2016 Chevy Volt Review - Can It Go 53 Electric Miles?

[@TechnologyConnections]

Your explanation of Mountain Mode is not quite right. Mountain Mode is just like Normal mode but it reserves a larger chunk of the battery when on engine power. It in essence decreases your electric range so the engine will come on sooner. That way it has a reserve of battery power when going up steep grades. It does this because the engine can't produce as much power as the electric motors, so it would be forced to lumber up a hill more slowly if the battery were depleted (only having 100 horsepower for pulling that heavy of a car isn't ideal). In my 2013 Volt, when fully charged, entering Mountain Mode will drop the battery range to about 25 miles from 38. If you had depleted the battery while in Mountain mode and then switch back to Normal, you'll get another 10-ish miles of EV range once it's allowed to dip into that reserve again. Likewise, if you switch to Mountain mode with a depleted battery, the engine will work overtime and charge the battery back up to about 25%. That's part of the beauty of the Volt (and hybrids in general). Only about 20 kW (26 horsepower) is required to maintain 70 MPH in the Volt, so only a very small ICE is needed to go that fast. Therefore the engine can be significantly undersized for the car and thus be optimized for efficiency, and the battery and electric motor can be used for raw power. The first Volt's engine produces only 84 hp, but you'd never know it's so small because the electric motors did all the acceleration. But for a steep grade, 84 hp won't cut it, and thus Mountain Mode was added. Perhaps they changed Mountain Mode for the 2016 Volt, but the Voltec drivetrain works fundamentally the same way, so I don't see why they would change it.

[@chrisw443]

this comment is so you.

[@utah133]

Mountain mode works well when I'm climbing up out of the Great Basin on my way from Utah to my Wyoming property. It's a very long grade.

[@EngineeringExplained]

Goodmorning everyone! Hope your Sunday is going well! If you make it to the end and start to see flickers and frozen frames, fear not about your internet connection nor KZbin. One of my GoPros (the one facing me) did not enjoy recording for 80 minutes straight, and the footage was full of bugs. As a result, editing took foreverrrr. I hope you enjoy the video nonetheless, a glimpse into that "fuel economy test" I'm always talking about.

[@Jallandhara]

+Engineering Explained Damn, senpai. That's a few blocks from MHCC. I didn't know you did anything in Gresham.

[@gofaast4630]

it's all good! this is honestly one of the best reviews you've done in terms of editing and etc.

[@bodhifyer]

portland looks like a dope place to drive, aside from the other drivers

[@scottverge938]

+Engineering Explained Thanks for the heads up, I thought for sure my computer was flaking out on me LOL

[@CrazyMoh]

+Engineering Explained hahah, i thought it was from my internet at work...thanks for the effort man...I love your video and all your effort...I hope your Tuesday is going gr8 and you are having a beautiful day

[@BruceMan]

Great video. We have a 2014 Volt and here are some thoughts: 1) Put the shifter into L or low. It simulates a low gear but there's no transmission so what it does it just makes it regen the battery more aggressively when lifting off the throttle. It just takes a short time to get used to it but you will almost never have to brake in routine driving. The Tesla does it normally like this. Also, Chevy has made it now so the brake lights go on when you use L or the regen paddle so people behind you know you're slowing down faster. 2) predicted mileage range is the Volt's best guess based on the last ride or two. We routinely get over 50 miles in the summer when the heater isn't used (we don't need the a/c) and it gets pretty accurate in guessing range. 3) Hills are killers for electric range or gas mileage for that matter. We live in hilly terrain and it can be hard to get good range at times. 4) NO RANGE ANXIETY with a Volt! 5) Sorry for being so long.

[@patrickflohe1193]

Bruce Man Totally agreed.

[@FrancisOpoku]

In which instance would you recommend using suggestion 1?

[@anydaynow01]

@@FrancisOpoku I keep my 2017 volt in L (essentially one pedal driving setting) like 90% of the time, the only time I swap to D is for highway driving when I have the cruise control on. It took a couple of days driving back and forth to work to get used to using L and the steering wheel paddle together, now I rarely use the brake pedal except to bring the car to a full stop from a crawl.

[@scottgoodson6046]

@@FrancisOpoku always drive in L mode

[@scottgoodson6046]

@@anydaynow01 even highway on cruise L mode helps keep exact speed even in the mountains.

[@adrianreyes2318]

one of the most informative, unbiased, fair review I've seen. THIS is how to review a product.

[@franktorres7963]

+Adrian Reyes Seriously. This guy is among the top best.

[@vincentlacoursiere9607]

One thing I'd say is that the 5th seat is mostly just a seat belt and it is there for rear facing child seat. Which is really useful if you need it.

[@michaelalbert6421]

Agreed and agreed 🍻🍻

[@moejrbig]

I love my 2016 Chevrolet Volt. It is my second Volt. I am sad that GM Discontinued the volt. I think its a bad move.

[@floobertuber]

I wouldn't be surprised if 95%+ of the people who ever owned a Volt, are sad to see it discontinued. Worse, there is no EREV successor. An EREV version of the current Malibu would absolutely kick ass. You are right, it's a bad move on GM's part. They OWNED this segment of technology. *shakes head disappointedly*

[@meandmyEV]

@@floobertuber I'm sure it is about money. I have read that it was an expensive car to produce and there wasn't much profit margin. Also sales had leveled off. GM does seem committed to electric. The Volt was a bridge to convince skeptics to come around to electic. Now that range and charging speed are getting to the point where road trips with Evs are possible, people will switch to full EVs. I plan on keeping my Volt as long as possible but maybe I'll also buy a full EV when it is paid off. I am wondering if one day the Volt will be a classic. I think it will be a curiousity in the future when we are all driving EVs that can charge 500 miles in 10 minutes or whatever.

[@anydaynow01]

@@floobertuber With the gen 2 Volts being sold for between $15k to $20k these days they are tremendous bargains for people who have a place to charge at home, usually drive less than 100 km a day and don't want to play charger roulette on their occasional road trips. I plan on driving my 2017 Volt until it's dust in the wind or electric vehicle charging gets a lot faster, more plentiful and reliable, like on par with gas stations.

[@anastasiacline6159]

@@anydaynow01 Yep, just purchased (or rather had shipped to my house for a test drive) a 2018 Volt for $16K. Electric cars are not that popular in Texas due to the range most people have to drive to go anywhere. That being said, I probably could get away with an electric car as I work 3 miles from my house, shop 5-15 miles from my house, and generally only drive 300 miles a month. I'd just like a car that I can also drive to my parents house. There are no charging stations between my house and my parent's that isn't either for hotel guests only or a Tesla supercharger. My dream is to buy a Tesla one day. My current car is 19 years old, so maybe in 16 years I'll get a new Tesla. lol

[@bmw803]

@@floobertuber They should make a crossover VOLT. Main reason for cancelation is, it's a sedan and the extra drivetrain that made it obsolete. Batteries are way cheaper today, so for the same money, you can get the BOLT EUV. Less complications, but I do like the gas generator. 80% of my trips are on battery, long trips are hassle free on gas.

[@ShadowStarPSN]

I cant believe i just sat and watched this on the edge of my seat for 23 straight minutes

[@EngineeringExplained]

Hahaha, I really appreciate it! Hope you enjoyed!

[@BradKalinoski]

+Shadow Star Yeah same here I had range anxiety the whole time.

[@eugenefowler5801]

@@BradKalinoski ; Driving and testing the range of the Volt is not the same as driving and enjoying the Volt. My '17 Volt cruses without the engine noise and vibration which allows for better videos and still shots. Wish cruse control could begin at 5 rather than 25mph for a much better look a nature while going through wild life areas. Still, the quietness and vibration issues are a plus.

[@babybirdhome]

@@eugenefowler5801 Only 25? That's really interesting. My '18 sets at 15 MPH. I wonder if it's a model year difference or if it's 15 because I have the radar traffic-aware cruise control.

[@smileyeagle1021]

I love how when it starts raining your first thought was about how much energy was going into accelerating the rain drops and not how much power the windshield wiper motor was using.

[@crsp76691]

I went 68 miles on a charge the other day! From yosemite through stockton down the mountains, regen braking kicked ass!!

[@xDESTINYxKINGx]

Now that is having power work for you man lol. I bet that was fun. I can’t wait to save up over time and buy my first volt. Never have had a electric car and the volt is going to be my first pick around a 2017 to 2019 model. Want the last year made of 2019. I love the volts and bolts but the volt I love for being a hybrid and hear how it was over engineered meaning it’s very well built to last even it’s battery. I’m hearing of people getting well over 400,000 miles on them or more since new and they still running strong and good batteries still. How’s your’s holding up? You posted this 5 years ago. Hope all is well.

[@crsp76691]

@@xDESTINYxKINGx I still have the Volt with the factory tires on it. 60k miles. Had the shift to park issue but fixed the shifter myself. Had the EBCM replaced about 30k, all 17 have had that issue, bad batch of modules. Had a new touch screen module installed after the original failed, covered under my extended warranty. Since this post I have had no issues, still goes the full 50-60 miles around town and about 40-45 at highway speed.

[@scottf200]

Instead of the steering wheel max regen paddle, you can utilize the normal brake pedal gently and it will actually be using the regen and not the physical pads until the very end to stop. You can use the max regen paddle to slow down quickly for a corner or highway off ramps. ALSO please note that you can drive in the (L)ow 'gear' which does nothing in terms of gearing but just does more aggressive regen. L does not affect anything else ... it is just electronic. Many people use L 100% of the time.

[@PLewisCreative]

I almost only ever use my gas reserve for long highway drives. My 2018 Premier is sitting at around 11,500 miles, 9,000 of which are electric. Not bad at all!

[@voltecrules624]

One of the best cars ever produced. I have a Lifetime mpg of 143 mpg after 68,000 miles in a 2014 Volt. I gun it every light.

[@PappaLitto]

Wow you must never use gas or even climate control

[@nxdboi]

@@PappaLitto It has absolutely nothing to do with that. It just means he typically drives on battery power only and uses very little has..

[@PappaLitto]

@@nxdboi if you use climate control especially in the winter it will lower your efficiency by quite a margin

[@patrickflohe1193]

PappaLitto I nearly always use the climate control. With A/C, it's not too bad an effect. It's worse in the winter, with any electric car. This is mostly due to using heat, and keeping the battery warm. Keep it plugged-in, during colder weather! This keeps the battery warm, and won't affect the range so much.

[@blueridgegarage]

Not charging the Volt frequently only gets 31.4 MPG. Speeds of over 85 MPH frequently. It’s definitely a city car, and to see the so called “great mpg” it must be frequently charged. Not a freeway car, and not a long distance car.

[@JoshDurston]

Your comment about the modulating the regen with the button can be handled by driving in "L" mode. You will get a nice regen if you just lift on the throttle, but it actually doesn't alter any gear ratios. You can basically drive with just the throttle and no brakes.

[@patrickflohe1193]

Josh Durston When properly used, the regen paddle and / or low, will give much more regen benefits.

[@patrickflohe1193]

Josh Durston There aren't any gear ratios to be altered. I keep it in L at all times. You're not revving the engine.

[@tjwatson0403]

My 2012 Volt is the best car I've ever owned. RIP Volt

[@PetrichorXFi]

Thanks for mentioning the blind spots - I just got a 2018 Chevy Volt and was thrown off by the blind spot on rear left of the car (if you turn your head to the left to attempt to manually check if a vehicle is there, you mostly see the pillar). Surprisingly despite it feeling like a massive blind spot, the side view mirror + rear mirror seem to actually let you see very well (I confirmed this staying in right lane while a few cars sped by and pretty sure I saw them the whole time (or at least a good 90 - 95% of the time I believe). Is little hard to know for sure as clearly I was focused on driving safely, but appears it actually does not have to bad of a blind spot) Also this is first car with side collision avoidance (the little light that turns on the side view mirrors if a car is near you). It is interesting as it seems to only turn on if a car is in the normal blind spot, but does not seem to if a car is DIRECTLY to my left. Sure it shouldn't need to as I SHOULD look at see the car directly to my left (or right), however seems like it should have the light on all the time regardless if a car is in blind spot.... OR directly to my left/right.) Also, maybe its just me, but the light on the side view mirrors notifying you a car is there seems like it could be bigger/brighter. I see it - but it is tad subtle for my preference... it works but not super visible. Lastly the lane assist/maintain thing does not seem to work very well in my car (I do NOT have the Adaptive Cruise Control Package, so maybe it uses rear camera thus why it is a bit delayed in noticing lines?). It can keep the car in the lines, but if it is raining it cannot find them very well, and also it seems it waits till you are about 1 foot or more PAST the line prior to pushing you back in the lane (thus why I am guessing it is using rear camera for this logic likely, as would take a bit for rear side to get past the lines (well after front already has))

[@tonymontano602]

It is explained in the "tips for driving", that is located in the energy info section on the center screen, that driving under 50 mph gives you the advertised range. It is meant as a commuter car. My 2012 Volt is rated at 32 miles, but I've been regularly getting 48-50 miles, because I drive on local roads. Remember, higher speed requires more power, thus reducing your range.

[@daveriley6310]

Tony, I don't know who might have "rated" your 2012 Volt at 32 miles, but the EPA rated it at 35 miles in electric only mode. I got 42 to 48 miles regularly in my first two Volts, and hit 52 once. Now on my fourth Volt and just got 72 miles out of the 53-mile battery.

[@jasonellison9845]

I bought a 2017 volt thinking it was a cool hybrid but boy was I mistaken. It is one of the best cars I have ever owned. It's so much fun to drive and saves me so much on my commute to work. I wish they still made these cars.

[@jsandoval423]

Looking to get a 2018 volt looking at the Prius prime way less ev range did is the volt good choice over the prime ?

[@jonbradley1344]

You have influenced me to switch majors and pursue a career in engineering. Thank you for your awesome work and ability to make topics like this interesting and informative.

[@EngineeringExplained]

That is awesome to hear, I wish you the best of luck with your future engineering endeavors!

[@WildBillQRO]

Just purchased 2017 premier edition pick it up tomorrow I'm a rookie but can't wait to get it thanks for the info it will help Cheers from Canada

[@henryford7182]

Bill Drouillard How is your volt going? I'm liking what I see and was wondering how it's been for you. I live in NB Canada.

[@patrickflohe1193]

Bill Drouillar, I just purchased my '19 Volt Premier a little over a month ago, and I'm loving it!

[@trustbuster23]

Good review. A few quick points and one correction. Your range is estimated from prior driving. So driving aggressively lowers expected range. That is why you got 43 miles estimated but could still do 53. Unfortunately, your description of Mountain Mode is just wrong. When the volt runs out of battery range, everything still works the same way, the electric motors still draw power from the batteries. The only thing that changes is that now the generator runs to replenish all the power that is depleted as you drive. Basically, the system uses the gas generator to defend a set level of charge. Problem: the electric propulsion system can still draw more power from the batteries than the gas engine can instantly replenish. In normal driving this isn't an issue, because you almost never need full power CONTINUOUSLY for long periods of time. The generator will just run a little longer to make up the difference if you exceed its capacity temporarily. The one exception is long steep grades. Mountain mode basically creates a cushion of extra battery power by running the generator more than is needed to propel the car BEFORE you start climbing that big hill. Then the system can draw on that stored, extra power as needed. So if you know you are about to start climbing some big hills, put the car in Mountain Mode before you get there so you won't find yourself trying to get up the hill with only 100HP available to you.

[@sobman]

so could you run in mountain mode and regen the battery?

[@babybirdhome]

Yes, up to the mountain mode charge limit (in the first generation Volt that was something like 10 miles I believe), but it's horribly energy inefficient. You're better off just letting it run in hybrid mode when it runs out of energy, unless you're approaching a mountain grade or something where extra battery capacity is needed to aid in ascending the hill at speed.

[@None17555]

Yes it takes about 1L to recover those 10 miles, creating the equivalent of 35MPG. Aside from actual real world mountains, the only reason to use mountain mode would have to do with the pacing of your gas station breaks. I.e. if you're out of EV miles and will stop before you run out of gas miles, switch to mountain to burn up some of that gas.... so your *next* stop can be 10 miles farther. Lowers efficiency w/very little practical impact, and only then in very specific situations. Since having the occasional gallon only get 35mpg wouldn't bother me on a road trip, I'd probably do this if I remembered it...

[@lorriblouiin1888]

trustbuster23 or just use sport mode, on mountain mode engine stays on 80+-% of the time in not very efficient even on down hill engine is on

[@hellsop]

Sport mode does no operational change other than remapping how much power you get from a given accelerator position. As was mentioned in the video, in normal driving modes, a light touch on the pedal makes REALLY light changes to power and you have to mash the pedal pretty far down to any good oomph. Sport Mode changes this so even a mild push of the pedal gives a substantial acceleration, and the last 1/3 or so of pushing the pedal doesn't really apply much more power at all.

[@pwnboys]

First 23 minute video to keep me completely engaged in a long time

[@EngineeringExplained]

+pwnboys Happy to hear it, thanks for watching!

[@nickiemcnichols5397]

I can't believe GM killed this car, rather than making the dealers learn how to sell it.

[@jghall00]

People are buying SUVs, not cars. The powertrain will likely show up in an SUV or Crossover platform.

[@jghall00]

@enator71 Battery costs have been too high to provide sufficient range in a pickup. We'll probably begin seeing them in the next 24 months, first as PHEV, then full electric.

[@derekintrovert5619]

@@jghall00 I Don't Car for SUV or Crossovers!! I rather have a Hybrid ! I Have A 2015 Chevy Spark 1LT bought used 14,000 miles now 75,000 miles Great car ! Planning on buying used Volt 18 or 19

[@jghall00]

@@derekintrovert5619 love the Spark EV. It's like a street legal go-kart. Been trying to talk my wife into one for years.

[@elheber]

My 2017 Volt is the best car I've ever owned, and it's still going strong. I love it too death and i will love it till it dies. Q: How can you tell the Chevy Volt is a great car? A: GM discontinued​ it.

[@SanzerSkunk]

I liked this type of review, it was very interesting to watch the whole trip and we got to hear about your opinions of the car as you were experiencing driving with it

[@jayyoutube8790]

Got a few buddy's with the first gen volt (I do believe) and they love them. They swear by them and both bought them new. They look like they've held up well too..

[@8BitKeys]

I would love to upgrade to one of these new Volts. By the way, I expect it would get closer to 60 miles in the Summer based on my experience with my 1st generation Volt. Cold temps always reduce range.

[@larryspiller15]

also correct me if I'm wrong but don't you get the mileage rating in stop and go and not as much on highway/straight away driving?

[@lafan9872]

+larry Spiller you get both city mileage and highway mileage. well usually they advertise it.

[@larryspiller15]

so 52 would be for the city im guessing

[@babybirdhome]

Haha, I'm replying to a two year old comment, but I get about 48 miles on the highway in the Phoenix summer heat. I drove it back home to Colorado where there's less traffic and less heat and stayed off the highways, and with my old school Prius hypermiling skills I was regularly getting over 65 miles per charge, and by the end of my week vacation I was seeing 75-90 miles per charge if I skipped the AC (other than the little bit the car forces to keep the battery happy). I expected it to be harder to get that much over the rated range, but it really wasn't at all.

[@bmw803]

My 2015 can return 45 miles easily if driven conservatively. I made it to 41 miles on the freeway at 65 mph on cruise. So, I can see the Gen 2 get to 58 to 62 depending on how you drive it.

[@danielsavory7109]

2018 Volt owner 39 miles to work, 78 miles round trip. 1 mile left on the battery. (No A/C running, all under 55 mph) 3rd day owning this vehicle.

[@danielsavory7109]

Update, I had to buy new tires and found the wheels were changed by previous owner. They chose a 205/55 R16. Since I bought an all season set 205/60 R16 I only get 66 miles range electric. So, keep in mind different efficiency for different types of tires as well as wheel size.

[@rabidclocko]

I'm on an academic team designing and building a 2016 Camaro hybrid for EcoCAR3 and I had just a few comments on your review that may help a bit with hybrids. The mileage that cars are typically rated at use different drive cycles. For hybrids, this can be rather tricky as different conditions greatly vary mileage (as you already know). For our modeling and simulation, we use UDDS, 505, FTP, HWFET, US06 (City and Highway), SC03, Baker, and a custom cycle blend. Once we have that simulated to satisfaction, we'll take the most probable figures (note we don't use the most conservative because the car hasn't been built yet) and use those for our design requirements. Once the car has been built, we will emulate our blended drive cycle to match terrain and driving inputs as closely as we can. The output data from the car is then compared to the simulation to determine if design and build match closely. We always use the actual data and not the simulation data in our claims. This can get a lot more confusing when you're comparing mpgge rather than mpg. We use mpgge rather than mpg because we need a good metric that can compare multiple power and fuel sources (some cars use E85, B15, etc). Luckily range is always range. One thing that may explain why your starting mileage differed than the expected 53 miles is that you drove the car to your starting location. I know you drove it in a charge sustain operating mode, but high voltage safety is a very important thing. One of those safeties is to not allow the battery to overcharge. The risk here is that the engine and generator/inverter cannot react quick enough when the battery is at maximum capacity to not cause an over-volt fault. There is typically a threshold that the generator will reach before shutting off, which is safely below the max capacity. This can cost you a few miles. You also had a question about mileage in rain, and while there is a bit of energy imparted by the rain impacting the car, this is minimal. Where your mileage really suffers is your rolling resistance on the road. Force of rolling resistance is calculated by mass, gravity, and wheel resistance coefficient. As the surface of the road becomes more viscous, the worse this resistance becomes along with your mileage. Even a little water on the road can have a big impact at lower speeds. At high speeds, aero is king simply because of the exponential effect air velocity has, but rain still has an effect. Anyways, thanks for your review. I was very curious about the 2016 Volt and how it performed. The operating modes really reminded me of the Malibu we built for EcoCAR2, and it was nice to see how industry is evolving with that technology.

[@rollmann00]

Thanks Ben for providing all the background Insight. everyone should read this post, if nothing else!

[@babybirdhome]

Another reason for the discrepancy is that the Volt bases its electric range estimation based on recent driving conditions, so over time with one driver on the same route, it'll adjust its estimate to more closely approximate the actual expected range vs. an educated guess.

[@KianPalmer]

I saw you while you were reviewing this car! I was on Cornell (not sure, was a while ago) and I saw this Volt coming and said to myself "hmm that's a nicer looking Volt" then I saw you and flipped out

[@PiitaaDerbez]

Where is this at?

[@shadowpod13]

He says at 15:15 that he's in Portland.

[@GH-oi2jf]

PiitaaDerbez - It’s on the old Columbia River highway, because Vista House at the overlook is unmistakable (at abour 8 minutes).

[@magnaxilorius]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that knows how to drive as efficiently as possible. Most people don't grasp the concept that maintaining a slower speed can keep traffic to a minimum and keep you from having to stop at red lights which ultimately gets you from point A to B faster. Where I live (in middle TN) no one knows how to not tailgate, period. And this too creates a lot of needless traffic and hurts everyone's mpg because everyone has this mentality that they need to be in front of everyone else. Kills me. Going faster doesn't technically mean you'll arrive faster.

[@javeronh.3996]

it also helps finding out your vehicles unique ideal speed. typically most cars are around 60 MPH. my truck is diesel and it seems to matter the RPM's mostly. it is standard so the speedometer reads about 54 MPH, depends on the size tires what my actual speed is. with the Plymouth breeze I use to have while I was driving in PA I could get about 36 MPG normally, one tank I got 40 MPG. It would be nice if people wouldn't get so upset when people aren't driving 70 MPH on the interstate but drive a little slower to get better mileage. when my truck was 2 wheel drive I was able to get well into the 20's MPG. it is a ram 2500 5.9l diesel, with a 6 speed standard transmission. on a level straight it seems, after accounting for consistent computer error, that I was getting just about 30 to 31 MPG. oh well, sorry it is a long response but I agree with you and wanted to give some examples of some good mileage for proof

[@Richey24]

Just got a 17 volt myself, absolutely love it.

[@CamoCowboyHat]

Do you still love it?

[@doctorlobsteroctopus]

Lol. Looking at these comments, people will complain about anything. Thanks for the awesome review, and keep up the great work, Jason.

[@EngineeringExplained]

Appreciate the kind words!

[@ledlincoln]

Nice review. As a 2013 and now 2018 Volt owner, I have a couple of responses to some of the many comments and questions, and one question of my own (that some others have asked as well). The question: What was the ambient temperature when you started the drive? That makes a huge difference in battery capacity/range, and not just because of climate control. Today, a hot one, our 2018 Volt started with a 63 mile range shown. I didn't come anywhere near going that far, so I can't confirm that it was accurate, but generally, it does seem so. To respond to some of the comments: 1) Long-term battery degradation. I experienced essentially none in five years with the 2013, and according to GM, they have never had to replace a Volt battery for that reason. 2) Regen braking. If you put the shift lever in L rather than D, it's not a lower gear, but means that lifting your foot off the accelerator will immediately start slowing you down as regenerative braking kicks in. In D mode, the car just coasts when you let off the accel pedal. I'm not sure, but I think D is a bit more efficient for highway driving, but L is great for city driving (one-pedal driving). 3) Is it a hybrid? It's a matter of definition. Some say it's not a hybrid because it can run 53+ miles on battery alone. It's quite different from a Prius, but you can call it what you like. 4) Why both battery and ICE? The Volt fills a need for many people who would not be happy on a long trip. Assuming they can find a charging station every 50 miles, they would then have to stop and charge for four hours before continuing. If you can be sure you will be staying in charging station range, and don't mind the charge time wait, an all-electric might be a better choice for you. 5) The engine: 2016 and later use regular gas; earlier models specified premium. I typically filled my tank about eight times in a 12000 mile year. 5) We absolutely loved the 2013, which got t-boned and totaled, and love the 2018 even more. In addition to being lighter, a good deal cheaper, and considerably more efficient, the 2018 has a more mature and classier interior and user interface design.

[@floobertuber]

Temperature, Terrain, and Technique are everything. I have a 2019 Volt LT and usually have around 66 miles on the "guess-o-meter." For context, that's operating with temps between 55-80F (using A/C or slight cabin heat as appropriate), at speeds ranging from a mixed 25-55 MPH, and relatively non-hilly terrain. Depending on conditions, sometimes it's pushing 70 and under the right circumstances, I'm confident I'll hit that easily. All this is WAY better than the Gen-1 Volts I've owned, thanks to the updated battery chemistry and design.

[@truthmatters2020]

My volt has giving me up to 55, when the weather is cold it only gives me 44. I bought my Volt in 2018 and I have put $300 in gas since. I love it 💗

[@Flip_Angle]

I learned a lot today. I've wondered how you achieved such good mileage. Hyper-miling! I agree about the advertising, it sounds desperate. You should do more like these. I like seeing your thought processes throughout the test, even on a car I'd probably never buy.

[@dj4monie]

+Neil Porter Hyper-Milling? After driving the same loop several times, I think he knows the timing of the lights, which everybody should know if they are making the same commute. As somebody mentioned if you are trying you can achieve 60+ miles on EV power. 2nd Gen Volt is a product of GM listening to the current user base. I would buy one...

[@Flip_Angle]

***** m.wikihow.com/Hypermile Yes, hypermiling. What he did is not easy and well, not how I or anyone I know drives. He does not even drive that way. All he was doing is showing that with maximum effort it's possible. I'm not even sure why you responded to my post, you're not saying anything he didnt

[@patrickflohe1193]

Neil Porter The advertising is actually true. With a leaf or tesla, you will have to stop and find a charging station, and wait for anyone ahead of you. People also leave their cars at those stations, and return when they want. With a Volt, you drive on as normal, and charge when you get there, or get back home. It really is a great car. Even after you deplete your battery, you can still get 42-45 MPG, just getting your electricity from the gas engine. -that's still pretty good. My lifetime average is about 85.7 on my Volt, with 84 MPG on the last trip. My first tank of gas lasted two weeks, and 704 miles. You won't do that with a leaf or tesla.

[@ducfandan1117]

Superb review! Thank you so much for a solid, fair, thoughtful review. No hyperbole, just speaking like an engineer, which is my language. I'm an aerospace engineer out in The Gorge. Grew up in the Portland suburbs, and I've beaten I84 to death a zillion times, and used the Historic Columbia River Highway as a scenic alternative on motorcycles, so your mileage route was very familiar territory. Would have to say, for anyone not familiar with the area: this route is an excellent mileage test loop. It's a little highway biased, depending on whether you catch traffic on the Banfield (where I84 runs through the eastside downtown). But the hills out in the Gorge plus the stoplight-to-stoplight work in downtown are a great test of different vehicle engine configurations.

[@EngineeringExplained]

+DucFanDan Happy to hear you enjoyed it, thanks!

[@ChristCenteredMinist]

I just bought the 2017 model. I like saving the battery for city or stop and go traffic, since ev mode uses very little energy when stopped. Then use hold mode when on freeway because gas is more efficient for steady driving. Just wish there was a setting to have the car do that automatically...

[@funkydunky1430]

Dan Soethe, efficient by what metric?

[@babybirdhome]

Accelerating is where gas engines are actually the most energy efficient (or steady driving under load like hauling cargo/trailer etc.). Steady state driving is horribly inefficient under gas power. Most gas engines used in automotive applications are the most energy efficient somewhere near their torque peak under around 80-90% load. The Volt might try to do that in hold mode if it operates similar to the Toyota Prius, but I'm not positive. The nice thing with a hybrid car that functions mechanically similar to the Prius (like the Volt can) is that it's possible for the engine computer to keep the gas engine operating under high load at whatever RPM is most efficient for the engine rather than having to work with a transmission trying to choose the right gear because it just uses the power from the engine load to generate more electricity for the traction motor or battery. That gives a hybrid an advantage over a purely gas-powered car, all else being equal. But in terms of energy consumed per mile driven, you're probably better off not using hold mode and allowing the car to choose which way to work the motors, battery, and engine for the best efficiency. Unless you're like me and just prefer the quiet of electric driving in stop and go traffic, in which case, if you're happy with the mileage and aren't trying to minimize gas usage, do what makes it the nicest for you to drive. :)

[@brianhughes333]

I have a 13 volt and get 41-42 per charge. City driving gets best because of speed and regen. Highway over 60 starts to decrease the electric charge at a greater rate.

[@archermatie]

I have a 2013 Volt and it's a really awesome car. I've gone over 10,000 miles on just 40 gallons of gas, that's 250+ mpg I'm averaging. And I'm still at 60% oil life. I haven't had a single problem with the car since I got it.

[@xDESTINYxKINGx]

Hows the volt holding up now 4 years later?

[@archermatie]

@@xDESTINYxKINGx I actually traded it in for an F-150 about two years ago because I needed a truck for work. But I did end up putting about 60,000 miles on the car, it had around 120,000 miles on it when o traded it it. I only had one issue where it wouldn’t charge and I took it to the dealer where they did some update that fixed it, cost about $100. Other than that I didn’t have any issue with it. I never had to change the brakes because it uses the motors to assist with braking, I change the oil twice I believe, I used about 250 gallons of gas to go 60,000 miles which comes out to around 240 mpg if you don’t count the electric used. I was able to charge for free at work at the time. I would still highly recommend that car, I wish they still made it. If I didn’t have to have a truck, I’m sure I would still have one, probably would have traded it on for one of the newer models.

[@zollotech]

Great video. Can't wait to check out the new Volt for myself.

[@DustinDawind]

I consistently get around 60 miles or so of all electric in the summer. And my commute includes a significant amount of highway miles. My best so far on a day when conditions were perfect and I only drove on low speed back roads was 68 electric miles.

[@clover7359]

I commented about the battery longevity. I was proven wrong, and that comment has no place here so I deleted it. BTW it totally changes my opinion of the Chevy Volt. I am thoroughly impressed by it's real world battery longevity. If I didn't love I5s so much I'd start saving up for one!

[@evanadcock387]

So glad you got a chance to review the new Volt. I've been looking forward to it. Also glad to see the regeneration is that effective. I would totally be going to buy my own if I lived someplace where I could plug it in at home... *sigh* someday.

[@patrickflohe1193]

Evan Adcock, Even if you never plug it in, you can get 40+ MPG, just on gasoline. I get 44-46 MPG, when I'm doing that.

[@Charming_Prism]

Did no one tell him about the L on the shifter? variable regen braking, very useful.

[@Toastmaster_5000]

One thing to keep in mind - hybrid and electric vehicles dramatically lose efficiency in colder weather. Sometimes as much as 30%, when you take into account winter blend fuels, tire pressure, and the fact that batteries lose juice when it's cold out. I'd say this was one of your better videos. Sure, one of the reasons I'm subscribed is because of how in-depth with specs you go, but this was pretty refreshing. I just wish the Volt was a coupe and maybe dropped the rear seats.

[@ZZZxRv]

That's really cool, even when you used windshield wipers longer than you needed to, you passed the 53 said on paper.

[@rollmann00]

Well Done EE. As a 2013 volt owner, I have a few comments. I like all the topics you cover and you explain them very well. I like the known route you test all your cars on. At the beginning, you were skeptical but I was not, as the beauty of electric is regeneration, especially in altitude changes. When I learned you had no climate, no radio, no seat heat, etc.. I was pretty confident you would make it. I live in WI, and our range on the Gen 1 volts drops 20% or so in the 20 F temps (my wife likes it warm in the car). Also the use of the paddle shift (low gear in gen 1 cars) is an advantage for the battery as well. The standard driver would never use this.. they just want to get A-->B. But as most techie's watching this, I use Low gear a lot on slopes and stops. As an efficient driver myself, You are driving this vehicle very efficiently compared to most drivers. (I do not drive speed limit) it is easy to drive efficient and waste time and piss people off, but much harder to drive efficient, and get there in the same amount of time! Regardless... if your considering a volt, most people will love the quiet electric drive without the range anxiety, regardless how you drive. If you are a jack rabbit start and last minute stop driver(more aggressive), use sport mode and paddle shifters and this car makes the MOST sense. and you can still take it out of town for the weekend and just fill up with gas like your other cars. Thanks for all your hard work in this review.

[@MRelemint]

I went 66 on a single electric charge...

[@natehill8069]

Thats about my record too.

[@babybirdhome]

@@KLondike5 I've gotten 93 miles on a charge in mine but they were pretty ideal conditions all the way around and wouldn't reflect real world driving for very many people. In the real world, I'm still showing 57 - 66 miles of range on a full charge after almost 3 years of daily driving, so they really do hold up well.

[@Stittsy1963]

Nice to hear someone else complains on how people merge into traffic on the freeway. I'm just north of you near Olympia, WA and most of these drivers drive me crazy! The speed limit where I often enter the freeway is 70 MPH and rarely will someone get up to that speed before merging on. 55 MPH is the average, so yes, I did smile when you mentioned how people drive here in the Northwest.

[@MrKillerRC]

“Portland has a lot of respect for Law Enforcement” Didn’t age well. 😆

[@noonesbusiness959]

Neither did the support of the party of law enforcement's respect for law and enforcement during their violent storming of the Capitol Building couples with the vicious murder of a a police officer. No one will remember Portland BUT history WILL remember that American citizens stormed the Capitol. Sad..so sad. Oh well😂😂😂

[@IamtheFerryMan]

@@noonesbusiness959 Your comment didn't age well either.

[@JonDaviesIsHere]

Hiya Jason (EE dude), don't fret about the bit at the end, some technology bugs just can't be helped :) Just want to say I have been watching EE vids for a couple of years and wow the edits are so very good now! Always good and very informative. Keep up the good work, don't let the negatives (animate or inanimate) bog you down. *thumbs up*

[@EngineeringExplained]

+Jon Davies Thanks, really appreciate it!

[@WildBillQRO]

it's going great best car I ever owned great in winter too

[@ZEEKUPP]

That's a nice drive up to crown point. The recharge brake system sounds similar to the dynamic braking on trains.

[@loctite222ms]

Heck, the EPA says my Gen 1 has 38 miles range. I've done 42-45 a number of times.

[@RideShareFSD]

+loctite222ms I got crazy careful once and got 63 miles on a charge in my gen 1. I'll be shooting for 65 or 79 in the car when I change from my gen 1 to the 2017.

[@voltecrules624]

loctite222ms My 2014 Volt consistently gets 40-44 miles, with a high of 52.1 miles on a single charge. I would expect 60+ miles in a Gen 2 Volt.

[@babybirdhome]

In my 2018 I've been able to get almost 90 in good weather and driving/traffic conditions.

[@eugenefowler5801]

With my "17 Volt, I get 75 miles prior to engine kick on an eighty mile route at 75 mph avg. Last 5mi requires only about 0.4 gallons of regular gas. At $2/gal it equals only an extra 80 cents and a good deal. Nothings free but on the return with a charged battery is still only another 80 cents, consider it to be a good thing.

[@EfrenMunoz313]

I was not a fan of the music, but I did appreciate the review of the Volt

[@blackopsrocks]

I'm actually surprised Chevy isn't used their 1.6 turbodiesel global engine. They know it passes emissions in the US, the size of it and added emissions packaging isn't much of a stretch with a small DEF tank in the trunk like the cruze...and because the volt qualifies for goverment programs, green programs for businesses, it would find quite the market for sales and small scale distribution such as medical devices and so forth. Their missing an obvious area, likewise, the colorado would benefit from a 2.8 turbodiesel/hybrid package. think 40mpg. If people are going to pay 5 grand extra for that small diesel theyll pay 7 extra for a 40 mpg pickup with 30 or 40 miles of electric capability.

[@eugenefowler5801]

From Wisconsin, Australia seems be the perfect world, but thank you for the input.., nothing's perfect. Meanwhile enjoy and contemplate perfection.

[@CupidinColorado]

One of the better volt reviews I've seen on line bro- thank you! Please duplicate this test using each one of the drive modes so we can know how they can be utilized.

[@JensenStrong]

"Let's see if this thing can do a burnout." ......1.5 seconds & about 10 feet later..... Yep. Totally! 😂

[@JEDSaje15]

+JensenStrong and slightly down hill lol

[@patrickflohe1193]

JEDSaje15 Not sure what you're talking about. Not that you'd buy a Volt or Fusion Energi or prius pile for that, but a Volt or Fusion Energi will definitely spin the tires, up hill or down, easily.

[@MattyMkFly]

Few notes from someone who owned a volt for a year in no particular order... Sport mode only changes the throttle map so it takes less pedal to get more umph. The result in sport mode is past 50% pedal you're already at max power so there's not more there for you if you keep pressing (in sport mode). Not sure how things may have changed with that new regen lever but if you want more regen and single pedal driving put it into L mode. It's a single speed electric transmission anyways so L doesn't affect top speed or efficiency while driving but does help slowing down to ensure you capture back as much power as possible. One note, I don't know or recall if engine braking in L triggers brake lights such as on the Tesla so if you were going to use it a ton its worth checking. Rain does increase power consumption however it's because of the road surface and surface tension. Nice video though and good to see the new Volt!

[@gmodderr]

Man dashboards in so many new cars have such a waste of space, just look at that,no shelf or anything, just a pointless ski slope

+SnOpeK Domowei If somebody rear ends your car all the stuff you put on the dash-shelf flies right into your face. It's not safe.

[@o2boutdoors]

Can't imagine I'll ever buy/own one of these, but the video was informative and satisfied my curiosity. I appreciated the engineer's perspective about trying to explain the variables that go into a MPG test. Wish more people would do it that way!

[@gt5458c]

That's not what Mountain mode does or is intended for. The motors have plenty of power to cope with any mountain. However, once the battery is depleted, the 100 horsepower combustion engine is undersized for climbing mountain passes. There is some energy reserve even when the battery is "empty" (that's why the engine would be on) and that reserve can be used to provide electric assist to improve hill climb performance in range extended mode, as in a hybrid. On hills, shorter or less severe mountain climbs, that reserve is enough, and the car finishes climbing before the reserve is depleted. However, under more extreme conditions, that last energy reserve can be depleted, at which point you are climbing a mountain in a 3500 lb car that has 100 remaining usable horsepower, and that will reach the point that the car won't keep up with light-duty vehicle traffic. To prevent reaching the point that the last electrical reserve is depleted, Mountain mode is used BEFORE climbing an extreme mountain. It functions to increases the size of that reserve remaining when the battery is "empty". The engine will start sooner, or work harder when to keep the recharge the battery further, to ensure that a larger battery power reserve is available so that during those periods during a mountain climb when the 100 horsepower from the combustion engine isn't enough, the battery have enough reserved power to keep helping even under extreme conditions. As a former Volt owner, I can say that Mountain mode was not necessary for a leadfoot even in the Appalachians- the regular reserve is enough. This is really only of concern for the long, steep high speed climbs that generally only exist (in the US) in the West.

[@Mrwaffleandmilk]

20:10 lol your inner engineer coming out !!!

[@zippySquirrelface]

+Mrwaffleandmilk I've wondered the same thing! I've also memorized the lights along my route to work. lol

[@JaZoN_XD]

+Mrwaffleandmilk F=ma :D

[@Mrwaffleandmilk]

Jason Jia How do you measure the mass of each drop though? Arnt they all different? And after that how do you find how many drops are hitting the car ?

[@JaZoN_XD]

Mrwaffleandmilk i meant theoretically. if each droplet weighed mass "m" and you accelerated it from its falling speed to the speed of the car in a certain time, (delta velocity divided by delta time) then you can find the force required for this to happen :) But of course, each rain droplet is probably slightly different in mass, but I'd imagine it's not a big difference, you wouldn't 99% likely to use an averaged number if you were to really want to calculate this.

[@Mrwaffleandmilk]

Jason Jia I would like someone to calculate this I would but....Im to lazy and dont have that kinda time to weigh rain drops lol

[@mrbeefhbw]

It's a good video but I can't get over the fact that you're being passed on both sides and still refuse to get out of the center lane.

[@electrictroy2010]

+mrbeefhbw YES but at least he's not driving slow in the passing lane like some idiots .

[@SoulFlavor18]

+electrictroy2010 And he just said people don't know how to merge like in CA so he stays out the right lane to avoid idiots. (You can see people who pass him on the right, he later passes because of merging)

[@12x2richter]

Unless things have changed, middle is the appropriate lane for driving on a highway - right la ne was for exiting and entering, left lane for passing. We were always taught that, when driving through town, you wanted to stay in the middle unless you were passing or exiting.

[@babybirdhome]

The left lane is the only lane you're required to yield to faster traffic, not the center lane. Driving the speed limit in any lane is always appropriate, except in the far left unrestricted lane (i.e. if the far left lane is an HOV lane, you're not required to yield that, you're required to yield the lane to its right) in which you have to yield to faster traffic, or only use to pass, depending on the state.

[@None17555]

+mrbeefhbw is wrong; Ricther is correct, with the added note that even in states w/o enforced lane usage, there's still legislation keeping trucks in the middle unless passing or exiting. You don't have to know any of this though. Just follow exit signs. Any time there are signs posted over the road and one of them indicates the route you are taking, you are supposed to get in the lane under that sign. That's why you'll often see "The highway I'm on" "Two exits down" "The next exit" as the the three signs over a highway. In this case, if you have no intention to exit on either exit, you should be the left hand lane (regardless of your speed, regardless of whether you're passing). Having the right lane exit only makes it safer for on coming traffic, and once they have merged those who would like to use the second exit can more safely move to the right lane. THEN you'll typically see a new set of signs, often indicating if you'll be remaining on the highway, you should now return to the middle lane. For added fun, the lil sign above or below each of the larger signs will be justified to the left or to the right, to indicate which way you will bear/exit to stay with that route. So a left-most exit sign with a right-justified exit label suggests you should be in the left lane for now, but when the exit comes it will be on the right. tl;dr just read the signs >.

[@gmetzge]

Congrats on this test! I lease a 2014 Volt and love it. Next year I'm aiming on buying the. BOLT. Thanks for this extensive test!

[@augastaroma533]

I guess they have a different relationship with police in Portland now😀

[@datboinumpad1715]

hey just a heads up around 12 minutes in there's some artifact's in the video you may need to check the health of your pc's gpu. but great video btw. I'm glad to see the volt being improved so much i like the idea of it and being from NC i know what you mean about police and ambulances people never seem to want anything by and then tailgate them just to get wherever a bit faster

[@Distractionedm]

53 electric miles.. 53 dislikes.. Illuminati confirmed.

[@TXCHRISZ06]

I lived off Fairview Pkwy for a couple years. I miss the pnw. thanks for the review.

[@generic2858]

This guy has the identical voice to Bill Nye the Science Guy.

[@EVMANVSGAS]

Very good video. The rain hitting the windshield doesn't do much at all, where the rain effects you is the drag on the road from your tires having to push the water or channel the water out of your way.

[@sshuggi]

I own a 2013 Volt and I do lose 5-10% range in a good rain.

[@rollmann00]

Probably more due to use of defrost option than actual rain, unless it is raining heavy.

[@Sugananda]

Loved the review. I'm a current owner of Volt 1 and love , love, love the car. Experience has shown that, in town and generally below 40 mph, it gets better mileage in low gear all the time. Only use D on the freeway. I surmise that the reason is that regen snaps on faster and works better in L.

[@billhunsinger862]

Here are some numbers for speed vs. kWs using Coefficient of drag as .28 40 mph 5.1 kW, 50 mph 8.1 Kw, 60 mph 12.3 kW, 70 mph 18 kW, 80 mph 25.2 kW. It is not linear but a cube relationship. My girlfriend and I with separate Volts get 60 to 64 miles to a charge as long as we keep the speeds under 50 mph.

[@billhunsinger862]

also, I use RainEx which decreases the "rain resistance".

[@toma3397]

haha 420 miles range, am I too immature for this channel?

[@MrAbood900]

smoke smoke weed everyday

[@politicallyunreliable4985]

+Toma Turcu Nope, too boring, you lack fart jokes.

[@Logic44]

like i say for my channel, "never too mature, never too immature"

[@utah133]

Mine does go that far, but it's a 2019. Quite an improvement over my 2013!

[@SimonMichaelBenz]

Nissan leaf didn't pioneer anything, GM had an electric car in the 80s.

[@ReflectedMiles]

+Simon Michael Benz Which was substantially inferior to the Leaf in capacity and cost and therefore never produced. I have a great appreciation for GM but Nissan takes the trophy for first-to-mass-market innovation.

[@GH-oi2jf]

Yes, GM was first with the EV1, but it was an experimental car, produced in small numbers and only leased. The Volt may not be the first after the EV1, but it’s the best and the 2nd generation is better than the first. A trophy for being first isn’t worth much.

[@eugenefowler5801]

@@GH-oi2jf :New technology makes all the difference,..ie batteries using lithium. Several other tech methods are in the research stage but lithium is for the next twenty years a solid choice.

[@AkaAndyKnuckles]

Really great video! Being a driving instructor in Norway I find it interesting to see both the car and your traffic culture. Keep up the good work!

[@FXIIBeaver]

America's traffic culture sucks. it is idiotic at best.

[@SuperVitz]

Complains about bad drivers. Hogs middle lane. Good review otherwise!

[@Coloradoguy234]

Science requires sacrifice.

[@DustinDawind]

Left lane is for passing. Middle lane is for driving. Right lane is for entering and exiting.

[@jasonyonkers940]

I have a 2016 volt and have done upwards of 60 miles. I've noticed it has a lot to do with temperatures during charging and using the level 2 charger. Then usage naturally has environmental elements for this. In my area there is little traffic and this 55mph on highway with no slowing or stops and perfect weather I've done 59-60 miles.

[@roadrageran]

That was a pretty damn good review! Thank you for taking the time to do that. This is something that no other reviewer would take time to do. Excellent job! Please keep up the good work!

[@millefune]

Tires having to go through water/wet-roads can also be a significant amount as there's a lot more rolling resistance.

[@otm646]

+Kuya Millefune actually a slightly damp road can decrease rolling resistance.

[@millefune]

"Slightly damp" =/= going through water / wet roads, or driving in the rain as was referenced in the video. You're using a small exception in attempt to what? Keep people misinformed and have them think that driving on wet roads will help them?

[@camarosrus3708]

Rain does in fact affect battery range drastically, but not from the water hitting the windshield, but rather from the increased rolling resistance of the tires. The tires have to push that water out of the way as you drive, and the faster you go. and the thicker that layer of water, requires more force and (battery) energy to get you down the road. I've lost 10 miles of range, driving to work in a good rain storm.

[@Somun-a]

Thanks for an informative and fun take on the new Volt. One thing I noticed was your incorrect assumption about the hold mode. It does not completely switch to the gasoline engine. You can see that by switching to the energy flow screen which will show battery power being used during the drive. It can consume pretty significant battery power with aggressive acceleration for instance. That's way you saw 40ish miles at the beginning of your drive. So your EV commute was actually longer than 53 miles :)

[@cgunugc]

How do you possibly drive for an hour without any music? You're a more disciplined man than I. Thanks for your dedication.

[@EngineeringExplained]

+cgunugc Haha unfortunately KZbin won't allow it, so silence it is.

[@talaminia]

+cgunugc easy if you drive a muscle car, but in quiet Volt? He has major dedication!

[@xSorai]

How does that make him disciplined? This is his profession.

[@kimballyankey1742]

+cgunugc Probably a bit easier when you're talking the whole time too

[@bboaze]

Thanks for a great test. I'm still trying to figure out in what part of NC you learned to talk like a Yankee.

[@metal571]

Haha that tidbit about how much energy rain would consume out of the car...only an engineer would think of that haha love your vids never stop making them

[@a55tech]

that should be common sense dude. you also lose mpg if driving through a stream, or is that too shocking for you too?

[@metal571]

+A55tech yeah real shocking, totally shocking for someone who has an MS in engineering. Way to be a dick for no reason whatsoever

[@a55tech]

metal571 Sounds like it was also a shocker that you didn't see the reason. Half life is not engineering.

[@emmanuelsurf]

The best review so far regarding the battery range of the volt. Thanks

[@Cloxxki]

Rain adds drag in rolling resistnace mostly actually. See the Tesla vloggers. And it matters A LOT. Especially at lower speeds where rolling resistance plays a relatively larger role.

[@bledlbledlbledl]

Jay Leno demonstrated a car (on a Tonight Show segment I think), that was all-electric and with a 60 to 100 mile range on a charge. It was built in 1903

[@The.Cycling.Therapist]

Portland eh? That trip towards the east never gets old for me. Used to attend university in Walla Walla. Great content sir. Keep it coming!

[@suggesttwo]

Plug in your block heater to warm up the engine b4 driving when it is cold. This will also reduce the slip losses in an automatic car because the ECM waits till the drivetrain hits a certain temperature to turn on the torque converter clutch. Slip losses can be as high as 45%, 40% for 4spd automatic, 20% for 6spd automatic

[@toddbenfield6546]

I average 65 all the time except the winter👍 love this car✌️

[@FoundingYouTuber]

Excellent test and review. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area I doubt people could use an EV (only) because there's traffic jams that last for an hour. Getting caught in those would result in a disaster. For that reason I think the Volt is the perfect design to eliminate the stress of driving an EV only car. I drove a Volt a few years back as a member of City Car Share. I was very impressed with the car. When I look for a car (living in San Francisco I don't own a car) so I can drive to Sacramento (100 mi one way) and Los Angeles (400 mi one way) for my new venture, I'm considering the newest Volt. Or I may go with a hybrid. I have a few months to decide. (Like millions of folks, I really like the Prius too.) Decisions decisions, made a lot easier with the assistance of KZbinrs like you.

[@13fisherman2007]

+Michael InSanFrancisco an electric vehicle is actually perfect for traffic jams. It uses very little energy while stationary.

[@stardel]

+Michael InSanFrancisco EV's/votls are the best for traffic jams. As you coast you regen, you don't lose electric like you do gas when siting in traffic. I can drive from tarzana, ca to downtown LA about 26miles and use only 12 EV miles in bumper to bumper traffic.

[@donE37100]

You mention rain resistance. I believe most of the resistance is where the tire meets the ground. The added friction of water on the ground and the tire constantly driving thru a thin puddle.

[@ethangee96]

+donE37100 That as well as the fact that some of the power would have been used by the windshield wipers.

[@Endoe.McKronic]

So sad they discontinued this car. My wife is saving a ton of money but not buying gas!! She charges up at work for mere pennies compared to gas.

[@Tactical_Turtle]

Well you have more patience than I. Seeing all those dark clouds in almost ALL your video's is mildly depressing. My geographical and weather commentary aside, great vid, keep em coming. You now have me looking into a Volt as a fuel sipper.

[@teddypatana3155]

so being from the portland area i can verify that your merging statement is 100 percent true hahaha. thank you for finally putting it in words!

[@EdKramer]

We've had a 2017 Volt for almost a year. The entire list of things that have gone wrong with it. 1. One time the GPS crashed (until the next time we started the car). End of list. It has performed perfectly. Driving all highway at 65-70 MPH it has a mileage range in the high 40's. But in typical suburban diving in moderate temperatures, we get an over 60 mile a charge range.

[@Martynchubay15]

Hi Jason I am quiet surprised to know you live in Portland, Oregon area!! its awesome to see youtubers from Oregon!!

[@manoman0]

The Volt's range indicator is the most accurate you can get. If it's not precise it's that it'll go further than it indicates.

[@palakaman]

Something you didn't mention is the temperature outside which will have an impact on your electric range. Also using the brake pedal doesn't use the disk brakes until a certain amount of pressure is applied and from 7mph and slower. You can modulate the brake pedal to get the best regen based on your situation. I'm basing the braking info on the first generation Volt. Also I enjoy the CRG loop that you chose to do.