Half Measures - 3 months in with the Chevy Volt

My rule, when buying cars, is that each car should be more efficient than its predecessor - on the basis that fuel isn't getting any cheaper as time goes by.

I went from a Honda Jazz to a Toyota Prius. From there, I needed somewhere I could go that'd be more efficient, without being a massive downgrade in comfort and size. In the end I settled on a GM Voltec - mostly sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Ampera, with a small number of RHD Chevrolet Volts sold too (about 1100:100 ratio of total sales).

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c1&oe=5625973B

The Volt/pera is a plug-in car which also takes petrol. It's not a "plug-in hybrid" as most examples on the market exist - whether powered by the battery or the 1.4l petrol generator, it's always an all-electric drive (whereas plug-in hybrids split their horsepower 50/50 between petrol and electric motors, so are only all-electric at low speeds and low acceleration).

The idea with the Volt is that it eliminates the so-called "range anxiety" of conventional electric vehicles - the concern that you'll run out of battery power between charge stations - by allowing you to keep driving on regular ol' petrol when the battery is exhausted. The sacrifice in doing so is one of weight - it's a 2 tonne car - and battery capacity - I only manage up to about 40 miles all-electric per charge. It also sacrifices charging capability - the absolute maximum rate I can charge the Volt is 3.6kW (about 1.5 miles of range per 10 minutes charging). Which means charging during journeys is effectively useless - a 30 minute lunch break means only 5 miles of extra range, absolute maximum. For comparison, the common charge stations compatible with a full EV like a Nissan Leaf or Kia Soul EV can manage 50kW, adding about 80 miles of range in 20 minutes.

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...6b&oe=5625CDB6

I'm sold on EVs as far as the drive goes. The Volt is the fastest car I've ever owned (8.9 0-60), it's astonishingly smooth, it's just so "normal" to drive.

What I'm not sold on is "range extenders" like the Volt. As a "my first EV", it's fine - but I find myself really wishing I'd bought a Leaf instead. With the charge infrastructure we have today in the UK and on the mainland, I just don't see the point. Almost every "long" drive I make I could make it there and home again on a single charge in a Leaf - but end up reverting to a tank filled with dead dinosaurs for the return journey when I'm in the Volt. And even then, I could charge up if I had rapid capability, but not with the slow-only Volt. It's 36 miles to the nearest IKEA - I could get there & back easily in a Leaf. But I wouldn't need to - they have rapid EV charging spaces right next to the entrance. If I drive north on the M40 I could charge at every other services (e.g. I'm at J11, I could rapid charge at J10 or J12.5). If those stations had Volt-compatible charging, it'd be pointless due to the slow speed (although J8A *does* have Volt-compatible charging, and like I said, it's basically pointless).

Not to mention the cost. I did the sums - driving to the in laws' holiday home in South France is about 500 miles each way from here. I could stop every couple of hundred miles and fill the tank with dinosaurs - or I could get free charging at every major supermarket in France (and the major motorway services between here and Dover). I'd stop a bit more for a piss/coffee break than driving a normal car (or the Volt after the first 35 miles) - how utterly terrible.

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...7e&oe=561C3C0C

I don't see myself buying a dinosaur-eating car again. What's the point? There'll be a price crash on current ~100 mile EVs like the Leaf or i3 when affordable 200-milers like the Tesla Model 3 land in 2017ish. But even those 100-mile EVs just make way more sense to me than what I bought - I just don't know if I'd have been in a position to reach that realisation if I hadn't bought a half measure first.

The Volt has plenty of positive sides. The big downside is it's exactly what I wanted - and what I wanted was wrong.

I'm curious as to why you went for the ampera? I was seriously looking at an EV when I ordered my company car, and the i3 range extender seemed better in basically everyway whilst costing more or less the same.

Unfortunately about 2 weks after I decided I couldn't live with one due to a 95 mile commute, I got moved 4 miles from home.

Although the tesla III is likely to be a game changer, I still couldn't go without the flexibility of the range extender, as I'll often need to do 150 miles without charging becuase I'm off to the sticks (usually cumbria somewhere) or early morning when the extra 30/40 mins journey time really counts.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by herulach

I'm curious as to why you went for the ampera? I was seriously looking at an EV when I ordered my company car, and the i3 range extender seemed better in basically everyway whilst costing more or less the same.

---

The i3 Range Extender has a much smaller boot (which matters with 1 kid and another on the way) - and perhaps more importantly, I can only afford second hand, where the i3 is too new to have any affordable 2nd handers available.

Quote:

---

Although the tesla III is likely to be a game changer, I still couldn't go without the flexibility of the range extender, as I'll often need to do 150 miles without charging becuase I'm off to the sticks (usually cumbria somewhere) or early morning when the extra 30/40 mins journey time really counts.

---

Let's use Penrith as a random example place in Cumbria. That's 200 miles from me. There are 153 charge stations on that route. So... let's say Keele or Stafford services, Charnock Richard or Lancaster services, maybe Killington Lakes at the end... plenty of places on the M6 to fill up an EV for free.

I am quite ignorant when it comes to EV's and cars like the Volt/Ampera, so forgive me if my post reflect that but until now I've not met anyone with experience of these.

As I understand it Hybrid cars can run all electric at lower speeds and then have the petrol motor kick in to provide some or all of the power at higher speeds or when the battery is running low. So these are very efficient in the city but will be burning fuel on the motorways.

EV makes sense in that you charge them, drive them and then rinse and repeat.

However the Ampera needs a bit more explanation for me. On a long distance journey would it use more or less fuel then a good Hybrid car like a Prious for example?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by KeyboardDemon

I am quite ignorant when it comes to EV's and cars like the Volt/Ampera, so forgive me if my post reflect that but until now I've not met anyone with experience of these.

As I understand it Hybrid cars can run all electric at lower speeds and then have the petrol motor kick in to provide some or all of the power at higher speeds or when the battery is running low. So these are very efficient in the city but will be burning fuel on the motorways.

---

That's correct

Quote:

---

EV makes sense in that you charge them, drive them and then rinse and repeat.

---

Also correct

Quote:

---

However the Ampera needs a bit more explanation for me. On a long distance journey would it use more or less fuel then a good Hybrid car like a Prious for example?

---

It's hard to be entirely accurate, due to the staggeringly complex drive train.

Roughly speaking, the Volt is about 45-55 mpg on pure petrol. But performance is degraded compared to when there's some battery power left (the 1.4l engine can't generate enough power to drive the main electric motor constantly, only the lower-powered secondary electric motor with burst acceleration from the main motor). It's possible to configure the car to behave more like a traditional hybrid, if your driving patterns demand it.

According to the car, I have a lifetime average of 100 mpg - it arbitrarily calculates all-electric miles as 250mpg. If I do a ~80 mile trip, of which half or just under is electric, 100 mpg is what it reports for the charge, so I guess about half of the 31k on the clock are electric miles.

I know motorways aren't too much of a problem, but work will often take me maybe 40/50 miles off the nearest motorway with little likelyhood of charging at the destination. Its probably doable, once you get 10/20 miles past the services (easy enough once you're north of preston/york) its starting to get a bit dicey.

Take whitehaven (a pretty common one for me as it happens) its a 2.30 140 mile trip, the last 40 of which is A roads. The last services are at Tebay, which is 20 miles before the exit. Even stopping for a full charge there its going to be touch and go. With the range extender provided its full you've no problem (and don't need to wait - important if you're getting there for 9 and like your bed!)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by herulach

I know motorways aren't too much of a problem, but work will often take me maybe 40/50 miles off the nearest motorway with little likelyhood of charging at the destination. Its probably doable, once you get 10/20 miles past the services (easy enough once you're north of preston/york) its starting to get a bit dicey.

Take whitehaven (a pretty common one for me as it happens) its a 2.30 140 mile trip, the last 40 of which is A roads. The last services are at Tebay, which is 20 miles before the exit. Even stopping for a full charge there its going to be touch and go. With the range extender provided its full you've no problem (and don't need to wait - important if you're getting there for 9 and like your bed!)

---

I don't commute for work any more, this likely has an impact on my perspective.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by directhex

The Volt has plenty of positive sides. The big downside is it's exactly what I wanted - and what I wanted was wrong.

---

I think you are absolutely correct with this statement from reading your post. It sounds like if they simply added the possibility for faster charging, then that would have solved some of the problems. I can see why they didn't as it was probably designed with the view that you would rely on the engine to keep going rather than stopping every 40 miles to refill.

My usage case for a car probably fits their profile spot on. My commute to work is 10 miles away, so I would only need 20 miles range daily (probably a bit more so not to run the battery to its lowest). I occasionally drive 100+ miles (once every month or two), and then I would rely on the engine to keep going. I could in theory also have a pure EV car in that case as the long drives are only occasional and a 30 minute stop, whilst slightly annoying, wouldn't be a regular occurance.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by directhex

The big downside is it's exactly what I wanted - and what I wanted was wrong.

---

it takes a man.. a real man.. to admit totally being wrong even though he totally thought he was totally right.


so.. there are two of us walking the planet now.

Club membership card on it's way.

I don't own a Volt/Ampera... but I DO lay my soul to bear when I universally sell myself the wrong item

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Zak33

it takes a man.. a real man.. to admit totally being wrong even though he totally thought he was totally right.


so.. there are two of us walking the planet now.

Club membership card on it's way.

I don't own a Volt/Ampera... but I DO lay my soul to bear when I universally sell myself the wrong item

---

On the bright side, by the time I'm in the market for another motor, there should be affordable used 200-mile EVs. Or if I find myself desperately short of cash, I can sell the Volt for way more than a same-plate Leaf costs used.

I'm glad that you're happy with your happy with your Hybrid car.

And just like that, it's gone.

Took it to the dealership, handed over the keys, after just over 2 years of ownership.

http://i.imgur.com/V9cBzOX.jpg

Farewell to the best car I've ever owned; a tantalising glimpse over the fence into a vastly superior world of motoring.

So what have to gone with now?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Kumagoro

So what have to gone with now?

---

Nothing! We're shipping out before Brexit bites properly. Need to make do for 4 weeks, then I get given a rental to handle my needs in the week before we go to the airport for good.

Have you managed to move your Model 3 order to wherever you are going?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gerrard

Have you managed to move your Model 3 order to wherever you are going?

---

I was advised to talk to them after the move.

If they can't keep me in the queue, or the delivery looks liable to be past, say, April, I'll just get a refund & buy a Chevy Bolt.