There have been plenty of aspersions cast over the reliability of electric cars whether battery powered or range extended – so it’s interesting to see how the Chevrolet Volt will fair during its first winter as a production model.
According to General Motors, one of its key goals when developing the Volt was to create a plug-in electric vehicle suitable for everyday use irrespective of the weather. Winters are expected to take a bigger toll on battery powered vehicles than on traditional internal combustion powered cars and trucks. Typically, the battery has to be used to power a resistive heater to produce warm air – electrical energy could otherwise be used to propel the vehicle which is one reason why they have a shorter driving range in cold weather.
As such, GM includes several features in the Volt aimed at minimising the drain on the lithium-ion battery. For example, the OnStart MyLink smartphone app or the MyVolt.com website can start the Volt and warm the cabin while it is plugged in and drawing power from the grid so the battery can maintain its full charge.
In addition, in sub-freezing temperatures, the engine periodically cycles on and off, heating the coolant which creates a reservoir of thermal energy that can then be used to warm the cabin air. Also, when under light driving loads, the engine and generator can put some electrical energy back into the battery to extend driving range.
However, even with all these optimisations, the same factors that contribute to lower mileage in traditional vehicles could lead to a shorter electrical range too. Reassuringly though, the range extending engine in the Volt switches on sooner in snow or slush so the driver has no fear of being stranded.
