[VoltenRock]

Now that we've got a lot of Gen 2 owners with lots of experience, I'm wondering if GM underpromised and overdelivered on range for the Gen 2.

I may trade up and am debating whether the range difference between a '15 Gen 1 and a '17 Gen 2 is worth the substantial cost difference. GM (although really the EPA I guess) "underpromised" with Gen 1 on range, but I'm wondering it's more "on target" with Gen 2.

My Gen 1 regularly exceeds it's "38" EPA rating--even with majority highway driving (granted, I am now a right-lane hugger *hurumph*). About 10% better on average, although closer to 20% when I had the OEM Goodyears. Granted, when temps plunge I start dropping, but still manage 33-34 with heavy Bridgestones now. On the OEMs, the Winter was the only time I would actually get the actual EPA estimated.

So Gen 2 owners, are you regularly getting over 53? What about in the winter?

 

[TSquare]

I had a 2013 and now I have a 2017.
My experience has showed that my Gen 2 uses nearly the exact same amount of power on my daily route that my Gen 1 used. My one way trip is about 11 miles of highway @ 65mph and 3 miles of city streets. The 2013 range meter would show ~42 miles in the summer and ~30 miles in the winter. My 2017 now shows ~44 miles in the winter and ~55 miles in the summer.

 

[fjdiazg]

Now that we've got a lot of Gen 2 owners with lots of experience, I'm wondering if GM underpromised and overdelivered on range for the Gen 2.

I may trade up and am debating whether the range difference between a '15 Gen 1 and a '17 Gen 2 is worth the substantial cost difference. GM (although really the EPA I guess) "underpromised" with Gen 1 on range, but I'm wondering it's more "on target" with Gen 2.

My Gen 1 regularly exceeds it's "38" EPA rating--even with majority highway driving (granted, I am now a right-lane hugger *hurumph*). About 10% better on average, although closer to 20% when I had the OEM Goodyears. Granted, when temps plunge I start dropping, but still manage 33-34 with heavy Bridgestones now. On the OEMs, the Winter was the only time I would actually get the actual EPA estimated.

So Gen 2 owners, are you regularly getting over 53? What about in the winter?

I get consistently more than the 53 EPA predicts, we don't have much of a cold weather, but this week we were on the teens and even in those conditions I got higher than the EPA number, of course if turn on the heat, that will drop drastically...


Date Driven Kwh %used Mi/Kwh Avg Eff range Mi[/B][/B]
12-Dec 40.00 8.90 63.12 4.49 4.49 63.37
13-Dec 32.20 7.50 53.19 4.29 4.39 60.54
14-Dec 31.30 8.80 62.41 3.56 4.11 50.15
15-Dec 34.60 8.40 59.57 4.12 4.12 58.08
16-Dec 26.20 5.40 38.30 4.85 4.26 68.41
17-Dec 3.97 1.50 10.64 2.65 3.99 37.32
18-Dec 31.90 10.30 73.05 3.10 3.87 43.67
19-Dec 53.10 14.90 105.67 3.56 3.83 50.25
20-Dec 39.60 9.90 70.21 4.00 3.85 56.40
21-Dec 26.10 5.30 37.59 4.92 3.95 69.44
22-Dec 29.00 6.50 46.10 4.46 4.00 62.91
23-Dec 45.20 9.40 66.67 4.81 4.07 67.80

 

[VoltronEd]

Gen2: Spring, Summer, Fall I was able to do my 56-58 mile roundtrip commute on EV. Winter I am seeing 45-47 miles max EV (on Blizzaks).

 

[rcuz]

Gen2: Spring, Summer, Fall I was able to do my 56-58 mile roundtrip commute on EV. Winter I am seeing 45-47 miles max EV (on Blizzaks).

Wow. So many variables, but I regularly beat the 53. Winters are challenging, especially if you use heat.

In the winter I get high 40's, low 50's. During the rest of the year, depending on the type of driving I am doing, I get anywhere from the stated 53 all the way up to about 75.

You're not going to get 53 on the highway doing 70mph+. Just won't happen.

But yeah, I beat the 53 most days.

Rick

 

[Qinsp]

Our 2017 is sitting at 52 miles right now, but it been cold and rainy.
Our 2016 is sitting at 57 miles right now.

The 2017 has been used by me. I drive offensively.

We are in Southern California, Inland Empire. Just hits freezing at night.

 

[RalphB]

I generally get better than 53 miles on a charge even in the cold weather. I have gotten as high as 83 miles in the summer. However, I do have great difficulty in getting the 43 miles per gallon on gas. I actually get better mileage on my Gen 1 when on gas. I thought that the Gen 2 was supposed to be better on gas, than the Gen 1. But that is not is working out for me.

 

[deeks]

Referring to electric miles shown on DIC following full charge (I do Level 2 only),my 2017 Volt LT regularly now shows 87 miles.We are on Big Island (HI) with in garage charging at home.Nominal outside temp 70s F.

 

[16513]

The Gen 2 EPA range rating is from some kind of standardized test that will leave winter Volt new buyers disappointed and warm weather buyers pleased as can be. More than half of my driving year is warm here during which time a mixture of city and under-70 mph freeway driving yields high 60's range. So, naturally,I think Chevy under promises. I predict that this pattern should translate to Bolt EV range experience similarly. (300 + with extreme care in 70-80F mixed driving). WOW!

 

[Tomt]

I almost always greatly exceed the 53 mile EPA range. Typically, I get in the mid 60s... And that is without babying it or hypermiling...

 

[VoltenRock]

Referring to electric miles shown on DIC following full charge (I do Level 2 only),my 2017 Volt LT regularly now shows 87 miles.We are on Big Island (HI) with in garage charging at home.Nominal outside temp 70s F.

Geez, Ralph & Deeks 80+ miles! Absolutely insane. Ralph, what year Gen 1 did you have and where did you max out on that? I'm just shocked that the Gen 2 would offer so much more range with 14 kWh usable. The 87 miles deeks has shows that everything really is just better in Hawaii. Loved the Big Island when was there.

 

[Fourdoor]

You have to take speed and weather and terrain into account any time you talk about EV range. At a steady 55 mph on mostly flat terrain, in spring or fall with moderate temperatures (mid 70's to mid 80's) with fan only climate control I get 60 miles of range. If I drive around town (hilly, much slower speeds) in the same weather conditions I get significantly more range, but I don't know by how much because I don't drive around town for 2 hours+ so I don't empty the battery doing it. In similar driving conditions other than speed, I achieved 45 miles of EV range at a steady 70 mph other than a couple miles of slow surface street driving to get to the freeway.

Keith

 

[O'Dell]

82 to 84 estimated back in the summer. I made one trip of 85 miles per the odometer and got home w/o an engine start. Now that the temps have dropped into the low 30's to the mid to high 40's [We're having a heat wave this week in the 60's but I haven't driven the car] the estimates have dropped to 75 to 78, but I haven't used the heater yet. My trips in the lower temps haven't exceeded 60 miles, but the miles traveled and the estimated remaining miles seem about right.

 

[accelerus]

I can beat it easily (ive had up to 58 miles range) as long as it's mostly around town and staying under 60mph.

My commute though is 75 miles total, almost all Texas highway where speed limit is 70-75.... and that sucks down range.

I have 10k miles on my 2017 so far, even with my commute I'm still averaging about 70% of all miles in EV mode.

 

[wordptom]

Referring to electric miles shown on DIC following full charge (I do Level 2 only),my 2017 Volt LT regularly now shows 87 miles.We are on Big Island (HI) with in garage charging at home.Nominal outside temp 70s F.

What does your usage screen show for ev miles actually driven following a full depletion? You’re not beating the EPA 53 estimate if you don’t drive more than 53 miles on battery power before recharging.

Someone who drives their Gen 2 only 20 miles a day, but does it efficiently and ends the day with a usage screen showing 20 ev miles/ ~3.3 kWh Used, will eventually acquire a full charge estimated range of ~87 miles. Actually driving 87 miles while maintaining that same efficiency is another matter because it usually throws more complex terrain and a wider range of speeds into the picture. Someone who regularly drives in Hold at higher speeds to avoid using the battery and switches to Normal before driving downhill to increase the ev mile numbers can also inflate the full charge estimate.

 

[Arcanox]

I think I've gotten around 62 miles on my longest EV drive. That was in the summer though...today I was running a bunch of local errands and I got home on my last EV mile with a total distance driven of 32 miles. Granted, I was carrying my mom, sister, and a number of Costco items home, so the weight was pretty high, but man....32...this winter is brutal. Preconditioning several times probably didn't help either.

 

[BAZINGA]

I've own 2 Gen I's (2012 and 2013) and now a 2017. My daily driving route is relatively constant. While I can verify the 15 mile delta between the two Gen's is exact, I have noticed I can eek out a few more miles from the exact same kW on my Gen II.

I'm sure that could be attributed to the many differences between the two vehicles, like weight and the Michelin vs GY tires and I believe the Gen II HVAC system is a bit more efficient. The most miles I managed from my 2013 was just at 54 and 69 on my 2017 over the same route and temp. This was a real world route following all laws and traffic - no BS hypermiling.

I bet Bolt owners will easily exceed 238 miles assuming they have the guts to run the battery to almost ZERO. Can't wait to see the YouTube videos of folks running the Bolt to empty.

 

[Raymondjram]

I don't have any Volt or Bolt EV, but I will have no issue about range since the coldest temperature I will be is about 70 degrees. Today it is warmer at 77 degrees, and later it will rise to 85: http://www.accuweather.com/en/pr/bayamon/00961/weather-forecast/272113

But I do wish to give potential Bolt EV owners good news as GM Authority and Detroit Free Press reports that its range did pass 200 miles at below zero temperatures:
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/12/2017-chevrolet-bolt-ev-returns-200-miles-in-sub-zero-temperatures/

And some sad news: That same Bolt EV suffered a rear end accident, and the damage seen in the video.

 

[firehawk72]

One that understand the Volt would easily expect to beat the 53 EPA estimate as it is "A WEIGHTED ESTIMATE" of city and highway. Depending on where and how you drive along with the three Ts. Beating the 53 should be expected or not expected. This really isn't very complicated.

 

[llninja]

Your right foot has a lot to do with whether or not you exceed the EPA ratings. I used to drive like a grandpa and always exceed the EPA rating. But now I drive like a Jeff Gordon and come nowhere near the EPA rating.