Probably another $8ish grand. Doubling the current battery capacity would also mean it would make the 240v charging a necessity almost. Right now I'm good on the 120v and charges full overnight (~12hrs). To really make use of the larger battery I'd have to invest min $1k in providing a dedicated 240v charger. So in total, making it about a $7ish grand addition for 100 miles EV range.

 

Doubling the current battery capacity would also mean it would make the 240v charging a necessity almost.

No it wouldn't. Doubling the battery size wouldn't automatically double your normal daily driving. Unless you're one of the guys that drives 100mi/day instead of the normal 40-50mi.

 

Well, I'd love to pay $2000, but $2500-$3000 is going to be the more realistic amount. Though if this ever to happen, I am guessing that it would offered by a third party. GM would never do it.

 

at $145/kWH, willing to pay at $2K and extra $500 to cover GM's profit. Then that would put me in the lifetime 99% battery mileage.

 

$145 is cost of the cells to GM, finished battery might be more like $210/kwh, and add a 20% margin and you are at more like $250/kwh and you are looking at $4500 in extra battery cost. Now you are adding an extra 400lbs of weight so you need updated suspension and such. Plus the Volt just doesn't have room for those cells.

Again, I would rather see the range drop to 35 miles and they remove 33% of the battery, like the hump between the rear seats and save maybe 150 lbs. Don't need so much range in a vehicle with a powerful genset. What might work is if you made a car besides the Volt on the Bolt EV chassis and gave it a small motorcycle engine or some other small generator and give it a longer range like 100 miles, but the powerful genset in the Volt is one of the reasons you don't need a very big battery.

 

Need the option to save $3000 to go with the 35 mile range option.

 

An extra 18kWh would cost around $3600 for a finished battery (not just cells).

What I would like to see is a replacement cell that is the same size as the current cells but with double the density. In that way, you don't increase the weight and size. For my ELR that would make around 75mi AER. I'd pay pretty well for that. Maybe $4k. I don't see a normal Volt going for that much modification, but, an ELR might be worth the effort.

 

....I would like to see is a replacement cell that is the same size as the current cells but with double the density....

This is all that is needed.
Easy Peasy.
And keep the weight the same.
And keep the price the same.

 

It's not a 'genset'.
It's an engine.
The Volt is a Hybrid when it's done being an EV.
Similar to a Prius. Only better !!

 

I'm already driving almost all electric unless I am on a long out of town trip, typically well over the 106 miles, so it wouldn't make much of a difference for me. And I couldn't give up any cargo room at all. I would pass on this.

 

I think you're comparing a gen2 Volt to an i3 rex, where the i3 rex trades a bigger battery against a smaller genset and a very small fuel tank.

Different folks drive the gen2 Volts differently. I tend to use the genset mostly for road trips, and long day trips, and sometimes its a month or two between needing the genset as it is.

 

You won't need to pay any extra for 100 mi. range at the rate of battery progress we have already seen. Competitive pressures will dictate that the lowest cost, highest range battery for the allowable space will be offered. The Volt's T battery shape is probably history on any Gen 3 prototype. A whole redesign will be required for a platform battery. I hope it happens. Volt sales are now encouraging and I think a Gen 3 is more likely than not. Model 3 may be the new package target.

 

I'm speculating about a gen 2.5 Volt for the 2019 model year, not a true Gen3 which wouldn't happen before the 2021 model year. A midlife kicker to the Volt would only involve upgrading the battery cells to the Bolt's cells, the regen braking improvements from the Bolt and perhaps using a greater percentage of the battery which the Bolt seems to be doing, it's not a full redesign which I don't think will ever happen.

My reason for thinking that a Gen3 won't happen is because at the rate battery prices are falling a 90KW Bolt at the same cost as the current Bolt will be possible by 2021. Supposedly batteries will drop to $100/KW by 2020 which seems like a reasonable prediction, the Bolt is at $145 and Tesla claims that the Gigafactory batteries will be at $120 this year. A Bolt with a 90KW battery can go 350 miles, add a 150KW DC Fast charger and it's a completely satisfactory road trip car, if a 350 mile BEV is available at a similar price why would you build a plugin hybrid?

 

Even if it were an option (which does not make sense in an EREV like the Volt), where would they put all that extra battery?

OTOH, Gen 2 Volt may see small incremental increases in range as cell technology and chemistry improve. Gen 1 Volts started with 16kwh, then 16.5kwh in late 2012 and eventually to 17.1 in late 2014. I hope to see similar or better incremental updates for Gen 2.

 

Nothing, that's why the volt can use gas....

 

But, to increase the HP of the EV, it is logical to increase the pack size. So it's not about just range, it's about power and fast charging.

 

I would welcome an incremental increase in battery capacity (10 - 20%) due to improved battery chemistry while keeping cost the same. There would be no additional weight or increase in the size of the traction battery but this would still require a corresponding longer time for full recharge. A higher wattage on-board charger, going from 3.6kw to 4.8kw or even 7.2kw would be indicated.

 

I will make a silly prediction. The raw capacity of the next model Volt will be 21.6 kWh. Since the buffer does not need to be bigger, that's a full 3.2 kWh gain in capacity. So I predict it will get a 64 mile EPA combined range and produce 147 kW of EV power and get CCS capability.

(all I did was use the math based on the Bolt's ~65kWh 3p96s and go 1p96s)

 

What if the next generation Volt is configured to "seamlessly transition to gas-hybrid operation" whenever the vehicle speed exceeds, say, 50 mph? Does it really matter to you if the gas engine is running when you’re on the highway? Do you really need more than a current Gen 2 battery to provide a possible 99+% urban electric range for nearly everyone?

Those who do care already incorporate the current recharging infrastructure into their long-distance driving plans, and 200+ ev mile BEVs are being sold today. If those who do not yet wish to deal with recharging arrangements away from home would view the Volt as a dual-fuel mode of transportation (battery power in town/gas on the road), then de-emphasizing the design "tweaks" needed to maximize high-speed ev range (e.g., weight, battery capacity, and that blankety-blank air dam) could allow changes to enhance driving comfort and style (e.g., power seats, sun roof, body styles) for an "urban electric" vehicle.

 

They did make a "Volt" with maximum creature comforts. Not enough buyers. They were called ELRs.

They are making another attempt, but with even more features at about the same price. Massive, comfy, superior chassis design, nearly twice as quick to 60mph as a Prius. Ultra advanced technology, all inclusive including massive sun roof.

 

Wouldn't make a whit of difference to my daily or weekly driving. Overall, based on my annual use, it might save as much as 30 gallons a year, so about $100 per year maximum, even if electricity were *free*.

 

Since I am running 10-50% gas without leaving town, a bigger battery would be huge. I still need one car that can do 1000 mile days and I am not sold that fast dc charge will be fast enough to make that practical with a full ev.
We did a co to sf weekend trip and it was nice to not have to buy fuel in ca.

 

I'd happily cough up another 3 or 4K if it meant getting 100 miles of total range. I drive a lot for work (75 miles a day) so no matter what I'm still using gas daily at this point. It's nice only having to fill up once every month, but I'd love to be 100% EV all the time. As it stands I'm right around 65-70% EV mode for the miles I do.

Honestly - I'd probably delay a Model3 purchase by quite a while if there was an option to get more battery range in my 2017. Knowing the way GM does business though, upgrades are never on the table, and you have to buy a whole new car if you want features. *shrugs*

 

I am willing to spend an additional $4,000 for a doubling of the distance run on battery charge. However, I would need twice the recharge rate to make the inconvenience of parking at a charging station worthwhile. Imagine doubling the amount of time that I would need to stay at an electrified campsite hooked-up to a 110-KwH outlet during a cross-country vacation. Tonight, with temperatures in the teens, I only drove 30 miles on a full battery charge until the battery pack in my 2013 Volt was depleted.

 

A post from the dept of redundancy dept:

To get more power or faster charging, current (har) technology requires more raw kWh battery capacity.

On the best features of the Volt is that it's quick for a 'eco-friendly compact'. No more 10 second crawls to 60mph. Getting it more in line with with the Bolt performance will most likely require more battery capacity.

Chevrolet has a long standing history of ramping up performance over time. I doubt they will exempt the Volt or Bolt from their corporate tradition.

 

WHERE IS THE CHART?!

I happened upon a chart a few days ago that showed how much all-electric driving people get from the 1st G to 2nd G Volt, compared to cars with less all-electric range. It showed these differences on an "all miles driven" basis, "all-electric per day" basis, and "per trip" basis.

I forgot to bookmark it and now, of course, I can't find it!

The relevant point was that going from 25-30 miles of all-electric range to 40-50 miles meant a significant improvement in total all-electric use on an average. Going up from 40-50 miles, there isn't as much room for improvement--you get into diminishing returns for most people.

Increasing the battery range on a Volt is going to have to come at a very small price increase for it to matter to most people. This forum is certainly a biased sample, where a good percentage of drivers is willing to spend an extra $2000 for double range. I wonder, though, how much more range is worth to the general Volt-buying public.

 

I have a Gen 1 (39ish EV miles in warm weather, as low as 27 in cold).
I have a 39.1 mile commute with some decent regen spots going in.

Honestly the range on a Gen II would do me fine but with a Gen I I still only have to gas up about every 3,000 miles.

 

I'm in a similar situation, at least in that I rarely exceed the electric range I already have. So, if you give me twice as much battery, then that's twice as much battery weight I have to carry everywhere I go. If I rarely use the capacity I have, then I'm also carrying around the weight, complexity, and expense of an ICE that only gets used occasionally.

I did take a trip to Ottawa last week, about 350 miles. 310 of those were on gas. If 100 were on battery, then I would have saved about a gallon and still have had to move an extra 3 or 400 lbs of battery 350 miles. (and back) That gallon weighed about 8 lbs.

It seems to me that GM judged the Volt's battery/fuel range compromise wisely as is.

P.S. What are these gallons and miles and pounds people are always talking about? Figures I gave are rough approximations.

 

It makes more sense financially and otherwise to buy a Bolt with 238 miles than pay for more capacity on a Gen2 Volt. The reason to buy the Volt is the backup generator. In a few months the Bolt will be available nationwide.

 

The Bolt is not yet an all purpose car, it's for local driving only. The Bolt falls short by 100 miles of range and 100KW rate on it's fast charger. If you were to take the current Bolt on a road trip you would have to stop a couple of times at a DC Fast charger and because of the Bolt's puny charger (50KW) each stop would cost you an hour, totally unacceptable. Tesla's have a 120KW charger and greater range so they are usable for road trips, but they are also 2 to 3 times as expensive as a Bolt. By 2020 my guess is all that will be fixed, I would expect a Bolt or derivative with a 90KW battery and a 150KW DC Fast charger to be available by then but today they only GM EV that can go anywhere is a Volt. A Volt with a 100 mile range would run on electricity almost all of the time so it would be close to a true EV, but it can still do a 400 mile road trip without having to stop to recharge or refuel.

On your other point, no EV makes financial sense vs a hyprid today. The cost of running the Volt on gas or electricity is almost identical where I live (21.4 cents/KW electricity) but even if electricity were free if you look at the total fuel costs for a Prius over 100,000 miles it's about $4500 @ $2.39 a gallon and 53MPG. The cost of the battery in the Bolt is $9000, 2X the cost of all of the gas that would be burned by a Prius. The reason to buy an EV is performance, the motor is practically silent, there are no jerky transmission changes, and the high torque gives them great acceleration. The Volt is sub 8 seconds 0-60, the Bolt 6.5 seconds, the Prius, on the other hand, is 12.4 seconds which is scary slow.

 

Actually the way they're giving away Spark EVs, might be able to buy one for your Monday-Thursday and a second ICE vehicle for the Fridays and the weekends...

There are some very valid points here, cargo and performance would suffer which may not matter to some...But many have wondered about what Qinsp has said, could they just remove the majority of the buffer? Perhaps offer that as an option? Make 7.2KW charging and DCFC standard and call it a day...

 

As of 2017, any ICE will kick any BEV in the nuts when it comes to long distance driving. Stop when YOU want for as long as YOU want where YOU want. Not when the car wants, for as long as the car wants, and where the car wants.

It's not simply just getting their faster, which an ICE does. It is just more hassle free. Speed? Controlled by cops, not by the distance to the next charger. A/C or Heater, controlled by your comfort, not by how the outside temperature affects your range.

Now as soon as you take the Long Haul out of the equation, the EV kicks ICE arse within it's combat radius. It will get there quicker, and it loves traffic a lot more than ICE does. And it's less stress. And the Volt does both. Worry free local, worry free long haul. But it would be nice to use the Bolt EV motor to get a good dose of extra passing power.

 

The thing is, the EV's advantage of an ICE equipped vehicle is probably 95% of the time. So it's really pointless to argue long distance advantages of an ICE when it only applies to most people 5% out of the year or less.

It's like saying I'll carry 10 gallons of water around with me just in case I decide to go hiking one day and don't want to be without water.

 

Once a month I do a ~1,000 mile drive. This would save me about $6 per trip in gas. Otherwise around town, the Volt pretty much covers everything as-is. Just on cost of fuel, that's about $300-500 in value over a 5 year ownership.

There is also the intangible benefit of having more drive time with less noise, fewer oil changes, etc. So I marked $1,000. But those few hours a month are the only drive time that would be any different.