Chevrolet Volt, presentation and test drive in Switzerland

Another of the novelties we got to try at the presentation in Switzerland was the Chevrolet Volt, an extended-range electric car that is already available in our country from 41,950 euros (less the 4,000-euro state aid).

When we talk about an extended-range electric car, it means it is not a fully electric model, since the Chevrolet Volt has three motors, two electric and one petrol. The petrol engine, broadly speaking, is in charge of recharging the batteries when they run down.

Extended-range electric vehicle, some facts about the Chevrolet Volt

When we talk about the Volt, the first thing to do is explain what kind of vehicle it is and how it works. As I mentioned at the beginning, we are talking about an electric vehicle that has a 1.4-litre petrol engine which works to charge the batteries and in some cases to move the Volt.

With the batteries fully charged we have a range of about 40-80 km, and once they run out the petrol engine starts to recharge them, so we can reach a total range of up to 500 km. Naturally, it is on short trips where it pays off, because as we cover more kilometres the consumption rises, since the petrol engine runs for longer.

To charge the batteries we need a domestic plug and in 3-4 hours they will be charged. In addition, we can schedule the charge for a specific time, that is, park the car in the garage and set it to charge at night rather than earlier.

Thanks to this system we have a car that is less limited than electric cars and with quite interesting performance. As an example, there is the power: the Volt delivers 150 CV, it is front-wheel drive with 370 Nm of torque (similar to a 150 CV diesel), but as an electric vehicle the torque is instantaneous, available from the moment we press the accelerator until we stop, and it is constant.

Finally, unlike small electric cars, its top speed is more than enough to travel on motorways, since it reaches 161 km/h.

Exterior and interior design: enough room for four adults

The design of the Chevrolet Volt is basically similar to a conventional car or mid-size saloon. Externally it has a distinctive design, characterised above all by its two-tone paint, which combines parts in gloss black, and by more aerodynamic lines than a conventional car.

The car’s headlights use LED technology for the daytime running lights, the indicators in the mirrors and the fog lights, while xenon headlights complete the set.

The rear lights are also LED, with a spoiler designed for maximum aerodynamics, and 17-inch wheels that come as standard with low rolling-resistance tyres. Overall the exterior design has a futuristic, avant-garde feel.

In the interior we find a white centre console and a 7-inch instrument display that replaces the traditional needles, while the centre console has the navigation and computer screen that completes the set.

Again inside we find an avant-garde design, in details such as the gear lever or the touch-sensitive buttons spread across the centre console. The LED lights appear again for the interior and boot lighting.

The quality of the materials is again marred by excessive use of hard plastics, but overall, with a few exceptions, the fit is correct and the visual quality (especially of the centre console) is good too.

It is a four-seater vehicle, the front seats are comfortable and spacious, but in the rear the headroom is somewhat more restricted and they will only be comfortable if you are under 1.75 metres tall; otherwise the space is very tight.

Driving impressions

Having talked about the car, its design and its interior space, now it is time to get behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Volt. With the batteries fully charged we set off on a route of around 90 km.

As soon as we start we notice the silence, we move in fully electric mode, and the silence and the power are evident, since despite being electric you can feel the 370 Nm of torque. The first thing that changes compared with a conventional vehicle is the instrumentation: on its 7-inch display we see the speed, the battery charge level and the remaining range in kilometres, the car’s total range including petrol, and a little ball that measures our level of efficiency.

Whenever the ball is in the central zone we are driving smoothly: we are not accelerating hard or braking sharply, that is, we are getting the maximum efficiency. If we accelerate sharply the ball rises, and if we do the opposite it falls.

Another detail we need to get used to is the gear lever: it is automatic but has one mode more than a normal car, the LOW mode, a special mode that holds the vehicle back like engine braking and charges the batteries more intensively.

Another of the Volt’s peculiarities are its different driving modes: Normal, Sport, Mountain and Hold. The first two are based on normal or sportier driving, reacting more quickly to our commands, while the Mountain mode optimises energy consumption when climbing a mountain pass or areas of steep gradients or descents.

Finally, the Hold mode is curious. It is aimed at when we are heading into the city and want to have the batteries fully charged; the car then runs all three motors on the way to drive and charge the batteries.

As far as driving is concerned, it is a comfortable, quiet car with more than sufficient response both in electric mode and in combined mode, since it lets us tackle an overtaking manoeuvre with complete peace of mind.

After a little over 60 km in fully electric mode and with normal driving, without being particularly frugal, the car ran out of battery and the combustion engine started. Thanks to the central touchscreen we have some very interesting graphics showing how many km we covered in electric or petrol mode, consumption, energy distribution, and so on.

But even running in combined mode, after 90 km the average consumption was 2.2 litres per 100 km. Running costs over roughly 100 km are low, since consumption is barely two litres. Clearly the longer the distance, the higher the consumption, but over distances around 100 km the car has almost no consumption, and for journeys under 90 km it will be practically electric the whole time.

So is it frugal or not?

Well, it depends on the route we take. If the use is around town or the surrounding area, up to about 90 km the saving is significant (we can even go completely in electric mode). If it is more, it depends on how much more, but if we do not exceed 150-200 km we may still save quite a lot. In return, we have a car for everything: if we want to go on holiday or take a short trip we do not have to worry about finding a plug or being stranded without battery in a ditch, since with petrol the problem is solved.

Overall I found it an interesting car, because in the end it adapts to the needs of a vehicle: being electric it is not tied to a range of kilometres, and we can leave the cities with complete peace of mind. The only drawback is the price, which is too high.

Finally, under equipment, the car comes as standard with leather upholstery, a Bose premium sound system, air conditioning, xenon lights, among other features. Only the satnav, rear-view camera and alarm remain optional, among the main extras.

Photos | Diego G. Moreira