2013 Chevrolet Volt Boosts EV Range To Thirty-Eight Miles

With battery storage capacity increases and cell chemistry changes, the all-electric vehicle range of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt is expected to attain thirty-eight miles on a single charge, providing owners with a three-mile EV range increase from the 2012 model. The miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) will increase from ninety-four miles to ninety-eight miles and the total range, including extended range operation, will be 380 miles.

According to Chevrolet, based on feedback by Volt owners since the vehicle launched in late 2010, engineers made minor changes to the material composition of the battery cell chemistry, resulting in improved performance and durability. Manganese spinel chemistry remains the foundation for the Volt’s battery system, but the amount of each material has been slightly modified to provide better life performance.

The total storage capacity of the Volt battery has been increased from sixteen kilowatt hours(kWh) of energy to 16.5 kWh, and engineers have expanded the state-of-charge window to use 10.8 kWh of the total battery energy – up from 10.3 kWh used in the 2012 model. The battery system maintains a buffer to ensure battery life, but that buffer has been reduced.

The improved EV range capability will result in slight increases to the Volt’s charge times. A full recharge using a 120V could take 10.5 hours and 4.25 hours using a 240V charging unit.

Cells with improved chemistry have accumulated 150,000 test miles to date. The tests have revealed less battery degradation, the ability to withstand temperatures as low as -30 degrees Celsius, and less impact by energy throughput.

For the first thirty-eight miles, the Volt can drive gas and tailpipe-emissions free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16.5-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank. Volt owners have traveled more than sixty-five million miles since the vehicle launched late 2010. Roughly two-thirds of those miles were powered by grid electricity.

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