[hex5b4a]

I think the Volt is a great car, but my 2017 Volt never charges anywhere near capacity. My typical charge is 43-45. I got 50 miles once! My overnight charge last night was 41! I just finished charging at my office and it reads 40! The temperature last night and this morning is high 40's /50 degrees.

The car is charged through a 240 and is done outside both at the office and at home.

Is there an issue with my battery? There is another Volt that charges at the office and they get a much higher number of miles indicated. I asked the service manager at my Chevy dealer and he didn't really know but said the battery may need "breaking" in. Sounds ridiculous.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Steverino]

Normal.

A fully charged battery is indicated by all the bars being green NOT by the ESTIMATED miles it thinks you will be able to drive on a full charge. The other driver is driving more efficiently than you, hence the higher range ESTIMATE the car is giving. See the battery range estimate FAQ here: http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?105521-Li-Ion-Battery-Charging-amp-Battery-Managment-System-FAQ-s

The dealer is clueless, there is no battery break-in period.

 

[Henry_FL]

There is another Volt that charges at the office and they get a much higher number of miles indicated. .

Your likely driving high speed on the interstate with lots of heat on, the other driver isn't

 

[DonC]

A battery break in period? Yeah, that's ridiculous. In fact the battery with the highest capacity is a new battery. However, as the tires are broken in you should see your range increase. The tires make a big difference, and new tires can definitely cut the range a bit.

But as Steverino says there is likely no issue with the battery. It's December so temps are lower. Drive a bit more slowly and/or when the temps warm up you'll see your range estimate climb. No worries.

 

[Arcanox]

The only thing I can think of that the service rep might have meant is that it takes a bit for the Volt to "learn" your driving habits and its range. It's constantly updating the range estimate based on the kWh stored in the battery, and the miles/kWh efficiency based on your driving style. When I bought mine used with very low mileage, it took a while for it to learn my driving style. I drove about 10 miles with it saying "45 EV Miles" before it actually went down at all.

EDIT: I should mention that the same goes for the fuel range rating. Mine told me I had just over 200 miles on a full tank until I actually started driving with the engine running, at which point it promptly learned that I can go well over 300 miles on a full tank.

 

[mrp2004]

When my wife drives, the EV range Full is 41 miles and next day with me driving it goes up to 48 EV range full but I got 56 miles driving EV most of the time

 

[flyingsherpa]

This is a common question here from new owners... it helps to think of the battery like a very small gas tank, around 1 gallon. Have you ever tracked your mileage on any other car? Notice how it changes based on what you do? All highway = great mileage. Stop and go city traffic = bad mileage. Summer = good, winter = bad (takes longer for engine to warm up to efficient operating temperature. So if your ICE car had a range of 24-32mpg (like my last car) depending on conditions, why would you expect an EV to be any different? EVs are just different in that they will get better range in stop'n'go city traffic (unless you're blasting the heat) than highway, but you'll learn over time what makes your range go up and down. Just realize batteries aren't as efficient in cold weather, and using heat affects range significantly. I live in the same area as you and my range has already dropped by 20% because of the colder temps and heat usage. It goes back up in the spring. Your ICE car also had a drop (albeit probably smaller) in the winter, but it's less noticeable because the tank is bigger.

The other Volt at your office likely uses less heat, has a commute route that is lower speed, or drives more conservatively than you.

 

[BAZINGA]

I see you live in Connecticut. Winter and cold temps will greatly reduce the number of miles for will get from a charge. Next spring/summer you will singing a different tune when your "lost range" returns.

Ops normal.

 

[ChevyEMF]

And don't forget tire inflation. Most on this site recommend higher than the manual, about 40 psi, to maximize mileage without compromising driveability and tire wear. Also, you'll have to adjust this between the warm and cold seasons.

 

[rand49er]

Your likely driving high speed on the interstate with lots of heat on, the other driver isn't

Bingo!!!!!

 

[Splitting Atoms]

I tend to get my worst mileage in the 30s/40s because the ERDTT isn't kicking in. As such, it represents a maximum load for the heating loads of the car (unless I use the defer mode). I think you're likely getting what you should, especially considering the way you nutballs drive up there

 

[quirkySquirt]

You know, this reminds me of a coworker who set my mind at ease when I first bought my Volt. I was telling him about one of the issues to look for is recognize the GOM for what it is--pure estimate, nothing absolute. He says, "no duh, my car does the same thing with the MPG readout." It all depends on your drive: terrain, behavior, vehicle condition, and accessories running.

Coming from an ancient Nissan Maxima ICE, I didn't have the luxury of a MPG readout so seeing day-to-day MPG fluctuations isn't possible.