[lavrunin]

When I first got my 2016 Volt several months ago, the EV range when fully charged showed 48EV. Over the next month, each time I charge the EV range increased until it was amost 70 EV. The car sat idle for a few months (due to ilness) and now I am driving again, however, the EV at fully charged is usually between 45 and 48. I know that in cold weather more electricity is used but I seem to be using it extremely fast. In only a 4 mile round trim I will use about 6 to 8 EV. Is this normal operation or is there something that needs to be fixed.

 

[Henry_FL]

Normal, The heater is the primary reason

 

[Loboc]

A small trip is not a good indication of range or gas mileage. Especially on the guess-o-meters. Look at the leaf screen.

 

[bjrosen]

As Henry_FL says the heater is the primary reason the range drops in cold weather. For people who live in places that get a real winter there are a few rules that you can follow which will eliminate the problem on most days: Precondition the car while it's plugged in from the MyChevrolet app which will preheat the car. Set the EBDTT to deferred which will cause the EBDTT to come on at 15F instead of 35F. Turn off the heat and use the seat and steering wheel warmers instead.

However I see that you are listed as living in Maryland which doesn't get very cold, it's certainly no Frostbite Falls MN, how cool has it been when you observed this range drop?

 

[Taser54]

When I first got my 2016 Volt several months ago, the EV range when fully charged showed 48EV. Over the next month, each time I charge the EV range increased until it was amost 70 EV. The car sat idle for a few months (due to ilness) and now I am driving again, however, the EV at fully charged is usually between 45 and 48. I know that in cold weather more electricity is used but I seem to be using it extremely fast. In only a 4 mile round trim I will use about 6 to 8 EV. Is this normal operation or is there something that needs to be fixed.

There's nothing wrong. I have a gen 1 in MD and commute 12 miles each way. The first couple miles on the range estimator drop quicker than the actual miles traveled. It balances out over the remainder of the commute.

 

[BAZINGA]

Weather/temps and any cabin heat will greatly impact (reduce) your AER as displayed in the GOM. Also tire pressure and more dense (cold) air factor in. It's a HUGE conspiracy for EV owners in cold climates.

So your only option is to move south. BTW my GOM AER dropped from high SIXTIES to just at 50/51 miles here in southern IL due winter temps.

 

[RodVolt]

When I first got my 2016 Volt several months ago, the EV range when fully charged showed 48EV. Over the next month, each time I charge the EV range increased until it was amost 70 EV. The car sat idle for a few months (due to ilness) and now I am driving again, however, the EV at fully charged is usually between 45 and 48. I know that in cold weather more electricity is used but I seem to be using it extremely fast. In only a 4 mile round trim I will use about 6 to 8 EV. Is this normal operation or is there something that needs to be fixed.

Is the car parked outside or in an attached garage?
What's the temperature outside when you're getting between 45 and 48 EV miles?

I just purchased a 2017 Volt. Yesterday, it was 35F and I was seeing 50EV miles on a full charge. Today it's 43F and I'm seeing 51 EV miles. My car is parked outside.

Since I have a 35 minute (18 mile - one way) commute, I will probably run the ICE on the highway for about 5 minutes to warm up the car, then I'll switch to EV mode to finish the trip. Heating the car using EV mode uses a lot of battery power especially if you run on MAX heater.

I suggest running with just your heated seats (if you have that option) and heated steering wheel to see how many EV miles you get. Then run it on economy mode to see how your miles average out.

Let us know how you make out with the numbers.

Good luck.

 

[ari_c]

If you have L2, consider warming up the battery and/or the cabin on grid power. Makes a world of a difference having a warmed up battery. If warming up the cabin on grid power, use ECO heat only as the onboard charger cannot keep up with comfort heat.

 

[Kraven]

If you have L2, consider warming up the battery and/or the cabin on grid power. Makes a world of a difference having a warmed up battery. If warming up the cabin on grid power, use ECO heat only as the onboard charger cannot keep up with comfort heat.

Does simply having the Volt plugged into a L2, even after reaching full charge, keep the battery at a proper temperature for peak performance?

 

[Ladogaboy]

Does simply having the Volt plugged into a L2, even after reaching full charge, keep the battery at a proper temperature for peak performance?

No, it shuts down. That's why one of the ways to maintain the battery for long-term storage is to deplete it, and schedule the car to charge for 15 minutes every few days.

 

[hellsop]

Set the EBDTT to deferred which will cause the EBDTT to come on at 15F instead of 35F. Turn off the heat and use the seat and steering wheel warmers instead.

ERDTT deferred doesn't decrease the amount of power lost to heat, it increases it. It decreases the winter range. That is, you want ERDTT to come on early and often if electric range is your goal.

 

[Fourdoor]

ERDTT deferred doesn't decrease the amount of power lost to heat, it increases it. It decreases the winter range. That is, you want ERDTT to come on early and often if electric range is your goal.

True, but his commute is 18 miles (not sure if that is one way, or round trip)... even if that is round trip he can probably make it all EV with seat heater and steering wheel heater. If he needs cabin heat, I agree with the "run in hold for 5 min" on the highway to heat up the car if he does not have time to do a slow Ari-C style pre-heat on L1 in the morning.

Keith

 

[lavrunin]

For about a week it got fairly cold and the ICE came on to provide warmth. For the past weeks, however, the temperature has been in the 40s. I keep the Volt in the garage at night. Just strange to see the difference.

 

[Loboc]

For about a week it got fairly cold and the ICE came on to provide warmth. For the past weeks, however, the temperature has been in the 40s. I keep the Volt in the garage at night. Just strange to see the difference.

If an ICE car reported detail about the first gallon used in 1/10gal increments, the same 'range' effect would be noticeable. GM in their technical wisdom decided to display so much data that it is confusing to mere mortals.

 

[Joe67]

No, it shuts down. That's why one of the ways to maintain the battery for long-term storage is to deplete it, and schedule the car to charge for 15 minutes every few days.

Where do you get this information from?

 

[Paulito]

My Volt is lucky to be in a garage when home, I usually see 61 EV miles when fully charged.. here in SoCal, its not very cold (~ 53 degrees) as it is in most of the country right now.

 

[Kraven]

My Volt is lucky to be in a garage when home, I usually see 61 EV miles when fully charged.. here in SoCal, its not very cold (~ 53 degrees) as it is in most of the country right now.

What does your driving patterns look like? Get on freeways at all? All 50MPH and less for the most part? Normal mode, no spirited starts? I'm not far off, close to 50 miles with freeway driving and mid 50 miles if not. Don't think I've exceeded 60 miles on a charge.