Weirdly, It Took Me This Long To Drive Drive A Chevy Volt (& Cadillac ELR)!

[@larry4fire]

I bought a Chevy Volt 13 years ago this month. It still feels and drives like new. The base Volt sold for &41K, a lot of money in 2011. The major cost driver was the 16 kWh battery, which GM claims to have costed over $16K to manufacture. Worse yet, GM has no new replacement battery packs available, only refurbished packs. I think it would be great to see GM make the Volt a real classic by making Volt life extension kits consisting of 2 or 4 module Ultium battery packs, an Ultium inverter to power the Volt’s existing motors, and a black box to adapt Ultium to the Volt’s software. The 2 module battery would restore the Volt’s original mileage and eliminate almost 300 pounds, the 4 module battery would more than double the Volts original range yet still be at least 30% lighter. GM claims the Ultium cells costs 1/10 to manufacture than the cells in the Volt. That means a 2 module 17.6 kWh pack should cost less than $2K to manufacture, an 8 module pack would cost twice that. I for one, would be willing to pay $8-10K for a 2 module Volt Life Extension Package, and maybe $3-4K more for a VLEP that would more than double my Volt’s original range. I think the dealers would like this as well as they can sell suspension/steering overhaul work to match the battery life extension kits. BTW, keeping the Volts running for 10 or 15 more years would really reduce the environmental impact of the Volt and make a great marketing statement as to GM’s capability to produce great cars.

[@directorjustin]

While a newer, lighter battery would be nice, I don't think you can just remove 300 pounds of weight without messing up the suspension kinematics.

[@BigWillieFreestyle]

This makes far too much logical sense, therefore GM will never do it. [I bought my mom a 2017 Volt in 2020 and we adore the thing; it has nearly 150k on it and is still chugging along!]

[@davidrishel5746]

Have a 15 Volt. I’d go for the conversion. Like you I love the car.

[@anydaynow01]

I still have >90% battery life left on my 2017 (about 150k km on the battery), when the time comes I really hope someone will make a refurbish kit for it. By then an LFP upgrade should offer just as much if not better range, which is more than enough for me as is, especially since all the extra cooling won't be needed as well as the 80/20% buffer. It looks like GM is going to push a new line of PHEVs soon though, so battery refurbish kits for our cars won't be made from the factory most likely, which is a shame.

[@lplt]

watching the father son banter.... man i need more drives with my dad asap

[@ervin9805]

yeah this put a fat smile on my face

[@igneousc]

I've had the same volt since 2013. The biggest issue I've had is the brake rotors rusting here in the northeast from salty roads and the car sits outside 100%. Had I known about that I would have done some "hard braking" to clear the rust of the rotors periodically, because I drive in L all the time and the brakes get basically no wear in my normal driving. My screen has me at 249 MPG lifetime because the bulk of my driving is under 40 miles, and my car just sits on the 120v charger all the time. Oh I'm also still on the original 12v battery which absolutely amazes me, but I think thats also because it has been on the charger for 98% of its life. Incredible car, I was always shocked at how poorly it did in the market, I got my for low 30s after the 7500 tax credit back then. Also very useful to load stuff with the liftback hatch, I've hauled so much in this car that I never could have done if it was a trunked car like the model 3.

[@igneousc]

oh yea sometime after 8 years I had issues with the front wheel bearings and replaced the myself. I also would blame this on rust, since its a low mileage car. If I could have garaged it I would be interested to see how much less maintenance the car would have needed with less corrosion.

[@dennisschlieckau8723]

2013 volt owner here, the Click/clunk in L is the outer front axle nut being loose. It’s a known issue. The only fix is to replace the Nut and Special Washer.

[@ShastaTodd]

Why would anyone ever use "L"? Anticipating stops and coasting are more efficient.

[@dennisschlieckau8723]

@@ShastaTodd L provides heavier regen breaking to a near stop condition. Almost one pedal driving, but you do need a little brake near the end at a stop. L does nothing with regard to pulling so it’s just like being in D in that regard.

[@rsewill12]

@@ShastaTodd More regen in L. GM has these cars programmed to require the use of the brake pedal to stop once your speed drops to 5 MPH.

[@MugatuJag]

Exactly, and if you let it go on for a while it can mess up the axles, the axles are particularly weak. I replaced both of them on my 2012 and it was buttery smooth. I got them for like 80 bucks a piece

[@markpate9422]

I had a 2015 Volt and LOVED it. It was definitely my gateway to all electric. I only had 1 complaint. I had a 50 mile commute and hated when it ran out of battery every day. It made me sad when it switched to ICE.

[@aPpiknik]

same lol. i would try everything in my power to stay on electric

[@paulrybarczyk5013]

I was the same, but then my Gen-2 Volt could go about 50 miles as an EV ... problem solved! 🙂

[@markpate9422]

@@aPpiknik Same. It's amazing how much you can learn to increase your mileage with speed, weather, tires, etc. Now that I'm all electric, I just drive.

[@doc2w534]

My 2014 Volt was my first EV and the best car I’ve ever owned. I lived in an apartment so I’d actually drive to work on gas. Then charge at work. And drive home on electric. It was a nice compromise.

[@anydaynow01]

Yeah with the amount of room they had for the older batteries, and we can only use 80/20% of it, with a modern LFP blade battery (deeper discharge capability) taking up the same space a 150km range should be possible and more than enough to cover most any commute. But yeah long commutes or not being able to charge daily is where a BEV would be better.

[@ericcindycrowder7482]

I’m glad you like (finally) the Volt. I bought a 2011 Volt brand new and it’s been my DD for almost 13 years. Just want to clarify one thing. When driving in extended range mode with the ICE, the engine will clutch to the wheels at 35 MPH and over with a steady state speed (not accelerating). Years ago some GM person mistakenly said 70 mph and it stuck, but I know as a fact it’s 35 and over. I’ve driven around with scan equipment many times and I can feel when the engine clutches to the wheels. Also FYI the Volt first went on sale in December 2010 as a 2011 model year. Enjoy the Volt.

[@spcneary]

Gen 1 volt will likely be recognized one day as one of the most important EVs of all time. A gen 1 volt with high miles was my first introduction to EVs, I now own 3 EVs. The volt is a gateway drug, I know many folks with an experience like mine.

[@seanplace8192]

You can change the temperature at which the engine will come on. It's somewhere in the settings menu, I believe it was called "Engine assisted heating" and it had two modes "At low temperatures" (Below 32f) and at "At very low temperatures" (Below 15f). I always used the lowest one since I really didn't care about extra battery usage since my daily usage is around 15 miles (Well within even winter battery range). There's also a setting to prevent the engine from running while plugged in. So you should be able to safely precondition the car without having to open the garage door.

[@cbatiau2528]

sounds like GM engineers really thought through the displays on the Volt... sadly, I don't see that on our Toyota, Porsche, and Volvo PHEVs... Porsche ICEs kick in right at freezing (32 deg F), which I hate; Toyota and Volvo will let you go much colder before the ICE comes on.

[@Solkre82]

ERDTT Engine Running Due To Temperature.

[@MauriceNL1]

@@cbatiau2528 It's because the engine is connected to the wheels. When pressing the kickdown you request max power and it will deliver max power, but to do so it needs to use the engine. I agree with you it's very bad even tho manufacturers probably say the engine is build for it. I know the Golf 7.5 GTE runs the engine at idle for a couple of seconds before connecting it to the transmission. My mothers 2015 does not do this yet. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nHKQmYynh52MgZI on this video you can see it.

[@bmw803]

​@@cbatiau2528 But, when the sheep see the Chevy logo, they will automatically label it as a piece of junk and praise the Prius. But the VOLT is a far better car than a prius.

[@rmkep]

I owned 3 Volts up until going Tesla in 2021. My wife used the Volts for commuting and she would regularly be forced to use up the gas in the tank every 9-12 months due to the Volts stale fuel warning. She would plug it into a 100 outlet every night and regain the 38-40 miles. Her commute was 25-30 miles so it was essentially an EV for her use case. They were great cars and I know Chevy lost money on every one they made hence they discontinued the model. One of our daughter is still using the last 2018 Volt and loves it.

[@anydaynow01]

Yeah I only keep around 1/8 of a tank in mine until I go on a road trip for that very reason, the battery is more than enough for me to get around in daily driving. They were planning on using the Voltec system in more vehicles to bring down the costs and would have been better served to put the Voltec system in an SUV or CUV and not a compact sedan since domestic sedans were dying off when this came out, even the regular ICE ones. I think with the death of the Malibu there won't be any more domestic sedans.

[@gsczr1]

Kyle, thanks for your video. A couple of things. First, I had a Volt as a company car and I currently own a 2016 ELR. There both great cars but I would take the ELR. I worked for GM and I remember when Chevy was developing the Volt Propulsion system. I had lunch with Bob Lutz (was an executive with GM) at the time. He told us that the world was watching and Chevy considered this their Moon Shot. It has to be right out of the box. It was. It's a very robust system. By the way, the wood is real not fake. The Volt propulsion system was moved over to the ELR in 2014 with no changes. However, for 2016 Cadillac totally went through the system and increased power and refinement. An example would be like Rolls Royce. They use a BMW V12 engine but Rolls brings it up to their specifications. GM also improved the suspension, brakes, and steering. The 2014 ELR is a fine car but if you can find a 2016 ELR that is in good shape that is the one to own. Cheers!!!

[@PtakLight]

They changed the HPCM2 over to a gen2 volt version but everything else is the same. With that there were more kw available when stomping on it. In the video I think the battery was cold soaked and voltec system was not allowing all the power to be accessed. (91kw is just over 1/2 max power)

[@bwheatley1]

It's really nice to see father & son banter.

[@mkendallpk4321]

Yes, their banter makes me miss my Dad a lot. He was a car guy and I learned so much from him. RIP Dad.

[@thedjtko]

Ditto

[@erickbelmer9350]

My 2012 volt was flawless until an auto accident. Drove mine for 477,000 miles. Best vehicle I've owned because of no planning for my 115 mile one way commute. Averaged 110 mpg.! Great car!

[@daviidfm923]

If the 12 volt hasn’t been changed in the elr recently do it. These cars act REALLY weird with weak / dead 12 volts. Also When it’s cold outside the gas engine will run for a bit to heat up the car but it’s normally really cold like below 32 cold.

[@anydaynow01]

Yep, went an entire winter in the middles states with the range extender heating menu option on and never really saw a change in my fuel level, it just idles the engine for a few minutes at a time to bump up the coolant temp, with it on recirc it goes several minutes before starting again. The only weird thing that happened to me is when my fuel level was really low it wouldn't use the feature, so it wouldn't run the tank dry if the fuel level is down to one bar, but this is on a gen 2 and gen1 might be different.

[@stevenichols4639]

Planetary. “Yes, those are words.” Hilarious. This is right up there with Dave and Kathy and Burns and Allen

[@amadeusb4]

They DID put the Voltec drivetrain in pickup trucks. A company called VIA Motors took Silverados and converted them with Voltec drivetrains. Have no clue what they are up to today but for a time Bob Lutz worked for them.

[@TheDisgruntledMechanic]

been driving a 2011 chevy Volt since I bought it new. still have it. will never get rid of it. even meet Bob Lutz at Checy Volt homecoming with it. it lead me to getting a 2023 Bolt which I just traded in for a 2024 Cadillac Lyric! The Volt started it all! would have been an EV1 to start it all if I could have got one!

[@chriso847]

I still have a 2012 Volt with 122 miles on it. Black leather interior and pearl white exterior with black trim. Looks brand new inside. I am original owner. Runs great. I still get at least 30 miles all electric on one charge. Lifetime mpg is 110 mpg. Most of my driving in the last 11 years have been all electric. If you are ever in Northern CA and want y to I video this one. You are welcome to. I may try to keep this car longer than any other Volt original owner. It has been problem free all these years. I could tell you some stories of hate I used to receive when I first was driving the car around. Fox News was bashing the car every night for about six months and it made a lot of people angry against volt owners.

[@chriso847]

122K miles.

[@kukiroodonnell998]

An underrated feature of these Volts (and presumably the ELR) is just how fun they are to toss around on a backroad. As for the cloth seats, much prefer them over my 2012 Cruze leather seats. Ive taken both on 9 hour road trips and the Volt seats left me far less fatigued. The biggest gripe with the first gen Volt I have is the only 3 inches of clearance on the front air dam- it can and *will* hit everything. A random fun fact on the first gen Volt is the interior accents could be had in a horrible green, and for some reason the first few model years (2011-2012) were sold with black roofs and tailgates only, and was removed for 2013 onward.

[@newscoulomb3705]

8:55 My 2011 was base with the cloth seats, but my 2015 is a Premier with the leather seats. People liked them because of how wide they were, but they lacked bolstering and could have used a bit more padding. Also, the leather seats are extremely hard until broken in, which took probably 10,000 to 15,000 miles for mine.

[@meandmyEV]

I passed on an ELR when I bought my 2017 Volt and I still think about it because I love the way the ELR looks. It is one of my favorite designs of all time. I was being practical. The ELR had slightly higher mileage and was slightly more money for an older car with older tech. It was also a 2 door and I wanted a backup “family” car to my wife’s SUV. The Volt has been fantastic but when I watch these videos I wish I had made the kids cram into the back of the ELR.

[@rsewill12]

Our solution to your dilemma was to buy one of each. My wife prefers our 2013 Volt and I love to drive our 2014 ELR. She bought gas last year for the first time in years (I usually filled it once a year for her) and she had to ask the attendant how to work the gas pump. She said never again! The ELR is our travel car which we have taken to Mexico City and beyond as well as to the U.S. east and west coasts. My only complaint with the ELR is the low profile tires make for a rougher ride. Neither car has had any major issues.

[@TylerPoppe]

The engineering on the OG volt was so cool. I really wish they would have kept with it and spread it out to their other vehicles. I want to say it was Jay Leno's garage, back when he did deep dives, did one on the volt with the engineers. Lots of technical stuff to make the car light and strong while staying affordable.

[@anydaynow01]

Yeah it's crazy that the gen 1 and gen 2 Volts were the most advanced cars GM made up till then until they started work on the C8 E-Ray. They really should have put the Voltec system in a Blazer or Tahoe with updated styling, they would have sold much better, especially since they could have made GMC and Cadillac branded ones where folks would be willing to pay the higher prices. Nobody wanted what was essentially a Celebrity/Cavalier/Cobalt/Cruise that cost that much!

[@benvanmil6761]

If you want to drive the UNICORN of Volts, 2019 Premier with every option, 255,000km and first set of brake pads still in near new condition come to Vancouver Canada, love my Volt and ID4 If you jump in the 2nd Gen Volt the instrumentation reminds you of the ELR....best if two worlds.

[@jiminauburn5073]

My brother had a 2019 Premier Volt. It burned to the ground after about 10K miles. My 2018 LT Volt is still going strong at about 61K miles.

[@tommc3622]

I love my '18 Volt. However, it should have been a 2dr. My head sits behind the front window (I'm only 5'10), and if you open the window at anything over 25mph, an 80mph gale is blasted into your face from the B pillar. ... I'd trade for a 2nd gen ELR in a heartbeat if such a thing existed.

[@anydaynow01]

@@tommc3622 Agreed, one of the best things I did on my '17 was put those rain deflectors on it, really helps with the low speed wind noise and buffeting with the windows down. I would totally trade for a gen 2 ELR also, they only thing that would hold me back is I do like the hatch on mine, with the seats folded forward I can easily fit nearly anything I want back there, it's deceptively huge! With the EV torque I have no issues driving around doing the Carolina Squat with a hatch full of top soil and gravel bags from Loews!

[@rsewill12]

@@anydaynow01 Our ELR will hold two full size suitcases in the trunk and not much else. When we travel we fill the back seat with our stuff plus I carry an unmounted spare tire because the tire is not readily available where we travel. We have had to be hauled into a tire shop 85 miles because that was the closest place that could get a tire in Oklahoma.

[@igeekone]

Such a shame Chevrolet ended the Volt too soon. The second gen is awesome, as it was years ahead of the Prius Prime.

[@mcdjames1]

Had a volt for 10 years, over 100,000 miles, negligible battery degradation and never had to repair it. Only reason I got rid of it was to get something with more ground clearance. It’s a great lil car

[@EzekielElin]

If the car goes straight it’s not alignment, it’s just an off center steering wheel 10:16

[@aaronhodgman]

Your clunk may be loose C/V axle nuts, they very commonly loosen up on first gen volts. I tightened mine a couple times over the years, but they've been good since. Pop the center cap off the wheel and tighten up the nut.

[@anydaynow01]

A guy at work did the same, except he took his off to put on a dab of red thread locker, hasn't had a problem with them since!

[@dhemrick]

I've owned both a 2012 Volt and a 2014 ELR. I still own the 2012 Volt and my son still drives it. Both of them eventually experienced the same issue with the engine running when the battery was fully charged. On the Volt the battery was indeed starting to go bad but wasn't below the threshold where it would cease to function and wasn't throwing any specific codes. I was able to buy a wrecked Volt locally for $1000 and the Chevy dealer did a battery swap for under $2000. The Volt has been perfect ever since. About a year later, the ELR started doing the same thing but again at just under 100K miles, no codes, and wouldn't be under warranty unless it threw codes. I didn't want to go through the same battery transplant for the ELR so I traded it in. I still miss that car because it was so beautiful and comfortable. Your dad's ELR battery is definitely going bad even though it is not showing any codes. Regarding the front end clunk, that is the axel nuts. Take off the center caps and use a torque wrench to tighten them up. Makes a world of difference. This is a common problem with both the Volt and the ELR.

[@ivantuma7969]

... not aggressive at all on the ICE transition - it warms up the engine before it lets you rod it. Recommendation is, if you plan on a trip longer than the battery capacity, make sure you drive on the ICE for at least six miles of your trip to make sure it fully warms up and burns off any moisture in the oil.

[@newscoulomb3705]

42:29 There are a few different triggers in the Voltec system that will automatically bring the engine online, even when the battery is full. One of those is if the hood is opened while the car is turned on, so that could possibly be a broken sensor that's being triggered.

[@aaronchambers2866]

Volt was my gateway car to all electric.

[@audio_tron]

Enjoyed this video. Fell in love with the Volt during a test drive after a Prius test drive really underwhelmed me. Leased a silver base 2014 Volt LT. A few years after the lease, I bought a black 2014 Volt Premier with 46k miles for $10k. Has 86k miles now. Still get factory range here in temperate Los Angeles. Been ultra reliable and fun. Has a solid, confident road feel. It holds tons of cargo. Two unplanned repairs were an axle replacement due to ripped boot (non-warranty) and a software update (warranty) to two computer modules. Black spec, tinted windows. Solid door thunk. Will never let this car go. I hope, in addition to the PHEV truck announcements, that GM resurrects the Volt or at least puts a 3rd gen Voltec drivetrain in more cars.

[@ivantuma7969]

Low mode thump comes from loose hub/axle bolts - a common problem resolved by upgrading the nut and shims from "some" larger GM vehicle. Dealers are aware of the issue.

[@aaronhodgman]

Best year of the Volt, I've been driving a 2015 for 5 years now.

[@myofficegoes65]

There is a quirk about the Volt that you have to watch out for. The drive mode button is just below the start button. To put the car into sport mode, you press the drive mode button twice. If your aim is a little off and you press the start button twice, then you just turned the car off! It's quite the surprise when that happens on the highway.

[@325xitgrocgetter]

The Volt debuted as a 2011 model in 2010. I drove my first Volt at a Team Chevy Test Drive at the Indy 500 in 2011. I was intrigued but couldn't afford the car. In 2015, I purchased a 2012 Volt Premium that was a lease return. In 2019, my son, who learned how to drive in the car was in a winter weather related car accident and totaled the car. He walked away without a scratch. Both of my kids learned how to drive in the Volt and asked that we replace it with another. So, we bought a 2015 lease return and still have it. We only have 60,000 miles on it and I just used it today to commute to my workplace..a 30 mile round trip and didn't use a drop of gas....and had about 8 miles of EV range left over.

[@howellchampagne3856]

This technology would qualify for the 2027 CAFE standard, I think. Chevy could be making money on this car and drivetrain.

[@michael.sierra]

I absolutely loved my 2015 Volt. Such an innovative car. But I can charge at home now instead of just at work sometimes so I traded it in on a Bolt. Still, the Volt is better for many people and I definitely recommend them.

[@DrEarbuds]

great video I enjoyed it . ELR Shape is one of a kind

[@rsewill12]

GM built the ELR almost to match the original modeler’s design. I still average about one compliment a week on my now 14 y.o. ELR.

[@chaseincats]

The "thump" you're feeling in low mode is the transmission torque mount. You can see it directly under the ev drive unit - it looks like a little tennis racket. If you do think of it like a tennis racket, where the 'strings' would be is a rubber piece that is mounted laterally in the racket's frame. when driving, that rubber piece freely moves back and forth as the transmission sends torque. In L mode, you will feel the thump since the motor puts out more instantaneous torque and stronger regen meaning the travel of the rubber piece is further and will bump into the front and back portion of the rackets frame (by design). When in D, since theres less immediate torque/regen, the rubber piece won't move as much/as quickly and thus you won't feel the bump. Getting a replacement will help this but not fully alleviate it - its just part of the car's design. I will recommend getting a genuine GM part from the dealership for this as the rubber from oreilly's generic parts is a lot squishier meaning the thump will actually increase - I made that mistake and ended up tossing the oreillys part and got the genuine GM one instead on my gen1 car. The "voltec" he keeps point at is the DC/AC inverter.

[@voldar70]

I had a 2014 Volt and it was the best car I ever driven. I was mad about GM when they kicked it down the can in 2019. The first was 2011. The Gen 1 is the best. The Gen 2 in 2016 was more of a normal car.

[@MrFastFox666]

I got an ELR about 8 months ago and so far I'm loving it. Mine does have an issue with the battery, cell #56 seems to be failing. Sometimes the car doesn't fully charge, so if your dad's ELR has a bad cell that may be why the engine kicks on early. Also, my ELR doesn't do engine braking at all. When the battery is full it just does way less regen. Only time it did engine braking was when for some reason the HV system disabled itself in the highway (unplugging the BCM and plugging it back in fixed it somehow). Also, mine also has that annoying clunk when driving in L, seems to be some backlash somewhere in the drive train.

[@decaview99]

That is my car!!!!

[@harperlee8387]

I love my volt best car I’ve ever had, they really did a good job engineering the first gen volt its such a special car!

[@spencerledbetter8388]

I just spotted an elr today on the highway in Northern Utah

[@georgepelton5645]

Why did GM discontinue the Volt? It happened when GM discontinued the Chevy Cruze. Sales of the Cruze had dropped significantly, and it likely was a low profit car with production running at full capacity. Therefore, I suspect the Cruze was discontinued due to lack of profitability. Without Cruze production, the cost of the many parts that were shared with the Volt would have doubled, due the the Volt's even lower volume. This made the Volt too much of a money loser for Mary Barra to tolerate, IMO.

[@robcossin4690]

2016 Volt has been perfect, no real issues almost 200,000km.

[@paulrybarczyk5013]

I owned both versions of the Volt and eventually traded the second for a used Tesla. At least 90% of my Volt driving was EV. GM could have done SO MUCH with its drivetrain, but instead they limited it to a tiny low-performance hatchback, then stupidly scrapped it. Who wouldn't want a Silverado or Tahoe that could go 50 miles as a daily EV, yet also do 1000+ mile road trips with no range concerns? I would have bought one immediately, and GM could have offered me that 10 YEARS AGO. But they didn't, so I just traded my third V8 Silverado for a Ford Lightning. My first-ever Ford, and a nice truck!

[@naarealy]

I had a 2013 and I still miss that car even after owning several Teslas.

[@ivantuma7969]

It's an Otto cycle engine - it has a warm-up period when it first turns on. With the thin oil, it warms up pretty quick though. The center display has a comprehensive view "Energy Info" showing your efficiency which is more helpful than the cutesy graphic mode.

[@georgepelton5645]

Technically the Volt and ELR used a Miller cycle engine. Miller cycle is a type of Atkinson cycle that just uses a different cam profile for late intake valve closing with high mechanical compression ratio, vs. the complicated crankshaft mechanism used by the original Atkinson engines. It is used by most hybrids, including the original Toyota Prius. You are correct about Otto cycle, since Atkinson and Miller cycle engines do use the same Otto 4 stroke, with spark ignition, but with modifications to extract more energy from the power stroke.

[@briandonadio4284]

2017 and later Volts are awesome. They were a great “gateway” EV, especially for the time. Perfect example of one option GM should be offering on Trucks/SUVs that may need to tow long distances.

[@stern12akachris32]

GM Had the right idea with this car. The Caddy was to much money as was the Chevy. I will go to the Grave saying if the Volt would of been a Buick it would of been a hit at the Chevy Price Point. People would of paid that price at the time as a Buick. Funny that they finally said that this is going to be their future now vs the all electric aspect

[@newscoulomb3705]

4:45 The fuel system is pressurized, but the button is the flap release (it's locked shut and cannot be opened from the outside).

[@drmcf1]

Loved mine. Bought it new. Gen 1. The electric motor died at 210K. First car I ever sold for salvage while still having a $3000 repair bill to pay. Expensive learning but it was fun while it lasted.

[@drmcf1]

By the way. For you Gen 1 owners, the A/C compressor cools the motor so if the A/c goes out, everything is melted.

[@anydaynow01]

@@drmcf1 And the battery pack and power electronics for the gen 2. Great for battery longevity but once it goes that's it!

[@ImagineGTAVI]

I don't understand how you owed $3000 for repairs when you salvaged it...?

[@dr.markc.ferris8834]

@@ImagineGTAVI Simple. The dealership diagnose a bad A/C compressor. You wait two months for the special variable compressor. They install it. Restart the car and the fried drive motor codes pop up next. When the compressor fried it took the motor with it as it was essential for cooling but the car shut down before the motor codes were logged. Gotta love technology!

[@srinivasvoruganti4736]

I have the same with premium trim, fully loaded ,85%ev driving 15% gas,i like the handling , no issues, minimal maintance. Finally you went back in time.

[@KaiPonte]

Good video as usual. "Because this is GM - it is what they do. The bring the absolute best of technology and then abandon it." I absolutely loved the concept of the Volt car. I would have bought one many years ago, but being 6’4” with two kids, the Volt was a non-starter. It was for me a 2+2. Definitely liked the V1 better than the V2.. I did end up purchasing a 2016 Chevy Malibu with the Voltec engine and drove that for 100,000 miles. Never understood the ELR. I do wish GM made a midsize or larger vehicle with the larger battery and a gas range extender. Your dad is so patient.

[@thewaterboy2013]

With my 2016 Volt what I observed in winter is that it would run the engine till the coolant lines reached around 200F, then the engine would shutoff and then restart once the temps dipped below 120F.

[@cbatiau2528]

Kyle, you make me smile (13:50) when you say you wish that your Rivian had a generator engine.... It sounds like you're getting converted more towards the practicality of PHEVs over the last year or two, which you always have said you don't like... 🙂 ... Your PHEV reviews got me to buy my '22 XC60 T8 ER, and have gotten me to pare down my list of next vehicle to either the new Cayenne E-Hybrid or the GLE 450e. The Macan 4 or Taycan CT4 are in my future plans, but not for another 3-4 years after I get my next (and probably final) PHEV... PHEVs are awesome for those of us who do 30-40 miles a day of local driving in all-electric but who also spend a couple months a year on long road trips... perfect vehicles when done right. I just wish that Porsche and Volvo and Toyota would all bring in the nifty energy-distribution and ICE-vs.-electric-motor range/power displays that the 2015 Volt has there!

[@slider7149]

I want to thank you i have followed you through several channels but you have helped me as a avid combustion engine car guy to get into EV.

[@aaronchambers2866]

We need more of these videos, no set script or plan of sorts. Lot of good Dave/kyle back and forth.

[@williamcampbell435]

I owned one of these. The engine is running to heat up the battery. Once the battery is at temperature then you will be all battery.

[@schultp]

I wonder if this is analogous to the ERDTT in a Volt (Engine Running Due To Temperature) which runs the engine when the ambient temp and engine are cold?

[@anydaynow01]

If you liked this, you need to try a gen 2, they were way ahead of their time and would've sold a lot more if they put the Voltec system in a CUV/SUV, domestic sedans don't sell. Out of 150k km on mine, I might have 15k km on the range extender, way under used. The ICEs are designed for stop/start even back then, also the reason you didn't hear the engine at first when it started is because it goes in an idle mode to circulate oil before it loads. The Gen 2 also had more interior space, I took home a 165cm TV box and all home from the store in mine, yes I was able to close the hatch! Also most of the gigantic battery pack size was due to active cooling and the 80/20% battery buffer (I still have >90% of my battery life!).

[@georgepelton5645]

Thanks Kyle and Dave for this video. It sure brings back memories, and you have a great father-son banter. I bought an early 2011 Volt, and also a 2014 Volt. They were great cars and I loved every minute with them. The ELR is truly beautiful, but the cost and practicality were not competitive with the Volt when new. It is the same now for Dave's used cars. The ELR was 3x as expensive, and it needs expensive repairs. The Volt is more practical and has more EV range, for a lot less money. It would be great if Dave could donate the ELR to a good car museum, like the Revs Institute in Naples. If they would repair and maintain it, and also let Dave drive it occasionally, that would be a good outcome.

[@newscoulomb3705]

My 2015 Chevy Volt is also a one-owner car. 😀

[@claudiag.2055]

man oh man, we had a 2013 volt, 2016 ELR and 2018 Volt, amazing vehicles. Traded the Gen 1 Volt at 41 K miles, 95% electric, the ELR at 53 K miles, 92 % electric and still have the Gen 2 Volt, charging to 70+ miles in the warm months, 92 % electric. Such a shame such tremendous pieces of engineering were abandoned instead of being added to each vehicle sold by the general...

[@DS-mz7dy]

Really fun you guys! Always drive in "sport!" I would encourage you to drive a Gen 2 version of the Volt and compare the performance.

[@anydaynow01]

A gen 2 premier at that, along with a long time gen2 driver who can properly explain the features and menu options. There were several times in the video where they didn't know how to operate the vehicles or realize what they were doing in the various modes.

[@MylesV]

Loved my 2015 Volt, my least favorite thing was the relatively poor fuel economy when the battery was depleted. Sold it around 110k miles, it started doing what this ELR does where sometimes the engine would turn on even with a full battery. I’m confident mine was a battery aging problem, the cell voltages were all over the place when I checked. Mine had a tendency to get knocked out of alignment very easily, must be a Volt thing.

[@steverolfeca]

One of my few automotive regrets, is that I slept on the last-gen Volt. A clean, low-mileage example would have been a fantastic value in a hybrid.

[@dougholmes6631]

So awesome! Love the banter between the two of you.

[@ThomasWilliams-ee6li]

We're on our second Volt; a 2012 and a 2017. They've both been great cars.

[@Bluesayshello1]

I bought the Prius plug in when it first came out, and a friend bought a volt, and over time I grew to envy that larger electric only range

[@CJ-rk5eg]

The Volt was a great bridging technology - a friend had kept his for over 80k miles. 2/3 of miles were electric. Overall efficiency was 80+ mpg during the 9 years of ownership as a new vehicle. If you stayed within the 35-40 miles of range, and daily charged it, you never had to fill it up and could enjoy you a BEV type of driving experience.

[@jiminauburn5073]

With our 2018 Volt we get about 50 miles on electric. We charge in the garage each night. 94% of our 61K miles have been on electric.

[@CJ-rk5eg]

@@jiminauburn5073 excellent you are using it as designed

[@jeffreff2000]

I had a volt 2013 volt. If I remember correctly there was setting for heating boast from the engine if the temperature was below a certain level. That is probably what happening.

[@anydaynow01]

Yep, it's a menu option on the gen 2, helps stretch the battery range in the winter by idling the range extender for a few minutes at a time.

[@rsewill12]

Unlikely. When the engine runs due to temperature it fast idles. More likely the ELR is having traction battery issues. Bite the bullet and take it to a dealer for a diagnosis.

[@sjokomelk]

The pack was 16.5kWh when new, with 10,5kWh available to the driver. Big buffer in the top and bottom for the hybrid drive to work as intended. There are 3 motors in this this, all connected to a planetary gearbox. One 110kW electric motor that is the main motor, a 55kW electric motor that is used as the generator, starter for the combustion engine, and also as a motor in some cases, and the 63kW 1.4 liter engine. I bought mine new in 2013 loving all the nerdy tech. And it was a game trying to use as little fuel as possible. 😀 I still miss the car to this day, and I just found out it was scrapped 4 weeks ago. 😥

[@madrigale6396]

They are great cars, espcially the gen 2s, its a shame they dont make them anymore. The Prius Prime is the closest on offer and honestly it doesn't match up.

[@carrollvance]

Love my 2019 Gen2. Transmission L mode is the best, one foot acceleration and braking. Will be hard to go back to a car without one foot braking. Love the highway acceleration at 120 KW full throttle.

[@mhigham1]

Still have my 2014 Volt and it’s never had a single thing go wrong and still looks and feels solid after 10 years. They had a big budget building this with some bailout money and it shows.

[@DCSIDPA]

I had a 2012 Volt. I liked the car. It got about 45-70 (70 miles from Prescott, AZ to Phoenix, AZ - All downhill) miles per charge depending on where I was driving. When the ICE mule kicked in, I still got around 40 mpg. Only problem was that the ICE was a bit noisy. I was all set to buy a new 2018 Volt, but the dealer wouldn't budge on price and all he had were base models. Chevrolet also took away the integrated turn signals in the R & L rearview mirrors and the Homelink. Turns out it was the right move. Chevrolet dumped the Volt after the 2018 model year.

[@lowfuel6089]

I had a volt in its first model year, it was my first "ev". Loved it except for the weird pressure sensitive touch buttons. Build quality was really impressive. What bugged be though, weirdly, was that there was just something so frustrating every time the gas engine came on. I've heard this from other owners as well. You just wanted so much to be on electric all the time, and whenever the engine revved up and your average mpg started to drop it would just grate on you. It had enough EV range to cover like 60% of my driving, whereas the i3 was good for 95%, so even though its drivetrain wasn't as refined, I still preferred it.

[@taminatorv]

This is taking me back! My first plug-in car was a 2011 Volt. My car was so early that Chevy sent me a welcome package with a book on Volt development and a Volt branded Flip Cam. I once went over 9000 miles before buying gas for it. And yes, the seats sucked.

[@TheDisgruntledMechanic]

still have my book and camera and a Volt model I was also given.

[@thegrimmperspective]

Hey Kyle, we have some similar taste. I love driving my ELR and I recently purchased my wife the Launch Edition of the Polestar 2. Got it for a steal! Under $25K and the the instant $4K federal tax credit. Having owned (3) Chevrolet Volts 1st Generation and (1) ELR 2014, there is no comparison that the ride quality of the ELR is hands down better than the Volt. I owned each of the Volts for about a year and drove the ELR for nearly 7 years. That's over quarter of a million miles driven over 10 years. The seats on the Caddy are 20 way controlled. If you're slipping in the seat, I don't doubt they may need cleaned but you might want to adjust the bolsters. The ELR is considerably heavier than the Volt. The MY 2014 didn't make use of the ICE while in sport mode like the 2016 model year. The charging issue of the other gentleman's ELR was an expensive repair for a couple of ounces of coolant. That is a well know issue for both the Volt and ELR. Since last fall my ELR will no longer go down to a range of 0. It had normally been garage stored but I let my son drive it this past winter. High temperature demands, in it's current state will alway initiate the ICE. I'm waiting for temperatures to increase and make it my daily driver once again. At 180K miles, it now is essentially a typical hybrid vehicle and getting 35+ mpg. I will no longer plug it in as the battery is in poor condition. I recently took it to my dealer and there were no software updates, resets, etc. Their initial quotes for a remanufactured battery was $15K-$20!! I stopped them immediately and said it wasn't going to happen. I mentioned the last statement in a forum and was offered $3K! I laughed. I can part out the car and get nearly that amount for the headlights alone!! I don't know anyone that has more experience driving the ELR as myself. I can't wait to drive it again. The best commuter car ever.

[@PtakLight]

With any of these voltec systems it's best to ABC (always be charging). While the ELR charges to about 92% versus The volt 86?%. The battery degradation of driving your ELR with a depleted battery is much worse than putting it into mountain mode after a full charge. You will get 9-20 miles EV (depending on your driving habits) and then the ICE will happily keep the battery around 50% SOC instead of depleted (18%SOC)

[@anydaynow01]

@@PtakLight Yeah I definitely lost a few hundred Whr during Covid when I didn't realize the Volt wasn't plugged in and both batteries were completely flat, I had to jump it to even get it to charge! Once I got everything back charged up I realized my battery went from just about 14 kw-hr usable to 13.8 just from sitting for a few days dead. Now I do the mountain mode trick if I know I'm going to be driving around for a while on a dead battery (road trips) and haven't noticed any degradation since.

[@PtakLight]

@@anydaynow01 I put a 100,000 mi on my 15 in the past 4 and 1/2 years. Just about to do another trip up to the Pacific Northwest and over the continental divide that should put around 4000 mi on it. Don't get a whole bunch of chances to charge during those road trips and just keep it and hold mode unless I'm in the small towns under 40mph

[@CJ-rk5eg]

Love watching them haggle over the price of the ELR😅

[@williamconrad1087]

It is still the future because Ram is using this system on its Ramcharger pickup.

[@anydaynow01]

Also GM is realizing they can leverage their limited battery supply to sell way more HEV/PHEVs that BEVs to bring down their CAFE rating, like Toyota is doing with it's hybrids. A Voltec Silverado with an Ultium battery and 80-100 km of EV range would be pretty awesome!

[@gerrylum]

I loved my 2014 Chevy Volt. That was a quality vehicle. Unfortunately, it was also the transitional vehicle that showed me that range anxiety wasn't really a thing for me and I did most of my driving within the electric range of the Volt. After a few years of owning it, I moved into a full EV.

[@PetePH]

Every time I watch you two in the video, I can’t help laughing. Kyle, you got a dad who likes to steals the show.😂

[@chrisstoddard1144]

I commuted in a 2013 Volt for 6 1/2 years with a 36 mile roundtrip. I could do it all electric 9 months of the year and used hold mode on the return leg to give me engine heat and compensate for the battery heater's draw. I was very happy with that car until it got totaled by a red light runner. We now have a Honda Clarity PHEV, which we use for road trips. With respect to its engineering, the Volt program was underway when the GM bankruptcy happened. GM opted not to cancel it, to our benefit.

[@thenerdyarab7622]

Kyle needs to drive a Gen2. Many improvements over Gen1. I had both.

[@sharylschlieckau734]

I have a 2014 ELR and love it -- have only purchased nine tanks of gas since owning. All my drives are short and the electric does it all pretty much.

[@evibes512]

I still have my 2014 Volt. Was my first 'EV' and I still use it around town. Great car for commuting and not really worrying about charging as long as you have a place to plug it in over night. Don't really need level 2 if you don't have extra space in your panel for breakers or only have 100 amp service. Son will likely take the Volt to college. My dad just picked up a 2023 Escape PHEV with the same range as the Volt but in a bigger package. GM should have made a Voltec Trax or Equinox.

[@AaronStarkLinux]

Yes, it's the ELR for me. That's a beauty right there. Kyle, you have to buy it for sure.

[@PetePH]

The premium trim has a really good BOSE sound system too. This is a solid built car!

[@sharylschlieckau734]

You can replace that CUE screen yourself (we did)...it's available at Amazon and not that expensive. The self replacement is a trick but can be done vs. paying $1500-1700 at dealer.

[@darrinv6798]

Love my Gen I Volt (2013). Had a 2014 ELR too. I traded the ELR for a Taycan when i realized i was toting the weight of an engine around for months on end.

[@anydaynow01]

Around here I would rather carry a hundred or so kg of ICE and a few liters of fuel, than hoard 4x the batteries I don't need for daily driving and can't charge easily on road trips hence why I'm holding onto my gen 2 Volt. The Taycan is a nice car, huge step up in quality from a compact GM sedan!

[@SteveBornholtz]

The 2016 Volt, which is the limited version of the Gen 2, is a more simplified car when it comes to the placement of controls. It does have paddle regen on the Gen 2. The fin and the screen of the ELR reminds me more of my Volt. They did change them further on the 2018 which looks a little more like the bolt display. Gen 2 is a bit faster than Gen 1 when accelerating.

[@newscoulomb3705]

16:26 It was actually available as early as Nov/Dec 2010, which is crazy. I got mine mid-2011. It definitely felt like the future at the time, but it aged very quickly. By the time I got my Bolt in 2016, the Volt already felt like an old car, especially after not driving it for a while.

[@flyordieinafire]

Maybe it kicks on the engine to warm it up for later?

[@naarealy]

GM was early to EVs with the EV1 then they killed it. They were early to plug-in hybrids... then they killed it. Now GM is rushing to bring hybrids back to market... 🤯

[@newscoulomb3705]

10:44 Full power should be ~111 kW, and it should do that all the way to 0% battery. The buffer on these is quite large (over 30%). My 2015 displays ~10.9 kWh used from 100% to 0% with a 17.1 kWh gross capacity battery pack.

[@michaelprichard3258]

On my 2014 elr it tends to run the engine, I think the battery heater is dead might be causing it.

[@ProfessorHamer]

Ignore the mpg values, I believe they count electric miles as infinite mpg, so the average is somewhat meaningless

[@Theoneandonlyearthhuman]

Very cool to do this with your dad, I wish mines was still alive😢