2013 Chevrolet Volt

 An electric car for city, gentle, pleasant to drive, quiet and zero emissions, which turns into a road car with the same autonomy as any compact sedan segment. The idea is great and has the advantage of plug-in hybrids to their autonomy in electric mode longer than 50 kilometers, which, in theory, should suffice for urban travel in the vast majority of car buyers. The Volt is a global commitment by General Motors extended-range electric technology that combines an electric motor that is in charge of propelling the car at all times and a gasoline engine that, when you run out of battery power, it gets up to function as if it were a generator and feed the electric motor. The Volt, thus avoiding the distress call of autonomy that affects both pure electric and can be used like any other model because the gasoline engine is always available to feed the electric. In this ideal world, however, some things fail. The first and most obvious is the price, 47,600 euros is a lot of money for us to have more environmental awareness. And second, that neither habitable nor luggage capacity fall short of what is expected of a five-door compact car.

They say that the worst of electric cars is what has been called the anguish of autonomy, that fear has always to keep his driver stopped the car and the battery to zero to five miles from the nearest outlet. I drove until today many electric cars (Nissan Leaf, Renault Twizy, Mitsubishi MiEV, Peugeot iOn, Tazzari Zero, Th nk City, Reva, Tesla Roadster, Mini and prototype) and I can assure you that anguish there and completely determines the use you are going to give the car. Beyond that anguish, electric cars have the handicap resulting from their excasa autonomy. Today does not exist in the market 100% electric car that can do over 150 km under normal except Tesla, sports cars or luxury prohibitively so that anyone buying one should settle for urban use or give as much, make a quiet trip foreseeing always charging points needed to move forward. The Chevrolet Volt and its sibling, the Opel Ampera electric cars are the only extended-range world currently for sale and, therefore, the only electric cars that run out of battery charge is not a problem. 

A plug-in hybrid is a hybrid car powered by a conventional gasoline engine backed by an electric motor. The difference is that any hybrid batteries are high capacity and it extends the range in electric mode. Obviously, the presence of a plug to charge these batteries is another feature. The Toyota Prius Plug-in and the future Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid, the diesel engine are, right now, the two cars that meet this definition. The Volt has nothing to do with it. This high tech vehicle is an electric car. Its main motor is an electric motor and the car always moves with it regardless of the source of energy that drives it. With the electric motor and lithium-ion battery positioned longitudinally in the center of the car, the Volt can do 60 miles without more help. A take on the front flap to load the battery into a household outlet so that if in our daily movements, we do more than 60 miles a day, we will have a 100% electric car. With respect to the load and amperage based home network, the car will charge much faster (reckon five to nine hours for a butt load from empty). The Volt is not quick charge socket and has a single charger beneath the luggage compartment. This charger can also be used outdoors, even when it rains. So what happens when you run out of battery? Then it passes the receive electric motor current generated by a gasoline engine situated in front vain. The engine, a 1.4 Ecotec 86 hp, then fed to the electric motor is still moving the car. The battery has two distinct parts, one that is responsible for moving the vehicle in electric mode and a second when the first is exhausted, provides power to the motor generated complementing the gasoline engine. This ensures that the car's performance is not impaired and compensated the difference between the heat engine 86 hp and 150 electric. Only when this second part is depleted battery, something that happens only when driving for a long time thoroughly or climbing over a mountain pass very lively pace, collecting a drop in performance of the Volt that logically disappears reload.

When we put the car in gear only hum, like when you turn on the Star Wars Millennium Falcon engines but at a much lower noise level and light up the two screens (there is usually one where the instrumentation and one in the console center, as in cars with browser, which, incidentally, the Volt is standard). Progress is quiet and there is a sound system that hums outside to warn pedestrians in electric mode, do not listen to approach the car. The Volt has four operating modes, normal, sport, mountain and regeneration mode. The normal is normal, as the name suggests, the sport does not provide more power but faster, with a response therefore stronger and the other two have to explain. The regeneration mode makes the car use the energy regeneration system during deceleration more forcefully. In the electric, when you stop accelerating, the car loses speed quickly and the vehicle deceleration takes to charge the battery so it is impossible to leave without touching the accelerator rolling as would a thermal car down highway in sixth, by example. In the power generation mode, useful when a port is lowered and engine braking is needed or in traffic jams, where you have to constantly accelerate and brake, the engine braking is very noticeable and it allows you to load more and increase battery autonomy . Finally, the connect mode when mountain terrain, be circulated but no port at the base of some kilometers up but before. On the way to the port, the drive harnesses the heat engine to charge to stop the battery to provide power to the motor will not get the gasoline, as mentioned, is less potent. In areas where the power is needed, as in the port in question, thus allowing all the way keep the entire capacity of the electric motor operating perfectly. The "downside" is that as we approach the port, we will hear that the gasoline engine spins revolutionized what we are demanding and working also in the load and consequently spend more. In terms of usage, think that the Volt and emits spends zero-zero-when operating in electric mode. When the internal combustion engine works, consumption is between 7 and 9 liters per 100 rather than a hybrid and the height of a petrol engine of equivalent power. Where does, then the figure of 1.6 liters approved by the brand? As the consumption calculation system currently in force which we explain here. As in urban consumption the Volt achieves 0 liters during the extra-urban and also works for most of the test mode, the power consumption is very low ... in the first 100 miles. From the second hundred, we must have that without recharging through, spend those 7-9 liter discussed, always depending on the pace we take and the type of terrain. The Volt has a fuel tank of 35 liters, which allows a range of 400 to 500 miles without refueling.

Volt mechanical structure, with a T-shaped battery located between the seats along the car and under the rear design conditions. The brand has decided to make a four seater and has sought a low and very aerodynamic body-although not as much as it seems as the figure that gives Chevrolet is 0.28, by 0.26 of a Prius, for example-that habitability conditions. In the back there are only two places a little uncomfortable and access to roof height, so tall people do not find at home. The boot is also small. The gate opens onto a large area but very shallow tray covered with a cloth and not very good looking little use. Under the boot floor found the car charger and tire repair kit. The rear seats can be folded down, allowing luggage capacity to expand but anyone looking for a compact car pilot should choose other green options. A Prius, whether or not plug-in, it is more practical, let alone a Prius + - but even a Honda Insight is more livable than the Volt. At the front, seats are good and collect the body well. In front of the driver found a unique instrumentation that offers information autonomy, load and driving mode with a suspended ball that moves up and down during acceleration and braking. If we keep the ball in the center of yore is that good and if we're driving ranges in excess, both up and down is that we must improve. A large digital speedometer all complete. In the central display can control energy flows, check spending in recent trips and managing audio and browser. The controls for these elements are scattered around the center console buttons as halfway between a normal button and a tactile element. The feeling is that the buttons are there and you have to find them with their fingers on a membrane that covers it all. There is, of course, the best way to have the wheel of a car and should get used to use, intuitive nothing.

What I liked about the Volt is its dynamic behavior, excepting really good braking. The car has a feel that I dare to describe as sporty but almost. The suspension is firm and works well in the bumps but expansion joints or retarders, proving it hard moron. In the retarder, by the way, as in all the parking tickets, the car drags noticeably rubber profile is under the bumper and meets aerodynamic features. This is a very exposed and rubs everywhere. The Volt has a direct address, a very rapid acceleration of an electric own, especially in the 0-50 km / h, ensuring you always leave the first traffic lights. In town, its roll is quiet and peaceful but when you need to paste a sprint to win a lane, he does it with ease. It is also very manageable. On the road, their behavior is very good. It is a stable car and although its heavy weight (about 1,800 kilos unladen) subtracts agility, suspension contains perfectly balancing the body and the front is very sharp, with a very good quality drive. Moreover, the escalation of electric acceleration helps not to trouble the front axle that works perfectly. On motorways, even fewer problems, the car moves with determination, sustained support holds up well in long corners, recovering well from 90 to 120 km / h. and has a noticeable silence operating in electric mode. When the engine starts operating temperature, the same thing happens in hybrids with CVT, the engine sound has nothing to do with what we require. As the heat engine is responsible only to feed the electric usually works according to what we ask but sometimes it accelerates more than expected because the battery charges and other, we just sounds fast but why battery backup provides the power required to maintain speed without resorting to the full potential of heat. In short, gibberish you get used to quickly. The worst part of the car is braking, with a very poor pedal modulation, at least on the unit I drove. It has a first part of the pedal stroke where nothing happens. That forces enter a second phase in which the braking path is not progressive, which means very little going from slow to nail the brakes. Not that slow, because when you step on brakes, the problem is you can not adjust the intensity of the braking as in any other car. The truth is that I did not like but I must say that when I tested the Ampera few months ago (link test is not mine but Mallenco Cristina), I had the same impression.

I used the Volt for a week every day without any problems except for external recharging points. Of those who visited, only one in the city of Terrassa (for which you need to have a charge card issued by the City) and another in a service station installed by Endesa, worked and could charge the car. In Barcelona city, the three I visited were inoperative (one was broken, another was exclusively for motorcycles and the third had the square occupied by a van). I do not know what is the reality in other parts of Spain but partners working regularly in Madrid, for example, have told me that the situation is not much better. That network of charging points improve, expand and, above all, is operational, it is very important to the spread of electric cars. To charge at home there was no problem. Those who buy an electric company should talk to their case there is the possibility of hiring rates valley at night to recharge out cheaper. The support scheduling Volt recharge with what the car can be left plugged in and set to load at a specific time. Regarding the price, is very high. The 46,700 euros is a price that costs almost deterrent given its size, its habitability and equipment level, complete but not extraordinary. At that price you have to deduct the purchase aids. Right now, the central government offered 4,000 euros to help the extended range electric with a range of 50 to 90 km, the Volt case. This assistance ends later this year 2012 and the Executive has not commented on the possibility of prorogarla in 2013. To this must be added the discount offered by some regions and some local advantages (free in the blue or road tax exempt municipal) and other prerogatives as the use, in certain cities of HOV lanes or bus lanes or percentage discounts on tolls, motorways case of Catalonia. The Volt does not pay tax.