GM Volt Forum banner
21 - 29 of 29 Posts
@Sheldon How many miles on yours?

@Jeffydahmy Mine showed something similar before sw is updated. I guess at first they messed up the sw and used Gen1 battery capacity numbers for 2016/early 2017 models. You can ask the dealer if they would check/update for free and/or you can consider a DIY. It could also be a degradation of course, especially if you cannot get more than 50miles at mild weather with no cabin heating.

yes the BECM (battery engine control module) is covered under warranty. There was a parts shortage earlier and repairs were waiting months for the part; now its typically a couple of weeks. I think GM now gives a loaner with the BECM repairs.


Mine has 13% degradation and shows 12.1 kwh - 12.5kwh when drained so in mild weather (it is Texas here so mild weather is right now), I can average 46 miles of range in mixed city/highway, and maybe 50 miles if I turn off the AC and drive all city roads. When it was new I typically saw the advertised 53 mile range in mixed city/highway driving in summer and mild weather.
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
Your KW used does not vary with outside air temp or if your heater is on. You milage per KW will vary with these variables. I was able to use ~13-13.5kw since new. ~160K miles driven on a 2017. I recently had a software update and now ~12kw usable. Has anyone else experienced this reduction following a service? Or update. Just curious. I I still love this car. Even more now with gas through the roof.
I bought my car used and it was serviced and updated prior to my purchase . It gets 12-12.4 kw and with weather being better now I get 45-50 miles of charge . It’s a 2016
 
Discussion starter · #23 ·
@Sheldon How many miles on yours?

@Jeffydahmy Mine showed something similar before sw is updated. I guess at first they messed up the sw and used Gen1 battery capacity numbers for 2016/early 2017 models. You can ask the dealer if they would check/update for free and/or you can consider a DIY. It could also be a degradation of course, especially if you cannot get more than 50miles at mild weather with no cabin heating.
It had been updated before I purchased it used . Has 77000 miles and now that the weather is better (50-60 degrees outside) I’m regularly getting 45-50 miles on a full charge and without using a/c or heating . I appreciate the responses everyone I’m more then happy with this car and now I’m not as worried about the battery . The update seems to have been the reason for the 12 kw usable energy . But the weather along with using defrost with heater made the miles lower . Also I started using HOLD mode on freeway and NORMAL mode in city
 
I recently purchased a used 2016 volt with 77000 miles on odometer.When fully charged and then fully depleted my kWh is showing only 12-12.2 kWh . The temperature outside is around 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit . I don’t use heater often and I drive nice and slow in the city only . When on freeway I use HOLD mode to save battery . I thought I would get closer to 50 miles on a full charge and 13-14 kWh on a full battery . Please help me understand why . Could this be battery degradation? Any help is very much appreciated .
I get the same 12-12.1 kWh on my 2016 volt as well. I attribute this to battery degradation... whether it is or not, I don't know.
 
I get the same 12-12.1 kWh on my 2016 volt as well. I attribute this to battery degradation... whether it is or not, I don't know.
I used to get 12kWh and around 50miles. After the update I get 14kWh, 50 miles. 2016s and 2017s def need the update to show proper kWh.

It had been updated before I purchased it used . Has 77000 miles and now that the weather is better (50-60 degrees outside) I’m regularly getting 45-50 miles on a full charge and without using a/c or heating . I appreciate the responses everyone I’m more then happy with this car and now I’m not as worried about the battery . The update seems to have been the reason for the 12 kw usable energy . But the weather along with using defrost with heater made the miles lower . Also I started using HOLD mode on freeway and NORMAL mode in city
What is your average EV speed when you get 45-50miles? With decent weather 50-70F, lower than 45mph speeds normal battery should get 60+ miles.
 
I used to get 12kWh and around 50miles. After the update I get 14kWh, 50 miles. 2016s and 2017s def need the update to show proper kWh.
I don't really watch the estimated range or kWh used...because I know it is not accurate. For example, if I switch to hold mode when driving on the highway, then switch back to normal mode when I enter the city, the car keeps counting the normal mode miles as gas miles for a while... so since the engine is not running anymore, it appears I'm getting great gas mileage when I'm actually not. So for example, as a Canadian, our method of gas consumption is measured in L/100km. If I leave the highway and switch to normal mode, the display will say I've achieved 5.4L/100km, but if I watch the display for a couple of km's, the gas consumption will drop to 4.8L/100km even though hold mode is off and the car is fully running on battery. I'm aware that there is an update to fix this, but at this point, I don't really care as I don't have the time or the money to get the dealership to fix something that should really be a free update to fix a software bug.

I'm less worried about battery degradation and more worried about the engine. As the battery continues to degrade, as all batteries inevitably do, we will be relying more on the engine to provide power. It scares me reading some of the issues in the Problems forum.
 
For example, if I switch to hold mode when driving on the highway, then switch back to normal mode when I enter the city, the car keeps counting the normal mode miles as gas miles for a while...
That very well could be correct operation - if you had kinetic energy stored up (in a fast travelling 2 ton vehicle), any energy put into the battery during regenerative braking is 'gas miles' that will be taken out while normal mode is selected but SHOULD be counted as gas miles. Any energy that came from gasoline = gasoline miles even if expended in Normal mode.

-Charlie
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeffydahmy
for what it's worth, my 2016 volt is now 8 years old with 170,000 kilometers.
when i first got it, i was getting about 104 kilometers per charge.

after 8 years, it appeared to go down to 75 kilometers per charge.
i chalked it up to battery decline.

until i changed my brake pads front and rear this summer.
i am now getting 90 kilometers per charge.

who would have thought i've been fighting with friction with worn out brake pads thinking my battery was going bad!
 
when i first got it, i was getting about 104 kilometers per charge.

after 8 years, it appeared to go down to 75 kilometers per charge.
But you could check the KWh used since the last full charge on a fully depleted battery. You'd see, that the battery still gives about the same capacity it gave when you had 104 Km. That'd mean, that something changed the consumption of your vehicle. That could be weather, driving style or malfunction (rubbing pads).

My 67500 Km 2017 shows about 12.6 KWh and still has about 105 Km of range. So, it's about 12 KWh per 100 Km or 8 1/3 Km per 1 KWh.

You can check KWh now. I guess you'll see about 10.8 KWh there, as you get 90 Km out of it.
 
21 - 29 of 29 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top