I bought a Chevrolet Volt recently.

[vtwin]

Originally Posted by Anorak

Yeah, that's been the general tone of the comments I've read. One would think that if H.I.D. lights are more efficient, they would be used. The stereo is claimed to be a high efficiency model that uses 50% less energy and uses neodymium iron boron magnets in the speakers for less weight so more efficient headlight would seem to be at least as much of a savings.

Are LED headlamps in use yet? Wouldn't they be even more efficient?

[RedRocket]

Originally Posted by vtwin

Are LED headlamps in use yet? Wouldn't they be even more efficient?

Some cars use them but they're expensive.

[Retro]

Originally Posted by Bueller

Because for a paltry 40 grand they had to cut corners somewhere

I'll bet they cost more than that. You're talking price.

[Anorak]

Originally Posted by BCC

So, the lowest temps I've driven in so far are in the high twenties. Battery lasted 30 miles before the auxiliary kicked in, compared to about 40 in the summer.

I had the heater and butt warmer on and didn't preheat the car, so I could have done better battery management...

Car working great.

Recently when the temperature was in the low 40's I turned the heat up almost all the way. The range was reduced by about five miles more than without heat.

A gasoline heater like the old VW option would be nice.

[Anorak]

I drove from Oakland through San Francisco to Marin and back to Oakland yesterday. It's a good mix of highway and city driving with plenty of hills. 40 miles on the battery. When the battery was discharged I set it to "Mountain Mode" which charges the battery enough to allow a reserve for driving in, well, mountainous areas. Even when the battery indicator shows zero miles range, the battery is not fully discharged. There is a small amount of reserve to assist acceleration. If you are driving under high load using the range extender, gasoline engine, you could run out of that reserve. This will reduce speed and acceleration so, "Mountain Mode" is designed to increase that reserve.

Anyhow, in about 15 miles of "Mountain Mode" on level ground at freeway speed, the battery was almost 1/2 charged. I filled the gas tank because I felt like it. The dash gauge indicated 4.2 gallons used in 1400 miles. The pump indicated 4.25 gallons. Pretty accurate.

[jdiaz]

Originally Posted by Anorak

A gasoline heater like the old VW option would be nice.

The last thing the Volt needs is another fire source.

VW has been equipping its cold weather Jetta TdI's with aux electric heaters. They put out 500-600 watts or so and give instant heat. A couple folks have added them to gas cars.

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by ohgood

If our govt did this with all their vehicles, our fuel bill would drop 90%.




No, really, we have soooo many wasteful SUVs in govt service its appalling.

Just as a note, AF-MAN 24-204, Preparing Hazardous Materials for Military Air Shipments, now has an expanded section on the preparation and shipment of lithium-ion and metal-hydride batteries...just like the ones you would come across in a hybrid or electric vehicle.

The Air Force has already purchased some Volts, as well.

[ohgood]

Originally Posted by Anorak

I drove from Oakland through San Francisco to Marin and back to Oakland yesterday....

...1400 miles....4.25 gallons

Awesome enough with just the drive description, but then icing too.

[PoundSand]

Originally Posted by jdiaz

VW has been equipping its cold weather Jetta TdI's with aux electric heaters.

that comes on all jetta tdi's i believe (at least it did on our california model).

[ohgood]

Originally Posted by Heyload

Just as a note, AF-MAN 24-204, Preparing Hazardous Materials for Military Air Shipments, now has an expanded section on the preparation and shipment of lithium-ion and metal-hydride batteries...just like the ones you would come across in a hybrid or electric vehicle.

The Air Force has already purchased some Volts, as well.

Nah, airforce won't use them enough to matter. Make all the fed use them, that's where the waste is.

[mark883]

The new 2013s have a HOLD feature for the battery- you can run on the engine with a full battery. This is good if you know you have city driving at the end of your trip, where electric motivation is most efficient.

However, this can also be known as the 'instant heat' button, running the engine immediately, and producing lots of 'waste' heat.

I have a 2012, so I don't even have a HOLD button.

If you have a partially empty battery, you can use mountain mode as a hold feature (but only past the battery level as designed by GM - about 67% used)


You need heat in the SF area of California???
(I bout froze my ass off once in July looking at that orange bridge. That felt colder than Ohio in December)

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by ohgood

Nah, airforce won't use them enough to matter. Make all the fed use them, that's where the waste is.

The military in general is looking at and embracing the use of hybrid and electric vehicles on a very large scale. The military uses far more fuel than the other federal branches.

[ohgood]

Originally Posted by Heyload

The military in general is looking at and embracing the use of hybrid and electric vehicles on a very large scale. The military uses far more fuel than the other federal branches.

I thought the military liked diesel for its simplicity and stuff ?

[Heyload]

Originally Posted by ohgood

I thought the military liked diesel for its simplicity and stuff ?

Yes, and bio-diesel is being used increasingly. But hybrid/electric vehicles offer even better mileage and therefore more fuel savings..which equates to less taxpayer dollars being used for fuel.

Plus, in combat areas, running on electric only can be an advantage in regards to low acoustic signatures.

I think the Volts will primarily be staff cars for the higher ups, although I think there was something about the recuiters using them too. They put down some serious mileage in their job.

[jdiaz]

Originally Posted by mark883

You need heat in the SF area of California??? )

Coldest I've ever been on a motorcycle was riding across the Dumbarton Bridge in July.