[MIN FUEL]

So I am getting ready to leave work last night. The temp was 6*C (42*F). Now my boss has been pretty good and has put in a 120V outlet for me. I am still working on the 240V, but I digress. So I live 66 km (41 miles) away from work, and can get to work on a single charge, but the 8 hours I am plugged in is not enough for a full charge to return. So anyway, I get in my Volt and it says I have 44 km (27 miles) of EV range. I set the Nav for the return home ( I know how to find my way, I just like the traffic advisories on route!), and it says, no surprise 66 km. Now if I had a hold button, I would have started the engine right away to get the heat from the engine to help warm the car, thereby increasing my range. Mountain Mode won't work soon enough with the level of charge I started out with. Wouldn't it make sense to have the ability to start the engine at the beginning of my trip for the heat than at the end when the car is already warm?

Or even better. The car knows how much range I have, the car knows the outside temp, the car even knows how far I will be travelling through the NAV, so Chevy engineers why not add a line or two of code that allow the volt to say "Hey, I know he doesn't have enough EV range, and I know he wants to be warm because he set his climate controls, and I know that I am going to have to run the ICE sooner or later, why not now?" There must be an optimum RPM for the ICE with respect to electrical generation. Maybe it would be better to have an option to select a constant low engine speed to generate electricity for only the amount of time necessary. If you are travelling 200 km (120 miles) or so, the engine could maybe idle for a while to generate enough power. Now I know that arriving home with electrons aboard generated by gas is a waste, but they should be able to get pretty close. All the information is already in the Volt, someone just has to connect the dots!

 

[Driverguy01]

agree totally, as ive said before if gm does not do it, some hackers will, eventually. But first, legistlation has to be changed. It would be nice if it happened sooner than later. All windows up at once, also nice option. electric cars need different legislation, so i hope our American and Canadian government wake up soon...

 

[jsmay311]

Second that!

 

[ChrisC]

FYI, for background, here's an article about the heating and cooling systems in the Volt.

http://gm-volt.com/2010/12/09/the-chevrolet-volt-coolingheating-systems-explained/

It's linked (indirectly) in the FAQ -- in the battery temperature item.

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?5801-Frequently-Asked-Questions

 

[Bob_Livonia]

If it's any consolation, your engine will be coming on for heating (when you have battery range) when it gets colder in Ontario. Of course, you can do like I do and just bundle up a bit and set it to "fan only" (I would never do this in the summertime, but rather opt for the A/C cooling). But then again, I'm one of the few people coming to Ontario in the winter for your weather and snow (and cross country skiing) - minus 10 F isn't bad when you're physically active.

 

[bonaire]

The 220v charger, if you get it at work, will be very helpful in allowing for pre-conditioning and remote-start prior to your drive home. Do you use that at home prior to your drive?

 

[Driverguy01]

Im payin 50k for this car, and you say dress warmer??????? NO! Legislation WILL have to change cause yesterdays reality is not todays. I refuse to be treated as if i was not as intelligent as europeans who do get that darn hold button. For a lack of a better word, i should go as far as calling it segregation based on the continent that i live on, and thats very insulting!

 

[mbepic]

But then again, I'm one of the few people coming to Ontario in the winter for your weather and snow (and cross country skiing) - minus 10 F isn't bad when you're physically active.

Wow, are you crazy............I can keep physically active playing racquet sports in Arizona and wearing a tshirt/shorts is much more convenient than dressing up for the Ontario winter; just kiddin' about the 'crazy' part but different strokes for different folks!

 

[scottf200]

Indeed HOLD would work well for this and some of us have mentioned it before.

At ~25F and below the engine should automatically come on for a few minutes but I have never witnessed it because I got my car in Feb (I'm in Chicagoland).

We could just pop the hood for a minute when the car is started and the ICE/GG will run as well. Could run the "instant" electric heaters full blast. Of course, my friends at work would give me a hard time since my hood is open and they think my car is broke. Wait I think the ICE/GG may turn on even if you pop the hood without raising it. May have to double check that.

 

[Krellion]

We could just pop the hood for a minute when the car is started and the ICE/GG will run as well. Could run the "instant" electric heaters full blast. Of course, my friends at work would give me a hard time since my hood is open and they think my car is broke. Wait I think the ICE/GG may turn on even if you pop the hood without raising it. May have to double check that.

I was wondering about this. I was showing a co-worker my Volt (just picked it up yesterday) and showed him how the engine turns on when the hood is raised. After closing the hood, the engine continued to run, even after I got back into the Volt and put it into gear. As I accelerated, I could hear the engine's sound increase as well. I still had plenty of CD range (25+ miles), but the gas level indicator was active, showing that the Volt was in CS mode. I didn't want to use any more gas than I already had (0.03 gal, oh no!), so I rebooted the car so it was back in CD mode. I'm curious as to if it would have stayed in CS mode or if it would have went back to CD mode after a few minutes. I may have to experiment with that. It may be a way to do a poor man's Hold mode.

 

[scottf200]

After closing the hood, the engine continued to run, even after I got back into the Volt and put it into gear.

There is no doubt in my mind that they left the ICE/GG run for their good reasons. Perhaps as a well to diagnose / monitor (via OBD, etc) CS mode. They could have just added an "easter egg" for us (ie. hidden sequence of buttons to hit for our USA HOLD mode!)

 

[tboult]

... After closing the hood, the engine continued to run, even after I got back into the Volt and put it into gear. .... I'm curious as to if it would have stayed in CS mode or if it would have went back to CD mode after a few minutes. I may have to experiment with that. It may be a way to do a poor man's Hold mode.

Nice way to have a heater for a while, but the ICE running with the hood open does not generate electricity (or so says the manual), so you are burning gas an EV.. not really a hold mode. But still might be good if you are parking outside at 0C/32F.

 

[Krellion]

Nice way to have a heater for a while, but the ICE running with the hood open does not generate electricity (or so says the manual), so you are burning gas an EV.. not really a hold mode. But still might be good if you are parking outside at 0C/32F.

Note that I mentioned that the engine continued to run after I had closed the hood and started driving the car.

I'm not expecting it to charge the battery outright (like can be partially done with Mountain Mode), but if it's a way of forcing the car into CS mode while the battery has a high charge, or is even full, it may be of interest to people here.

 

[mfennell]

I can tell you why the car won't refer to your route in making the engine on determination. I they did that, the could fall under the emissions system in the eyes of the EPA with all the warranty requirements baggage that brings.