#Chevy volt range 2012 driver

This largely comes from the attention GM has paid to minimising losses from aerodynamic drag. Rear seat space isn’t great, with limited head and legroom for taller passengers. The touch-sensitive centre console controls take some getting used to, mainly because although they make a clicking sound, there's no feedback at your fingertip. The low dash also allows a fine view forward. The driving position is absolutely first rate: the pedals and wheels are ideally aligned and centred and the seats remarkably comfortable over long journeys. The Volt’s cabin is a strict four-seater because the battery intrudes in the shape of a large centre tunnel, but the interior is light and airy, with fine views forward and rearwards. This is just one of the programmed quirks, helping top up the charge in the battery pack. One of the odder aspects of the Volt is that the engine/generator can suddenly start running at high speed, even the when the car is at a standstill. Otherwise the steering is nicely weighted, throttle response good and there is none of the dramatic energy-recycling regenerative engine braking that you can experience in some electric cars. It’s a shame that with the petrol engine in action the Volt suddenly becomes a less enjoyable and more strained drive, but this is forgivable given the abundant advantages. And the effect is noticeable if you could turn the turbo on a combustion engine on and off, it would be a bit like this. To boost performance, there’s a sport button on the dash that increases the flow of current out of the battery by 20 percent. A combination of the electric motor's lightning-quick responses, the fat torque (which is available immediately) and the lack of gearchanges (the transmission uses a single ratio) makes it a very refined place to be for the majority of the time. Overall, there's real pleasure to be had from driving the Volt.

#Chevy volt range 2012 driver

The driver can clearly feel the surge of extra power.

On the motorway, the engine/generator actually connects up to the Volt's planetary gearbox, assisting the electric motor to drive the front wheels at speeds above 60mph when necessary - or when ascending very steep hills. This is mostly thanks to a combination of the steady swell of torque, lack of gear changes, the silence of the drivetrain and the dash graphic counting down the distance to discharge. However, the Chevy seems to encourage the driver to flow along gently, rather than to push on. Its linear power delivery builds speed very smoothly and is helped by the fact that there are no gearchanges to interrupt progress. The smooth torque of the electric motor does a surprisingly good job of disguising the Volt’s 1715kg kerb weight. There’s virtually no noise when you press the illuminated start button and you only have to pull the shift lever into ‘D’ mode to make a silent getaway. The most significant point is that the Volt is just like a normal hatchback to drive, with the added benefit of being very quiet. The electric motor is rated at 150bhp, and delivers a healthy 273lb ft of torque, or about the same as a 2.0-litre diesel.

GM is confident the Volt will be capable of covering up to 40 miles on a single charge but, unlike every other EVs, fluctuations in range don’t really matter because the Volt can fire up its 1.4-litre petrol engine to charge its batteries and ensure there’s always drive to the front-wheels. General Motors insists that the Volt is not a hybrid but an ‘extended range electric vehicle’.