Whats going on here?

[pchapman]

Can someone explain how much kWh capacity I should have remaining? I am guessing 3.3 because I assume that the 16 kWh battery only charges 80% to 12.8. Am I understanding this correctly?

[solar_dave]

Generally you get about 10-10.4 kWh out of the battery. It charges to 80% and stops at about 20% discharged. Look like a nice trip for 9.5kWh and 45 miles.

[ahaer]

you will enter charge sustaining mode when the KWh used gets around 10.0 KWh. There are some variations (9.8 to 10.2) that I've never seen fully explained. Some think it has to do with batter management use other say its how much regen you get and others say its the temperature

Also - I *think* that if you engage mountain mode the extra KWh will be added to the total - once you hit 0 EV miles left the EV total seems to stop...

[pchapman]

So from a pure electric standpoint, I can use 60% of my total capacity without the engine coming on (roughly what I used - 9.5). 20% buffer off the top and 20% cushion on the bottom end. Am I understanding that correctly?

@ahaer
I am not sure I understand what you are saying about mountain mode. Can you explain further?

[Neromanceres]

So from a pure electric standpoint, I can use 60% of my total capacity without the engine coming on (roughly what I used - 9.5). 20% buffer off the top and 20% cushion on the bottom end. Am I understanding that correctly?

@ahaer
I am not sure I understand what you are saying about mountain mode. Can you explain further?

Yup that is for the most part correct. The Volt uses between 60 to 65% of the battery capacity.

[solar_dave]

So from a pure electric standpoint, I can use 60% of my total capacity without the engine coming on (roughly what I used - 9.5). 20% buffer off the top and 20% cushion on the bottom end. Am I understanding that correctly?

@ahaer
I am not sure I understand what you are saying about mountain mode. Can you explain further?

I think he is saying that if engaged before you hit 4 remaining bars you in effect get a HOLD mode, leaving the last bars for when you are nearing your destination, above 4 bars it is pretty much running in CS mode.

[saghost]

So from a pure electric standpoint, I can use 60% of my total capacity without the engine coming on (roughly what I used - 9.5). 20% buffer off the top and 20% cushion on the bottom end. Am I understanding that correctly?

@ahaer
I am not sure I understand what you are saying about mountain mode. Can you explain further?

Near enough. The battery actually stops charging at ~86% of theoretical maximum, and aside from mountain or hold mode, the engine comes on at ~22%, with the car using the ~1kWh below that to the 15% hard lower limit as a buffer for strong acceleration and mountain climbing.

(Mountain mode works just like normal mode except it keeps another 3-3.5 kWh in the buffer. If you turn it on above that SoC, that's the only thing different about it. Turned on when the battery is almost dead, it causes the engine turn run when it would normally be shut off (deceleration/regen, low speeds and stopped,) and causes the far to run the engine harder to rebuild the battery buffer. Some people think (I originally thought) they can manipulate this to make the car run the engine more efficiently than it otherwise would. Hold mode sets the target SoC to whatever the current charge is, turning the engine on immediately and keeping the rest of the battery charge for later use. It's particularly helpful in European cities that don't allow ICE cars into the city center Or charge fees for them to enter, but it can be useful in other ways too.)

[pchapman]

Near enough. The battery actually stops charging at ~86% of theoretical maximum, and aside from mountain or hold mode, the engine comes on at ~22%, with the car using the ~1kWh below that to the 15% hard lower limit as a buffer for strong acceleration and mountain climbing.

(Mountain mode works just like normal mode except it keeps another 3-3.5 kWh in the buffer. If you turn it on above that SoC, that's the only thing different about it. Turned on when the battery is almost dead, it causes the engine turn run when it would normally be shut off (deceleration/regen, low speeds and stopped,) and causes the far to run the engine harder to rebuild the battery buffer. Some people think (I originally thought) they can manipulate this to make the car run the engine more efficiently than it otherwise would. Hold mode sets the target SoC to whatever the current charge is, turning the engine on immediately and keeping the rest of the battery charge for later use. It's particularly helpful in European cities that don't allow ICE cars into the city center Or charge fees for them to enter, but it can be useful in other ways too.)

Ok, so if I engage Mountain Mode with approximately 25% (or less) capacity, the engine will turn on immediately. If turn on Mountain mode at 50%, then the engine will turn on at about 25%. The 3-3.5 raises the engine the low point at which the engine will turn on, saving an extra bit of battery for predicted heavy use (i.e., climbing a mountain). Ok, I think I got it! I think I got a grip on hold mode. Thanks saghost!

[yoyodyn]

I think I got a grip on hold mode. Thanks saghost!

Careful, Hold mode is different in that it simply maintains the current state of charge, whatever level it happens to be.
It's only available on European Volts and Amperas and new to the US 2013 MY

[pchapman]

Careful, Hold mode is different in that it simply maintains the current state of charge, whatever level it happens to be.
It's only available on European Volts and Amperas and new to the US 2013 MY

Hold sounds pretty self explanatory. The fact its only on 2013s in the US explains why I don't see it in my available modes. Just got my 2012 Volt couple days ago. Thought it might be some buried menu option. I wont spend any time looking for it now! Thanks!