New drivetrain, fresh style, 50-mile EV range highlights of Chevrolet hybridWhen current owners of the Chevrolet Volt were asked by General Motors (GM) what they’d like to see improved on the new editions of Volts, they responded with an extended EV range and a less “quirky” look. The first looks at the 2016 Volt at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show seem to respond to those two requests.
A powerful trio of the battery pack, drive unit and a range-extending engine comprise the drivetrain — dubbed the Voltec Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) by GM. Through revising the battery cell chemistry, the storage capacity increased while the cell number decreased. The battery advancements enable the new Volt’s claimed 50-mile EV range, a significant improvement over the current car’s 35-mile rating. Overall range while using the onboard gasoline engine is projected to be 400 miles, and GM is quoting an anticipated MPGe figure of 102.
Horsepower stays the same (149) while torque increases to 294 lb.-ft. The new motor-generators are closer in size in contrast to the previous car’s large-motor/small-motor configuration. A naturally aspirated 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 101 horsepower replaces the old 1.4-L. The first domestic application of GM’s new Ecotec engine family, the 1.5-L possesses direct injection, a variable-displacement oil pump, cooled exhaust-gas recirculation, and wideband cam phasers. As an added bonus, the 2016 Volt will now run on regular gasoline whereas the earlier model ran on premium. Even with the gasoline engine alone, the 2016 Volt gets an EPA-estimated 41 combined mpg.
The exterior maintains its four door sedan “with a hatchback” look, but another consumer suggestion was to make the Volt “less quirky.” Chevrolet addressed this request by trimming and taming the overall exterior with toned and sculpted sheet metal. Combined with headlamps that flow into the front fenders to and a more traditional rear hatch along with the aero-optimized tail lamps that form part of the spoiler, the 2016 Volt helps quell consumer’s “quirky” concerns.According to GM, more than half of Volt owners charge their Volts at 120 volts. Charge time on the 2016 Volt at that voltage is about 13 hours; double that and reduce the time to 4.5 hours. A redesigned cord set now resides on the left side of the cargo area above the floor. An illuminated charge port has been added as well.
It will be some time before the 2016 Volt hits Chevrolet dealerships, but at Jim Butler Chevrolet in St. Louis, we have an inventory of Volts that can be viewed online. Call our sales staff at 888-640-6826 to learn more about the hybrid Volt. If you’re in the Fenton, Belleville or Arnold area, stop by our dealership at 759 Gravois Bluffs Blvd. in Fenton.