The 2013 Chevrolet Volt will have more range

General Motors has confirmed the technical specifications of the redesigned Chevrolet Volt, which has received a number of improvements for the 2013 model. Among the most important are the new features announced in the latest press release, which affect its electric and hybrid range. These changes are intended to fix the past shortcomings that damaged the model’s image.

From now on, the Volt will be able to cover around seventy kilometres on a full battery charge, ten more than before. Once its batteries start to run out of electricity, the combustion generator will kick in and add another 637 kilometres. In total, the range in extended-range mode increases by more than seventy kilometres compared with the previous Volt.

These changes are largely due to the fact that Chevrolet’s engineers have worked hard on the materials used in the batteries. The amount of manganese in each cell has been modified to increase its strength and durability. Likewise, its total capacity has been raised from 16 kWh to 16.5 and its usable capacity from 10.3 to 10.8 kWh. They will now be able to withstand temperatures down to -30 degrees Celsius, five degrees lower than before.

There have also been improvements to the battery charging system. Chevrolet says that using a 120-volt socket the charging process can take around ten and a half hours to complete. The time drops to four and a quarter hours if the socket is a European 230-volt one. Although it has not yet been confirmed, it is expected that the Opel Ampera will soon receive these same updates, making it a little more attractive for everyday use.

Source | General Motors