4000 miles and rolling

[Rusty]

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Returning from our 3500 some odd mile first trip, our Volt has now gone over 4000 miles. I don't get to claim all of them, as I received it with 39 miles on it. My first 4000 miles will likely be tomorrow.

And I've *really* enjoyed them! The car is ridiculously fun to drive, while still being very comfortable for long stretches. I bought and received my car 12/28/10, and after a few days testing it out my wife and I set out on a trip 1/2/11 from San Diego to see her dad near Austin Texas (and thence to visit our son and an investment property in Lubbock). We were originally going to go in the other order, but decided making a bee-line to the Austin area sounded like a good idea since dealerships there had already handled Volts and if any problems sprung up on the road they might be better able to resolve them.

We needn't have bothered. Our #95 performed absolutely flawlessly! Kudos to the good folk at Hamtramck and my dealer Bob Stall for delivering and prepping a great car.

So we're currently on pace to log about 85,000 miles a year on the car. It will now settle into it's 20-60 mile a day normal job as a commuter, so no not so much. Since I'll be able to charge at work as well as home, it's likely it's gas guzzling days are mostly over.

One of the things I was concerned about was the oil mileage. The manual says that the oil may need to be replaced as often as every 3000 miles. With a >3000 mile trip in the plans, and with the initial limited availability of the new oil the Volt (and the Corvette and Camaro) requires... Turns out not an issue on the open road. As can be seen, I have LOTS of oil life left :-)

I was hoping on this trip to get a gauge of the Volt's mileage on the road. But being from So-Cal, nearly ALL of the driving was like driving in a refrigerator/freezer and not generally applicable. We've discovered the Volt's range suffers with cold, just like any other car. Today was the first day we drove in "real world" (for us in the south left corner) conditions. Not too bad. Had 44 MPG on the trip (at 78 MPH) 'till I ticked in Mountain Mode to make it over the grade right before San Diego. Finished off with a respectable 39.5.

One of the things on the list of things to do soon? See if I can make it over those mountains (each direction) without Mountain Mode. The VAST majority of its miles so far have been in the 78-82 MPH range (75-80 limits). I expect that lifetime average to start creeping up pretty soon...

[Cab Driver]

Had 44 MPG on the trip (at 78 MPH) 'till I ticked in Mountain Mode to make it over the grade right before San Diego. Finished off with a respectable 39.5.

One of the things on the list of things to do soon? See if I can make it over those mountains (each direction) without Mountain Mode.

The GM development engineers have said that Mountain Mode is only needed on the most gonzo grades in the US (like I70 west from Denver to the 11,000 foot high Eisenhower tunnel). They said the Volt could climb a 6% grade at 55 mph until the gas tank is empty. I don't think the mountains east of San Diego on I8 will come anywhere near needing Mountain Mode, but please do verify this for us and report back.

[Rusty]

I don't think the mountains east of San Diego on I8 will come anywhere near needing Mountain Mode, but please do verify this for us and report back.

That's my impression, having driven them now. And it's a BIG waste of gas to go into MM if you don't need to. It would have been a bigger tragedy to take my wife on her first Volt trip and have it wimp out, so I figured MM was a safer bet. I'm planning a San Diego to Laguna (6000' climb) to Julian then down the hill to Scissors Crossing and back up the east side of 8 all on normal mode to check it out.

I think the car'll do that, and if so the only need for MM for 95% of Volt drivers is EV demos.

[MichaelH]

I think 4 of those 4004 miles belong to me.
Michael

[Xzlon]

On my first drive I was in CS and put the car in MM as they recommend since the last section of road has about 2500 ft elevation gain to my home. I had 6 miles of battery charge when I arrived so I put it in MM too soon. I think I will try not using MM at all for this section of road as it is mostly slow travelling anyway. The Volt had plenty of power in CS for the hills I drove before putting it in MM.

I think the potential low mileage for the oil change would be based on time and not mileage. The current synthetic oils can go 6000 to 8000 miles easy if there is a lot of highway miles (Porsche states 10000 mile oil changes). The time sitting with contaminents in the oil from low CS miles is probably the concern that would lead to a 2000 mile oil life.

[Rusty]

I think 4 of those 4004 miles belong to me.

Ya know, I think you're right! But I was there, so I get to claim them too :-)

[igotzzoom]

I think the more appropriate measure for engine use/oil life in the Volt would be hours, not miles. I think I remember seeing somewhere the recommended oil change interval for marine engines was every 50 hours. Since there's not a direct correlation between miles driven and engine run time in the Volt, this approach would seem more logical to me.

[Marty]

Of your 4000 miles, how many are electric and what's your lifetime MPG? What percent of oil life is shown remaining?

[Rusty]

Of your 4000 miles, how many are electric and what's your lifetime MPG? What percent of oil life is shown remaining?

Currently 578 of its 4009 miles have been EV, the other 3431 miles being in CS mode. The car currently has an average of 41.6 MPG (implying a CS mode MPG of around 35.6, which sounds about right given its been almost all cold high speed driving). It's got 83% oil life remaining, implying a 20,000 mile range before its first oil change if we were to continue to use the car has we have been.

I expect the lifetime average to start heading up, now that we're home and will be driving mostly EV.

[Cab Driver]

Rusty: "I'm planning a San Diego to Laguna (6000' climb) to Julian then down the hill to Scissors Crossing and back up the east side of 8 all on normal mode to check it out."

Sounds good, eat some apple pie in Julian for me!