[JoeReal]

Of course I expected it to, it's just an estimate, but I think it's too much dancing.

And so I was down to 1/5th tank of original dealer's gas on my 2017 Volt and I went for a refill at CostCo on the 2nd day of the year. I put about 6.5 gallons. My goodness, I was having a difficult time loading gas after 5 months! The gas dispenser won't stay put in the opening, I have to hold it, out there in the cold! This is really worse than plugging it in. Maybe I don't know how to operate it now.

I looked at the estimated gas range right after fill-up, wow, it was 512 miles! Then I drove it for 2 miles on battery power only, the gas range went down to 510 miles. By the time I reached home, after 2 miles more using battery only, the gas range went further down to 483 miles. Hmmmmm... there were gremlins somewhere sipping gas from the tank.

Then after the off-peak recharging, I drove the car today, the estimated gas range went down to 472 miles and my battery range is 58 miles. I drove it for 40 miles on pure electric, and now my estimated gas range is 466 miles. I recharged at work and drove the car to get some coffee, now my gas range is 476 miles when I plugged it in.

I know range estimates are just estimates and it shouldn't be dancing as much. This is very weird. Anyway, my MPG cs started out at 38 from the dealer, then at the end of 4 months and forward, it stabilized to about 58.5 MPG cs.

Now I trust more the EV range estimates than the gas range estimates.

 

[Arcanox]

Of course I expected it to, it's just an estimate, but I think it's too much dancing.

And so I was down to 1/5th tank of original dealer's gas on my 2017 Volt and I went for a refill at CostCo on the 2nd day of the year. I put about 6.5 gallons. My goodness, I was having a difficult time loading gas after 5 months! The gas dispenser won't stay put in the opening, I have to hold it, out there in the cold! This is really worse than plugging it in. Maybe I don't know how to operate it now.

I looked at the estimated gas range right after fill-up, wow, it was 512 miles! Then I drove it for 2 miles on battery power only, the gas range went down to 510 miles. By the time I reached home, after 2 miles more using battery only, the gas range went further down to 483 miles. Hmmmmm... there were gremlins somewhere sipping gas from the tank.

Then after the off-peak recharging, I drove the car today, the estimated gas range went down to 472 miles and my battery range is 58 miles. I drove it for 40 miles on pure electric, and now my estimated gas range is 466 miles. I recharged at work and drove the car to get some coffee, now my gas range is 476 miles when I plugged it in.

I know range estimates are just estimates and it shouldn't be dancing as much. This is very weird. Anyway, my MPG cs started out at 38 from the dealer, then at the end of 4 months and forward, it stabilized to about 58.5 MPG cs.

Now I trust more the EV range estimates than the gas range estimates.

Your car is magic! I only get 45 MPGcs on mine; I haven't driven it in California weather yet, though

If you haven't used your ICE much, it's definitely going to have a hard time estimating the efficiency of it. You could drive in HOLD for a day or two and see if it stabilizes. I've never seen my "gas miles" go above 380 or so...I'm jealous!

 

[SharkVolt]

When cold weather/heater use hits, the Volt adjusts the range estimate of BOTH types of fuel, on the fly, so to speak.
Both estimates will go back up if/when conditions, or your driving, improve

 

[rhodomel]

I noticed this dancing of gas range too, but the fluctuations is not that great, varying only by +/- 15 miles on full tank. I guess, my MPGcs is closer to 42, so I have a much better gas range estimate than yours.

 

[acarney]

Wow, be happy at least it's "guessing" super high. I've never seen mine above 380 on full gas/battery, granted it's been fairly stable at that. I don't have much driving on the engine so far, but maybe a total of 500 miles. ~300 of those a highway day trip I took (averaged about 36 mpg) and the rest around town when weather has been just dang cold (0 to 25F) and have averaged probably 32 mpg. The other day driving in snow (so fairly slow and safe driving, but a lot of drag) I averaged 28 (!) mpg over a 10 mile trip on the gas engine.... :-/

 

[2VoltFamily]

Of course I expected it to, it's just an estimate, but I think it's too much dancing.

And so I was down to 1/5th tank of original dealer's gas on my 2017 Volt and I went for a refill at CostCo on the 2nd day of the year. I put about 6.5 gallons. My goodness, I was having a difficult time loading gas after 5 months! The gas dispenser won't stay put in the opening, I have to hold it, out there in the cold! This is really worse than plugging it in. Maybe I don't know how to operate it now.

I looked at the estimated gas range right after fill-up, wow, it was 512 miles! Then I drove it for 2 miles on battery power only, the gas range went down to 510 miles. By the time I reached home, after 2 miles more using battery only, the gas range went further down to 483 miles. Hmmmmm... there were gremlins somewhere sipping gas from the tank.

Then after the off-peak recharging, I drove the car today, the estimated gas range went down to 472 miles and my battery range is 58 miles. I drove it for 40 miles on pure electric, and now my estimated gas range is 466 miles. I recharged at work and drove the car to get some coffee, now my gas range is 476 miles when I plugged it in.

I know range estimates are just estimates and it shouldn't be dancing as much. This is very weird. Anyway, my MPG cs started out at 38 from the dealer, then at the end of 4 months and forward, it stabilized to about 58.5 MPG cs.

Now I trust more the EV range estimates than the gas range estimates.

Is that gas range or total range?

 

[JoeReal]

Wow, be happy at least it's "guessing" super high. I've never seen mine above 380 on full gas/battery, granted it's been fairly stable at that. I don't have much driving on the engine so far, but maybe a total of 500 miles. ~300 of those a highway day trip I took (averaged about 36 mpg) and the rest around town when weather has been just dang cold (0 to 25F) and have averaged probably 32 mpg. The other day driving in snow (so fairly slow and safe driving, but a lot of drag) I averaged 28 (!) mpg over a 10 mile trip on the gas engine.... :-/

Thanks. Yeah, California can feel like paradise compared to your winter temps.

I used to own a Chevy Cruze Eco Trim, and I get about 60 mpg on it and an estimated gas range of 615 miles after fill-up. It's EPA mpg is between 19 (city) to 39 (Highway). I'm now pushing my Volt the same way. I have pushed it so far to 58.5 mpg cs based on last 30-day average but last week my average was at 68 mpg cs. I put the Volt on hold mode when coasting in the freeway if my trip could not make it in total EV mode and found it to improve my mpg cs a lot.

 

[JoeReal]

Is that gas range or total range?

it was just gas range. My initial total range after fill-up was 565 miles (pressing the arrow button on the steering wheel to display the total range).

 

[srmarti]

I've been pointing out that the gas range estimate changes even when you haven't used any gas for some time now. Usually when someone post about the electric range estimate and are worried that their battery is degrading or being overcharged or some other darn thing. It's an estimate based on driving history and every drive isn't identical.

 

[JoeReal]

I've been pointing out that the gas range estimate changes even when you haven used any gas for some time now. Usually when someone post about the electric range estimate and are worried that their battery is degrading or being overcharged or some other darn thing. It's an estimate based on driving history and every drive isn't identical.

Yes. I used not to notice it because I only took notes about my gas range when my remaining gas was about 1/3 tank. And with the small amount of gas, there were less variations no matter how I drive or the temperature and the climate settings. But with a full tank, after my first fill-up, the variations are much much more pronounced. They are magnified.

 

[Arcanox]

I averaged 28 (!) mpg over a 10 mile trip on the gas engine.... :-/

28?! Blasphemy! My old V6 hybrid SUV got better than that in the summer...

On a 10 mile trip, though, a lot of that was probably due to warm up....hate these cold temperatures

 

[quirkySquirt]

Thanks. Yeah, California can feel like paradise compared to your winter temps.

I used to own a Chevy Cruze Eco Trim, and I get about 60 mpg on it and an estimated gas range of 615 miles after fill-up. It's EPA mpg is between 19 (city) to 39 (Highway). I'm now pushing my Volt the same way. I have pushed it so far to 58.5 mpg cs based on last 30-day average but last week my average was at 68 mpg cs. I put the Volt on hold mode when coasting in the freeway if my trip could not make it in total EV mode and found it to improve my mpg cs a lot.

Holy cow, 60mpg? I didn't believe it, but then I started searching forums and it seems others claim 50+mpg with the Eco trim as well at 55-65mph. That is amazing. Still, the electric drive of the Volt was the main reason I bought it anyway. Had I been upgrading from a Cruze Eco that got 50+ mpg, I might've never bothered buying a new car.

 

[alfon]

During summer I have seen the gas range well over 400 miles with our 2016 Volt. Of course we had a few trips where we obtained well over 50 mpg just on gas. Currently we usually see 360-380 miles of gas range and winter mpg on gas has dropped to 45+ mpg.

 

[Coppersnowboarder]

I doubt that you need to fill-up your Volt. I usually only add 2 gallons per month so the gasoline is reasonably fresh. In winter conditions, I have started using "Hold" to start the engine for a few miles on very cold mornings to warm the system. My daily average on the 20 mile commute is then around 180 MPG. I was wondering whether your Volt enjoys waltz, swing, jazz, disco, or rock.