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Viability of the Volt as a Pure EV?

12K views 27 replies 23 participants last post by  jupitermoon 
#1 ·
I know this has been discussed before, but I can't find the thread. Plus, I think that thread was based on the Gen-1 platform. In fact, I think it has been brought up more than once. And so I'm familiar with the argument(s) for and against it. However, I keep thinking about what Bob Lutz said about the Volt as far as when battery ranges increase to hundreds of miles, "who needs a gas engine anymore?"

So one of the things I have been wondering lately... would it even be possible? With the Volt's current battery design, I can't see them being able to cram much more into the car. I suppose they could use the area where the gas tank used to be. But I don't think the engine bay is a viable place for more battery. So once they remove the ICE, that space would probably not get used for that.

So, I'm just curious. With the current battery tech we have from LG Chem, how much range do you think would be possible to squeeze into an all-electric version of the Volt? I mean, the new Focus Ev is managing 115 miles by retrofitting a gas car. The Volt should be easier, since it does have a dedicated battery space. I'd probably switch to an all-electric version of the car if the range were 150 miles with fast charge option.

I know it isn't likely, at least until maybe the 3rd generation. But I am just curious on other people's opinion.
 
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#6 ·
I'm not sure if there will even be a Gen 3 Volt.
I think there will be. The question is if the Cruze goes away.
Like as has been said, the Voltec platform (with variations and upgrades) will be moving into more and more card (like in the new Malibu).

Once they get the economies of scale, the Volt and Cruze may merge (retaining one of the names). The Volt won't be special, it will be the standard.
 
#4 ·
My life style is such that since March 2012 all three of my Volt's have operated at over 92% all electric. My 2012 and 2013 both operated as 92.8% (Patty Wagen and BAZINGA on VoltStats) and my 2017 just ticked past 99% (Von Zipper on VoltStats). My 2017 has less than 50 miles on the ICE. So I'm sort of proof some folks could operate a Volt like an EV.
 
#7 ·
I don't think we'll see a Volt 3...Now with the Volt adopting the Bolt EVs cells, I suppose it's possible I see the range about the same or a very slight bump...Cost cutting and standardization are the reasons to do it...
 
#8 ·
Since the Bolt battery weighs over 900 pounds, and the Volt one about 400 pounds, and the Bolt has nearly double the capacity of the Volt, they probably will be able to double the range of the Volt in a few more years easily, in the same space and weight as the current one.
 
#10 ·
Since the Bolt battery weighs over 900 pounds, and the Volt one about 400 pounds, and the Bolt has nearly double the capacity of the Volt, they probably will be able to double the range of the Volt in a few more years easily, in the same space and weight as the current one.
 
#18 ·
Volts have 16-18.4 kWh, Bolt is 60... so above triple (3.3-3.8x) the capacity at about twice the weight, with a larger SoC window.

OP, the T-shaped pack is probably a limiting factor. Sure, it's great in a crash since it's so protected. But it's clearly not the most efficient packaging (no one else uses it, and all long range EVs have batteries in the floor). I don't see GM designing a new T-shaped battery for a pure EV Volt... why compete with the Bolt? Now, if they took 1/3 of the Bolt's battery and put it in the floor of a gen3 Volt for an 80 miles AER with EREV and no battery hump... that would be awesome. I think Volt will always stay EREV since that is its defining feature.
 
#11 ·
Some of the limitations are based on battery configuration. The Volt uses a T-shaped battery, and it needs to because of the ICE. The only way to put a battery with a similar configuration to the Bolt EV is if the ICE and gen set were moved to the rear of the vehicle. Regardless, I think that 100 miles of range would be the most people would want while still having an ICE gen set.

Personally, I'm interested in how viable the Volt would be as a pure BEV if you tore the ICE out and replaced the battery and ICE components with a Bolt EV style battery. 111 kW is more than enough power for a car like the Volt.
 
#19 ·
I don't think that's true... I bet you could have a floor battery with a (heat shielded) "exhaust cutout" in a Volt-like car. Or have the battery offset a bit to one side so the exhaust can run on the other side. I agree you don't want too much AER in an EREV... I think 100 miles might even be too much. I would love 80.
 
#15 · (Edited)
The Volt range is set for compliance reasons, with the 2016 Volt they made it 53 miles to maximize the amount of credits from the vehicle. GM has no incentive to increase it beyond that other than for competitive reasons (and none of the competitors are even close for range), and I don't see much demand for a Volt with that much range. People want "pure" BEV. To be honest they could probably cut the range back on the Volt and free up some interior space.
 
#17 ·
With the road trips I do, I need at least one vehicle that can do 1000+ miles in a day. That is hard to do in a bev. Even a tesla could not do a Denver to Chicago via i80. Not enough charge stations. The current volt would need a lot more battery to run as a full time ev for me just on daily driving. We had a cold snap this weekend and ended up at 50% electric use. We are looking at a bolt to replace our other tdi, but will be keeping the volt for weekend drives and road trips as the bolt can not do either of those roles.
 
#22 ·
My vote for a Gen 3 Volt is a skateboard architecture like the Bolt EV. Give it somewhere between 75 and 100 miles AER, an optional 24- or 32-amp charger, and some more rear seat head and leg room, and it would be about perfect.

.... Even a tesla could not do a Denver to Chicago via i80. Not enough charge stations. The current volt would need a lot more battery to run as a full time ev for me just on daily driving...
As an aside, Tesla recently installed a number of new Supercharger sites along I-80 in Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa. So the Denver-Chicago run is quite do-able. The big I-80 gap now is between Salt Lake City and Cheyenne - with Rock Springs already in permit stage. Of course from Denver, one could almost as easily take I-70 to SLC - which has been complete for some time now.
 
#21 ·
I think the next generation Volt will have a bolt like battery using the frame similar to the one they put in the Bolt. Can you see the sales of a Volt with 300 Km's battery range and an ICE extender and no middle bump down the centre of the car leaving more room in the back! People would go crazy for a car that would go most of the week on electric only and still be able to drive on a longer trip with no range anxiety. That's the future for the Volt!!!
 
#25 ·
I see absolutely no reason why the Volt couldn't be a pure EV.

I'd prefer they do a redesign before they make it a pure EV (such as getting rid of the very intrusive t-shaped battery pack for a flat pack like the Bolt's) so there is more interior space, redo the outside a bit to make it more aggressive and less geriatric, give it a firmer ride, and shed a few hundred pounds.

Besides that, it would behoove GM to make an all electric sporty car and there is no reason why they can't re-engineer the Volt in a couple of years for the next generation version to be an all electric 200 mile plus car with fast charging and AT LEAST a 7.2kWh charger.
 
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