the 3-person requirement in the Bay area.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I thought the 3 person carpool was only for that stretch of 80 near the Bay Bridge? I believe down in the peninsula it is just 2 people for all cars, and in LA I think it is 2 people. Could be wrong.

In the Sacramento area, two people qualify a car for HOV lane privileges. I've only seen the 3-person requirement in the Bay area.

Sorry, you guys are right that most areas in CA, it is two people. In certain areas (San Francisco Bay Area I-80 and I-880, Los Angeles I-10 El Monte Bus Way during peak hour and San Diego I-5 San Ysidro) they require 3 people (2 people allowed only in 2 seaters). I happen to be in the Bay Area, which is why I'm used to three people requirement.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/paffairs/faq/faq79.htm
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/systemops/hov/hov_sys/

 

[rabar10]

Source: GMInsideNews

"For 2013, Volt will have a new “EV Hold Mode.” The new mode will be in addition to the normal, sport and mountain modes. EV Hold will allow Volt drivers to force the car to go into extended range mode (meaning the gas engine is generating power) to hold the battery pack’s power.

For example, if a Volt owner’s commute includes 20 highway miles and then a lot of inner city driving, the owner can use EV Hold until they reach the city, where the car benefits the most from being in EV mode.

The EV Hold mode has been on the Opel Ampera in Europe since launch."

Here's an article from GreenCarReports that came out just before this announcement, that discusses the genesis of the EV Hold mode in the Ampera:

GCR - Your Chevrolet Volt Needs A Charge Sustaining Mode: Here's Why

When GM engineers were working on designing a european-version of the Volt, some cities within Europe were considering enforcing zero-emissions zones, effectively banning any car within the zone which could not operate in zero-emissions mode on demand.

Often one of the given explanations for why some Hybrids have an electric-only or EV button, the future possibility of zero-emission zones in cities led GM engineers to develop the charge-sustaining mode.

 

[dpeilow]

Chevy Volt Review And Test Drive - Business Insider

 

[ckessel]

Chevy Volt Review And Test Drive - Business Insider

Reviews like that are why I think it's counterproductive for the EV-only crowd to bag on EV-ER cars. The author went from a serious skeptic to writing a glowing review. Given some time and a longer range vehicle, he'll probably lose those EV-only concerns as well.

 

[NigelM]

The "Stormtrooper" edition: