Volt Pic Post.........High VOLTage or Low? Post pictures and stories/experiences of your Volt or someone's you know or have driven.

[Bazooka]

I think different states of awareness aren't all that uncommon, particularly if you are dealing with something rather new.

Hearing acuteness is also different in different people. Should they be more aware? Sure

However, there are lots of distractions in the world and you aren't always expecting a bicycle or car to come to shooting up behind you in the (somewhat) silent mode (that's why they have those bells )

At any rate, the feds will put some sort of noise device on these things (for better or for worse)

[kasbah]

The Volt may handle like a sports car, but whether or not you decide to drive it like one will have a significant impact on how efficient it is, and how much gas you save. The car helpfully lets you know how much of a gas hog you're being by way of a leafy green circle that appears in a prominent place on the dashboard, right next to the speedometer. Ideally, you want to keep that circle right smack in the middle of a scale that shows how hard you're accelerating and how hard you're braking. The closer that circle stays to the center, the more efficiently you're driving, and if you accelerate too hard, the circle gets less leafy and turns an angry yellow color and starts to weep carbon dioxide tears. Or maybe not tears, but if it could, it would.

It's also possible to brake too hard: the Volt can regenerate energy as it slows down, but if you brake hard enough that the regenerative system starts to panic and the conventional brakes take over, that's all energy wasted.

Since it's the Volt's giant battery that makes all of this pure electric driving and hybrid energy regeneration possible, we wanted to make sure that we could be confident in its longevity. GM covers it with an eight year, 100,000 mile warranty, which is great, but cars nowadays are expected to last longer than that. With this in mind, the Volt is very careful about how it handles its battery.

For example, the battery has a dedicated thermal control system that can heat or cool the battery to keep it happy no matter what the outside temperature is. Also, the battery keeps itself operating within a 65% window, which means that it never allows itself to fully charge or deplete to boost its lifespan. And for what it's worth, GM already has a plan for all the used Volt batteries it'll be ending up with in the next decade or so.

Just keep the ball in the middle

http://dvice.com/archives/2011/11/chevy-volt-test.php

[Jesarray]

Michigan

[audifans]

[Wheelstand]

Gorgeous in black

[Mike!]

Saw my second last Friday, and it was in black. What was also impressive about seeing it was that it had Michigan plates ("MAGICIAN"), and I was in Syracuse, NY. Speaks to something you can do with the Volt that doesn't come as easily with pure EVs.

[Lightnin']

[Lightnin']

It's different

pre production?

custom paint?

[ajghsng]

I went and test drove the "demo" at the local dealer, it is a remarkably cool little car.
I have never felt anything like it its really different in a good way.

[Buckaroo banzai]

[Barefoot_]

Cars.com purchased a 2011 Chevy Volt in January and a 2011 Nissan Leaf a month later.

We drove these cars in temperatures ranging from minus 2 to 67 degrees in the Volt and 24 to 82 degrees in the Leaf, and both lived up to their billing. But after recording driving data from each outing with both vehicles, we discovered two significant issues an owner will face: how cold weather affects them, and how much you’ll need to rely on a somewhat erratic car computer telling you how far you can drive.

Chevy says the Volt’s range on battery alone — it also features a gasoline engine that works as a generator to power the electric motor when the battery is emptied — is between 25 and 50 miles.

When we picked it up from the dealer in sunny California on Jan. 3, its range was 33 miles. We didn’t see that number again in Chicago until March.



The lowest predicted range on a full charge we saw was 24 miles when it was 36 degrees out, but the Volt traveled 28.8 miles that day. It took 20-degree temps to bring the actual-miles-driven number lower.

On four different occasions of temperatures registering 25, 27, 25 and 26 degrees on the car’s computer, the Volt traveled 23.8, 26, 23.3 and 21.3 miles, respectively. All of these ranges were lower than the prediction, but three were within 10%, and one was within 20%-- tighter than the variances we witnessed with the Leaf.

Both cars allow owners to turn on the heat or air conditioning while still plugged in to get the cabin to an optimum temperature before being unplugged, so the overall range won’t be diminished by the energy-sucking environmental systems. In one of the examples above, when we achieved 26 miles, the car had been pre-conditioned, and that led to the most accurate prediction.

What about the minus 2 day? The range was listed at 32 when I unplugged the pre-conditioned Volt from my garage outlet. It dipped to 31 before it left the driveway and ended up traveling 20.9 miles on battery power.



When the weather was in the mid-30s, the predicted and actual ranges averaged around 30 miles, with smaller errors than we saw when it was less than 30 degrees.

We reached ranges of 34.5 and 33.6 miles — our best — when it was 56 and 67 degrees, respectively, near optimum weather for driving any vehicle. However, the starting range had been 38 and 30 miles, respectively. That’s nearly a 10% swing.

Chevy Volt

Highest predicted range: 38 miles (56 degrees)
Lowest predicted range: 24 miles (36 degrees)
Highest actual range: 34.5 miles (56 degrees)
Lowest actual range: 20.9 miles (-2 degrees)
The difference in predicted and observed range isn’t going to stop a Volt owner, but if you drive an all-electric Leaf, you have but one powertrain to rely on and the range means everything. However, in our testing, the Leaf didn’t turn out to be as predictable as the Volt, and out of the two, it needs to be.

http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2...hevy-volt.html

[BumpSteer]

[deftonesfan867]

It's different

pre production?

custom paint?

It was in the 2nd Transformers movie.

[BumpSteer]

^ thanks

[Barefoot_]

[mitcompressor]

Patrick Wang writes a blog on his experiences



http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/08...t-volt-review/

Acceleration

The acceleration profile of the Volt is of course very different than a typical gas powered car. With 272 pound feet of torque available almost instantly and no gear shifts, the Volt keeps you pinned to your seat for the first three to five seconds after you stomp on it. There was a noticeable fade around 45 to 50 mph even with the accelerator floored. This corroborates with the information that GM engineered the drivetrain to deliver peak power at around 48 mph.

Once up to full speed, I did some “passing speed” behavior to see how the car would perform in traffic. When accelerating from 50 to 65 mph and 55 to 70 mph, the Volt performed like a conventional car but without the downshift and sudden surge you often experience. The Volt performs perfectly well on the highway and you’ll have no trouble overtaking slower cars with ease.

http://www.mychevroletvolt.com/chevr...and-test-drive

[GahannaKid]

I saw one of these in the dark red color the other day hauling ass. I don't care if they do catch on fire, I want one. Bad.

[curvedinfinity]

Drove one yesterday. Super cool car. The tech is completely hidden, and it feels like driving a smart phone. I'm surprised they haven't sold more with that $399 lease deal.

[Powderkeg]

[JtotheG]

My experiences: http://hooniverse.com/2011/11/30/rev...hevrolet-volt/

I didn't get as in depth as some (like an Edmunds review) but I hope I did a decent job on the piece...

[audifans]

Thanks!

well done

[Jesarray]

You can definitely see some of the strength of the roof in this shot.

[VDub2625]

Looks can be deceiving. THose thick pillars, while we know are full of metal in the Volt, aren't always I wonder what those strange ribs toward the visors are about.

[Gavin Calistros]

[Blunderbuss]

Silently, the Bow-tie-badged car coasted through the darkness of the evening. A singular, soft glow that was utterly alone on this particular stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway. It sped swiftly. I was sunk in my own thoughts as I piloted the vehicle through the inky black of night. In the cabin, I was awash in colors that emanated from the both the seven-inch screen at the top of the center stack and the information display taking part in Occupy Dashboard.

The numbers were impressive.

I’d spent a week with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. During that time, I managed to use just 3.1 gallons of gas. With no office to arrive at each morning, I was free to journey to locations near and far. The near destinations being related to the grocery store, the dry cleaner, and the rather large beer section at my local Whole Foods. Distant destinations saw me trekking to visit friends who’ve moved away from the cool climes of coastal California, to find warmer days inland. How far did that 3.1 gallons of gas get me? A hair over 300 miles.

Is there more to the 2011 Volt then miserly gas adventures? Yes. A lot more, in fact.

Upon first glance, the Volt is quite boring. It looks as if a Cruze was sent back to our time from the not-too-distant future. A time when parents were not allowed to have more than two children, and the Cruze developed a fat rear end in the intervening years. Keep staring at the Volt, however, and the looks being to grow on you. All of the exterior details, while seemingly simple on their own, come together to create an overall aesthetic that lets you know there’s quite a bit more going on underneath the skin of this four door.

Nicely done Jeff

[Powderkeg]

Thanks!

well done

ditto

Still, it’s all easy to reach from the driver’s seat. Said throne is surprisingly comfortable, yet also properly bolstered. The unit looks like it will be a harsh place to sit, almost appearing to lack cushioning, but my back was coddled and long trips were a breeze. Thankfully though, I didn’t have to sit in either of the back seats, of which there are only two. That’s right, this is a four-seater. Rear passengers have up to 34.1-inches of legroom at their command… as long as the driver is height challenged. I’m 6’3″, which means anyone riding behind me will learn to appreciate public transportation.

[JtotheG]

Thanks!

I really did enjoy my time with the car... I can't WAIT to see the production version of the Cadillac entry.

[lil' thumper]

Really appreciate your work there Jeff~

[Lightnin']

Somebody kill those graphics.....quick

[JtotheG]

Somebody kill those graphics.....quick

Seriously.

Why would someone put that on the car?

[Terandyne]

all charged up

[audifans]

Good God

Some people just don't know when to leave things alone

[Balderdash]

[Wheelstand]

Back in the early production period of the battery. It'll be good to look back to this point in time after GM has sorted all the ups and downs of this out.

[Harvey Hopkins]

Glad to see that piece!

Well done.