The staff at Electrek is a very
well-versed authority on electric vehicles, and has been focusing on the lengthening
of driving ranges, new features, and overall performance of everything relating
to electric. They did an up-close spotlight on our prized Chevy Volt
last week, and were impressed right off the bat by the 53 miles of EPA range,
which is in most cases enough for a daily commute, meaning that some owners
don't have to add gas to their cars at any time! With the advent of next year's
model, Chevy is now enabling you to use the battery pack to an even greater
degree, with faster charging, and less overall dependency on the engine.
In Vermont where the maple trees are plentiful and
the roads wind through the back country wonderfully, it's a perfect chance to
test the various limits and features of a car. What these writers were most
excited about is the more powerful charger available with the new model:
sporting a 7.2 kw capacity, it is absolutely worth the cost for those with
longer commutes, where you really see the difference. The first recorded
journey was on some hilly backcountry roads, and both passengers enjoyed the
ride to the Ploughgate Creamery in Waitsfield.
One thing that the duo really wanted to keep a
close eye on was how the transition felt from electric to gas engine, which
they labeled “seamless.” During three hours spent at the legendary Ben and
Jerry's, the duo was able to get a full charge with use of a level two charging
station. Many drivers will also be excited to see the update to the Volt's automatic engine-assisted heating system, which
is now able to be deferred until the temperature drops to a much lower point.
In colder climates this will enable much more all-electric operation for the
car.
During their wrap-up, the good folks of Electrek concluded
that the industry is going all-electric sooner than expected, and that the Volt is the “absolute best” option for a plug-in
hybrid. A brand new digital rearview camera replaces the last year's analog
system, and there is now a six-way power-adjustable driver's seat standard on
Premier and LT trims.
The upgraded Chevy Infotainment system has an
8-inch-diagonal color touchscreen, and comes loaded with a new Energy App that
shows drivers how driving style, route, weather conditions, and cabin comfort
setting affects overall range, and how much energy you can retain. As the task
of making sure we are energy-efficient and have enough resources left on the
planet to be sustainable becomes more pertinent on a day-to-day basis, stepping
it up and making the choice to own a brand-new Volt is
more appealing, resilient, and Eco-friendly then ever before!
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