I actually think this could happen and if it does, the decision was made long ago...They are both the exact same size, my guess is because they'll share they same tire in MY18...I also see a minor-refresh of charging bumped up to 7.2KW and front grill colors that mirror the Bolt EVs colors...
Make self-sealing tires standard equipment on the Volt
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Replace the 2017 Volt's current Michelin EnergySaver All Season (A/S) tires with the self-sealing variation of this same tire size P215/50R17, rating 91H alternate tread (AT), that is currently installed by GM as the OEM tire on the 2017 Bolt.
Eliminate the tire inflator/sealant kit that currently is provided with the Volt as it is universally disliked, marginally fit for its intended purpose, there are much better portable tire inflators available. (GM should explain how is the Volt operator is expected to warm up the sealant prior to use if the Volt has a flat tire in cold weather?)
The Volt owner would still have the option of purchasing a spare tire kit.
Eliminate the tire inflator/sealant kit that currently is provided with the Volt as it is universally disliked, marginally fit for its intended purpose, there are much better portable tire inflators available. (GM should explain how is the Volt operator is expected to warm up the sealant prior to use if the Volt has a flat tire in cold weather?)
The Volt owner would still have the option of purchasing a spare tire kit.
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Ladogaboy reported there wasn't any difference in price between the tires from the dealer; although that's just one dealership...
Some early Gen2's were even sent out of the factory without the inflators!
Last I checked the retail price of the self-sealing Michelin EnergySaver tire at a major online tire retailer (rhymes with Fire Back) was $8.24 more per tire than the version without Michelin SelfSeal technology. Also the self-seal tire is listed as being 1lb lighter than the non-self seal version (this needs to be verified). Don't know what GM's cost for the self-seal tire currently used on the Bolt versus the cost for the inflator kit. If a set of self-seal tires really is 4 lbs lighter then the overall weight savings of ditching the inflator kit is even more attractive. What is the shelf life and cost of replacing the sealant canister in the inflator kit?
While I understand the appeal of the Volt having a 7.2KW charger with approx. 2X faster Level II charging at home or away than is currently possibly with the Gen II Volt I don't think this will happen. GM increased the Volt's on-board charger from 3.3KW to 3.6KW to support the larger battery capacity of the Gen II Volt while keeping charging time to under 5 hours. I don't think GM will ever increase the Volt's battery capacity enough to justify a 7.2KW charger. Assuming GM continues to incrementally increase the Volt's battery capacity GM might upgrade the on-board charger to 4.8KW or 5.8KW to keep charging time to 5 hours or less. Aside from the additional cost associated with having a 7.2KW on-board charger the higher wattage charger unit might not even fit in the current Volt design.
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I've owned and lived with run-flat tires on my last 5 vette's and with them the driver knew the tire was going flat with a TPMS warning. Then at ZERO PSI could be driven albeit at reduced speeds and for a certain number of miles.
With Self-Sealing tires how does the driver know the tire has been comprised? Could someone drive a comprised tire and never know it was damaged?
With Self-Sealing tires how does the driver know the tire has been comprised? Could someone drive a comprised tire and never know it was damaged?
If a road hazard (nail, spike, screw, bolt, etc.) punctures the tread area of a tire with self-seal technology and remains embedded in the tire the driver would probably notice the telltale clicking of the protruding metal object as the tire rotates. Otherwise, as long as size of the puncture hole in the tread area, not the sidewall, is within the design parameters of the self-seal technology the puncture is immediately sealed with no noticeable loss of tire pressure. The driver would not know that the tire had been punctured except perhaps through careful examination of the tire tread. Here is a demonstration of Michelin Selfseal technology tires. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_71KqaevY
GM is aggressively pushing the Volt and Bolt for their car/ride services Maven and Lyft not to mention car dealerships need to try to replenish Volts between test drives, prior to deliveries and also can help the service dept quickly diagnose EV issues...It would not cost much to increase it to 7.2KW...
The SST's repair themselves for punctures up to .250" with or without the nail in the tire. Since the law requires TPMS and warnings, much like runflats, if the tires starts to lose pressure you get a warning.
Maybe you should start a thread suggesting that GM provide the Volt with a 7.2KW charger. I'm all for it but I just don't think it will ever happen. There is just not a strong business case. I believe that 70% of Volt owners charge at home using Level I, not even the current 3.3 - 3.6KW Level II charging option. The Volt's current 50+ miles of EV range covers 90% of most users' daily driving needs and can be fully recharged in 4 to 5 hours using the current Level II charger. The Bolt's battery is more than 3X the capacity of the Volt battery, needs a higher power charger to keep the recharge time reasonable, i.e. 9 hours.
Besides cost, moving to a higher-wattage charger in the Volt, i.e. 7.2KW, would present a number of engineering challenges. The 7.2KW charger would require additional cooling for the charger and related circuitry. That would mean a larger fan or fans to cool the charger, would require heavier gauge wiring and upgraded electronics rated for the higher power level. Perhaps this would require upgraded software to monitor and manage the charging session, including any additional charging safety protocols. The higher power charger would weigh more, might need more physical space for airflow and cooling than is available in the location within the current Volt reserved for the on-board charger. All of these engineering challenges could be overcome, would require extensive testing before the higher power charging option could be made available to consumers.
It all comes down to whether there is a valid business need based on the Volt customer base, it's just not there.
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