[murfman89]

Hi,

I am in the market to buy a used 2014 Volt Premium and found one where the seller states that after a software update he now gets 60 miles instead of 35, is that possible or just smoke and mirrors and he still gets 35 even though his range meter is off? He claims that a dealer in Orange County, CA did the upgrade for a price.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[saghost]

Hi,

I am in the market to buy a used 2014 Volt Premium and found one where the seller states that after a software update he now gets 60 miles instead of 35, is that possible or just smoke and mirrors and he still gets 35 even though his range meter is off? He claims that a dealer in Orange County, CA did the upgrade for a price.

Thanks,

Mike

The software upgrade is probably b.s. - and if it isn't, it's warranty voiding and pack killing. GM put the buffers in place for a reason...

Getting 60 miles out of a Stock first generation Volt is entirely possible, however - if the weather is comfortable and you drive gently at 45 or 50 mph.

The range number displayed on the instrument panel is based on the car's driving history and the outside temperature, and will go up or down bade on how you drive it even if there's the same amount of charge every morning. GM initially limited to 50 miles if you were very, very efficient, but in the 2013 refresh they raised the limit to 60. (The limit only applies to the number - if you somehow did even better than that, you'd just see the number stay the same for several miles before it goes down.)

Aggressive driving in bad weather will see you getting less than 35 miles - it's all about how you drive and the conditions.

 

[caronjeff]

With original equipment type low rolling resistance tires pumped up to about 45 psi, slightly downhill route, a tailwind and catching all the traffic signals green. Yeah, maybe 60 miles range. Average out all conditions and it's more like 37-40. And that's without using heater, or heated seats.

 

[murfman89]

60 miles range on 2014 with software update? Possible?

I know someone who is selling his 2014 volt and claims 60 charge miles after software update from dealership in Orange County, CA. Is this even possible or this just smoke and mirrors where the display may show 60 but he really gets only 35?

Thanks.

Mike

 

[Steverino]

If they have, they are the first and only ones in the world to figure out how to do that software change. Easy test, drive it for 60 miles...

You can also check the battery range estimate displayed on the dash. I suppose that someone could have driven the car on cruise control set to 25 mph or so on a straight road with no stoplights for 30 miles and back to raise the car's estimated efficiency to 60 miles. A 2016 or 2017 could do it no problem

Also, please don't double post.

 

[DonC]

Of course it's possible. Just start in Flagstaff and coast down to Phoenix! I've done this without the upgrade so I know it will work.

 

[trm2]

I’ve done it in a gen 1, normal driving, round trip, great weather, tires right at 38psi. It happened once.

 

[canehdian]

With the right conditions, sure.
On a regular basis with normal driving? Absolutely not.

 

[wordptom]

There was a thread posted here this past August regarding a modification to a 2014 Volt by a Canadian firm that offered 20% more battery power (i.e., another couple of usable kWh), which could increase the all-electric range on a full charge. I think the price was around $500 Canadian:

http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread...battery-capacity-tune-in-Quebec-on-2014-Volts

GM programmed the Gen 1 Volt to operate within a state of charge (SOC) window of 65% of the battery’s full capacity to maximize the life of the battery pack. Discussion in the thread seemed to think the result of the "modification" would be to increase the size of the SOC window at the top by raising the cutoff charge level. Instead of hitting "full charge" at ~87% (i.e., 65% window of 20/22% - 85/87%), the new full charge would stop above that. This, it seems, would leave almost no room at the top for overflow regen until some of that power had been consumed. It is uncertain what effect increasing the Gen 1 usable SOC window might have on battery life. It was also unknown if the modification could work on other Gen 1 models.

 

[Aseras]

You can get 60+ miles on a gen1 2014 if:
A)it's a late 2014 with the 17.5kw pack
B)you feather the accelerator and don't drive above 35 mph
C)don't have any stop and go traffic
D)drive on a very smooth flat or downhill driving surface
E)have at least 42-48 psi in the stock tires or very good LRR replacement tires.
F)it's a perfectly sunny 75f out. Cooler and the battery warms itself up, hotter and the battery cools itself down.

 

[randl]

We get 60 miles almost every day. We live on top of a fairly steep hill with several miles downhill right from the start. This is routine when the full charge is about 40 or more.

 

[idaho]

under normal driving conditions, no.

 

[srmarti]

So while possible, it's unlikely. Conditions have to be just right.

 

[Tommy_D]

I average about 5.5 miles/kWh in my 2012. This is with 40 psi in the tires, no HVAC running, windows cracked, on flat roads with 35mph speed limits and limited stop lights. I use as much regenerative braking and cruise control as I can, but I don't do any crazy hypermileing techniques. My best mileage in a single kWh is 6.4 miles, but my best average trip was 6 miles/kWh (exceeded 40mph for about 5 miles on my trip which dropped my average like a stone). So, with my "small" 9.5-9.6 kWh (usable) battery, I can get around 52 miles on a charge on an average day this summer. My guess-o-meter reads 50 miles on a full charge every morning. If I had a 2013/'14 I could probably get about 56 miles on a charge with the slightly larger battery. A 2015 might be able to eek out 60 miles on a charge with it's even larger battery than the '13/'14, but as others have said it all depends on your driving style and the conditions you drive in. If you drive on the highway, there's no chance you hit 60 miles on a gen 1. Lots of hills or stop signs? It's not likely. Turn on the A/C or heat? Nope...

But to answer the original comment about a dealer installed software update to increase mileage... Nope, those have never been issued/offered. There have been updates and recalls on the 2013/14 cars for some ECU programming issues, but they don't increase the usable battery power in the pack. They just clean up some bugs in the system, but the battery can still only use the same 10.2-10.3kWh of its 16.5 kWh battery to drive the car.

 

[Tommy_D]

I average about 5.5 miles/kWh in my 2012. This is with 40 psi in the tires, no HVAC running, windows cracked, on flat roads with 35mph speed limits and limited stop lights. I use as much regenerative braking and cruise control as I can, but I don't do any crazy hypermileing techniques. My best mileage in a single kWh is 6.4 miles, but my best average trip was 6 miles/kWh (exceeded 40mph for about 5 miles on my trip which dropped my average like a stone). So, with my "small" 9.5-9.6 kWh (usable) battery, I can get around 52 miles on a charge on an average day this summer. My guess-o-meter reads 50 miles on a full charge every morning. If I had a 2013/'14 I could probably get about 56 miles on a charge with the slightly larger battery. A 2015 might be able to eek out 60 miles on a charge with it's even larger battery than the '13/'14, but as others have said it all depends on your driving style and the conditions you drive in. If you drive on the highway, there's no chance you hit 60 miles on a gen 1. Lots of hills or stop signs? It's not likely. Turn on the A/C or heat? Nope...

But to answer the original comment about a dealer installed software update to increase mileage... Nope, those have never been issued/offered. There have been updates and recalls on the 2013/14 cars for some ECU programming issues, but they don't increase the usable battery power in the pack. They just clean up some bugs in the system, but the battery can still only use the same 10.2-10.3kWh of its 16.5 kWh battery to drive the car.

 

[jcanoe]

Consider buying a 2016 or 2017 Volt instead of a 2014 model year Volt. 60 miles on a battery charge in a Gen 2 Volt is easily achievable in moderate temperatures, i.e. 50F and above. Some can regularly go 70 miles on a charge, a few have reported traveled 80 miles on a charge in their Gen 2 Volt. My experience is that I can achieve ~65 miles of EV range in the summer while using AC and a mix of highway driving at 55 - 62 MPH speeds and local driving. My best ever range in my 2017 Volt was ~69 miles EV range in spring with no AC use.

 

[VoltenRock]

I'm sure a range-extending/battery-killing update like that could be possible, but don't expect your battery life to be all that good. You'll be getting down below 30 EV miles maximum in no time due to battery degradation--and I wouldn't expect GM to honor the warranty.

Of course, this is all intellectually very interesting and I would go test drive that Volt just to get the information on the actual update itself, how it was done, who did it, etc.

After getting that information, go buy an UNADULTERATED Gen 1 Volt, and do it yourself if you decide the tradeoff of battery life/range/warranty is worth it.

 

[lugar-2004]

I've gotten 52 miles on battery just recently on my 2013 Volt. I run battery on local roads, switch to gas for highway and back to electric for local roads 45 mph and below. My drive to work is 37.5 miles one way direct door to door, I drive in low on highways and either low or drive depending on traffic on the low speed limit roads. AC and heat off. This is the best I have gotten on full charge to and from work, no place to charge at work, Level-2 charging overnight and plug in warm up when starting in the morning..
2013 with 88,586 miles so far, car came from CA with 35k on the ODO 83.6 mpg lifetime now. run approx 28-32 miles on gas each day..

 

[Norton]

Regardless that I putzed and got 51 miles in my '13 Volt, ONCE,
Stay away from a Volt that the owner claims to have 'SW Hacked'. Total BS.
Plus, if true, it's a 8yr/100k mile warranty killer.

Take it on a test drive to prove it! Just for fun!

BUT,
Do not buy this Volt.
Buy one that has not been dik'd with.