So, I noticed this past year the range on my 2011 has been dropping. Use to be able to get 40-42 miles in summer, that's down to 37, and use to be able to get 32 in winter, that's now down to 26 and that's at 40 degrees, hasn't even got cold yet. 50k on the vehicle. Is this normal for 4.5yo vehicle?
Older Volt users, has your battery range dropped a lot?
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2,138 Posts
Not really normal if all variables stay the same.
Are your tires worn?
Are you keeping the PSI consistent?
Changes in commute or driving habits?
Using HVAC/Climate more or less?
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3,133 Posts
You might also need to look at mechanical condition of some things. Any of the brake calipers sticking, Wheel hubs, alignment etc...
There are some users with very high mileage on their Volts that claim they have not seen any significant degradation. So if you are seeing a range drop I would put the battery fairly low on the list of potential culprits.
http://insideevs.com/chevy-volt-owner-zips-past-120000-miles/
There are some users with very high mileage on their Volts that claim they have not seen any significant degradation. So if you are seeing a range drop I would put the battery fairly low on the list of potential culprits.
http://insideevs.com/chevy-volt-owner-zips-past-120000-miles/
Maybe a little. Not as much as you are reporting but perhaps a couple of miles. The range question is complicated by the fact that I changed out to higher performance tires and that DEFINITELY reduced range. Still new so at some point hopefully I'll get some miles back, but overall the new tires had a much larger effect than any battery degradation.
All batteries degrade. It's just a question of how much and how fast. I can't really complain because the range has always exceeded the EPA estimate. Even now with the new tires I'm just one mile short.
Haven't noticed any degradation with the ELR but that's a newer car and I didn't notice anything in the Volt until 5 years. For the ELR that would be 2019 or 2020.
All batteries degrade. It's just a question of how much and how fast. I can't really complain because the range has always exceeded the EPA estimate. Even now with the new tires I'm just one mile short.
Haven't noticed any degradation with the ELR but that's a newer car and I didn't notice anything in the Volt until 5 years. For the ELR that would be 2019 or 2020.
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I've had my car for three summers. Each summer had the same range. I had no problem driving 50 miles to work and back on battery alone. There are too many variables in winter to make any accurate claims of range.
Yes with age you probably will see a slight degradation of battery capacity. Many other factors influence range however the main one being tire replacement. Unless you find the OEM Goodyears marked with the GM spec TPC 1406 expect less range. Has anyone found a tire which did not result in range loss compared to OEM? My 2011 has 87,000 miles on it now. I'm running Michelin Primacy MXV4's in 215/55/17 94V . In 5 years with slight battery degradation and these tires Im experiencing maybe 10% less range.
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389 Posts
2013 with 60K miles. 38 miles winter (Arizona-no heat), 35 summer (ac blasting away), 40 spring and fall (no ac). This is on my 55-65 mph commute, 17.2 miles each way.
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1,238 Posts
I have a 2013 volt which is getting lower miles than it used to. It seems to have changed about the time the last recall was done which is for the vehicle left on - auto shutoff safety issue. I am seeing lots of 9.3 to 9.6 total kwh used when I used to always get 10.2 to 10.6. My range has fallen into the 20-21 mile range in the just above freezing weather we have been having of late.
The B2B warrany has expired so I am just going to keep on driving it and until something really shows up, I can only assume it could be just the variables others have mentioned.
Unfortunately, my commutes are all city and short distances and the weather from one year to the next has been quite different. (last winter was mild, the summer was hot. and the year before was the opposite)
This past summer I did get up to 38-40 miles of range but that only lasted for July and Aug.
The B2B warrany has expired so I am just going to keep on driving it and until something really shows up, I can only assume it could be just the variables others have mentioned.
Unfortunately, my commutes are all city and short distances and the weather from one year to the next has been quite different. (last winter was mild, the summer was hot. and the year before was the opposite)
This past summer I did get up to 38-40 miles of range but that only lasted for July and Aug.
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5,595 Posts
Some thoughts:
- Are your driving patterns the same? Duration of drive, terrain, etc.
- Are your tires properly inflated?
- Are your tires different?
- Are your tires the same? The same tire years later will have less tread and generally more drag.
- Are your driving patterns the same? Duration of drive, terrain, etc.
- Are your tires properly inflated?
- Are your tires different?
- Are your tires the same? The same tire years later will have less tread and generally more drag.
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1,900 Posts
I have two 2013's and one has Michelin tires I put on in the spring. Right after I noticed a change in range on that one. The other still has OEM Goodyears with no change in range. Now winter has come along and range on both has dropped but the one with Goodyears still has the same range as previous years. The one with Michelins much less. I actually get around 28-30 miles on a cold day with heater going.
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71 Posts
2013 Off Lease Volt purchased one year ago.
Just crossed 80K miles and still getting approx the same mileage and kWh reading on my console.
I am always around 10.1 to 10.5 kWh on the display which averages me between 35 - 43 miles on the battery.
(I have a lead foot sometimes and all I really need is 40 to get home!)
I am keeping my fingers crossed but so far so good.
Just crossed 80K miles and still getting approx the same mileage and kWh reading on my console.
I am always around 10.1 to 10.5 kWh on the display which averages me between 35 - 43 miles on the battery.
(I have a lead foot sometimes and all I really need is 40 to get home!)
I am keeping my fingers crossed but so far so good.
Tires are the single largest change you'll notice.
It's made worse as the tires get more efficient as they wear (but also less sticky = less safe...)
And then you jump right into a brand new set, which even if identical model, will drop your range quite a bit and won't return to the same level until those tires are also worn the same way.
People who don't get the same OEM tires have reported 10%+ drop in range, which is well above any level of cell capacity degradation anyone may apparently be experiencing after 5 years.
Add in the changing of the seasons, tire pressure, weather, and it really gets complicated.
But to date, no one has shown (with reliable facts to support it) a battery that has had capacity degraded.
There have been cell failures and electronics failures, but no real loss due to age.
It's made worse as the tires get more efficient as they wear (but also less sticky = less safe...)
And then you jump right into a brand new set, which even if identical model, will drop your range quite a bit and won't return to the same level until those tires are also worn the same way.
People who don't get the same OEM tires have reported 10%+ drop in range, which is well above any level of cell capacity degradation anyone may apparently be experiencing after 5 years.
Add in the changing of the seasons, tire pressure, weather, and it really gets complicated.
But to date, no one has shown (with reliable facts to support it) a battery that has had capacity degraded.
There have been cell failures and electronics failures, but no real loss due to age.
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1,171 Posts
Your dealer likely put in corrupted software when you got the auto-shutoff recall. The same thing happened to me--my 2013 was the test case. View this thread: http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?198114-Going-to-dealer-any-ideas-on-my-Volt-s-strange-issues
What you need is for the dealer to read the bulletin "EV Range Estimation Changes More Than 5 Miles After The Vehicle Sits For More Than 2 Hours" condition. 2013 Volts with HPCM2 reprogrammed since Feb 1 2015 (and until October 12 2015) may experience the issue. If this is you see your dealer and mention Bulletin #PIC6138 and they will need to reprogram HPCM2 once again.
Since they messed it up, I can't imagine they would charge you to fix it.
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I have been wondering about that. I am due for an oil change so I will bring this up and see what happens.
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