The second generation Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid electric

compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class — predominantly used in North America — that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars. "Small family car" is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However ...

produced by

General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...

under the

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ou ...

brand. It debuted at the 2015

North American International Auto Show The North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), also known as the Detroit Auto Show as of 2022 and prior to NAIAS, is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., at Huntington Place. The show was held in January from 1989 to 2019. ...

to replace the original

Volt The volt (symbol: V) is the unit of electric potential, electric potential difference (voltage), and electromotive force in the International System of Units (SI). It is named after the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745–1827). Defin ...

, on sale since 2010. Retail deliveries as a 2016

model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated "MY") is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...

began in October 2015 in the U.S. and Canada, and it was released in Mexico in December 2015. Availability of the 2016 model was limited to California and the other 10 states that follow California's zero emission vehicle regulations. It went on sale as a 2017 model year in the rest of the U.S. in February 2016. Volt production ended on February 15, 2019. Featuring a restyled exterior and interior, the Volt's revised battery system and drivetrain allow, under the

United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...

(EPA) cycle, an

all-electric range All-electric range (AER) is the maximum driving range of an electric vehicle using only power from its on-board battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of an all-electric vehicle, it means the maximum range per recharge. For a ...

of , up from the first generation's . The EPA combined fuel economy in gasoline-only mode was rated at , up from for the previous generation. The official rating for combined city/highway fuel economy in

all-electric mode Charge-depleting or EV mode refers to a mode of vehicle operation that is dependent on the energy from the battery pack. Battery electric vehicles operate solely in this mode. Most plug-in hybrids operate in charge-depleting mode at startup, and ...

is 106 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPG-e), up from 98 MPG-e for the 2015 first generation model.

Specifications

The Volt's revised batteries and Voltec powertrain feature a larger 1.5-liter

range extender A range extender is a fuel-based auxiliary power unit (APU) that extends the range of a battery electric vehicle by driving an electric generator that charges the vehicle's battery. This arrangement is known as a series hybrid drivetrain. The ...

engine tuned for regular gasoline instead of premium required by the first generation. The new engine is rated for 101 horsepower (75 kW), representing approximately 20% more power than the engine used in the previous generation. As with the first Voltec iteration, the second generation battery pack uses battery cells by

LG Chem LG Chem Ltd. (Korean: LG화학), often referred to as LG Chemical, is the largest Korean chemical company and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It was the 10th largest chemical company in the world by sales in 2017. It was first established ...

. Their new chemistry reportedly stores 20% more electrical energy. The second generation battery pack uses fewer cells (192 vs 288), weighs less and features a capacity increased to 18.4

kWh A kilowatt-hour (unit symbol: kW⋅h or kW h; commonly written as kWh) is a unit of energy: one kilowatt of power for one hour. In terms of SI derived units with special names, it equals 3.6 megajoules (MJ). Kilowatt-hours are a common bill ...

. The battery pack is projected to use a power controller integral to the motor housing with electric motors weighing less while using less

rare-earth metal The rare-earth elements (REE), also called the rare-earth metals or (in context) rare-earth oxides or sometimes the lanthanides (yttrium and scandium are usually included as rare earths), are a set of 17 nearly-indistinguishable lustrous silv ...

Under the

(EPA) cycle, the 2016

Volt

is , up from the first generation's . Total driving range is . The EPA combined fuel economy in gasoline-only mode was rated at , up from for the previous generation. The official rating for combined city/highway fuel economy in

is 106 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPG-e), up from 98 MPG-e for the 2015 first generation model. The combined gasoline-electricity fuel economy rating of the 2016 model year Volt is equivalent, 82 MPG-e in city driving and 72 MPG-e in highway. Both the all-electric range and fuel economy ratings are the same for the 2017 model year Volt. , and excluding all-electric cars, only the

BMW i3 REx The BMW i3 is a B-segment, high-roof hatchback manufactured and marketed by BMW with an electric powertrain using rear-wheel drive via a single-speed transmission and an underfloor lithium-ion battery pack and an optional range-extending pet ...

has a better combined gasoline-electricity rating (88 MPG-e) than the Volt. ''Excludes all-electric vehicles. Click on the tab "Top Fuel Sippers (EPA Ratings, All Years)" - The 2013-2014 Chevrolet Volt has a combined fuel economy of 62 mpg-e, while 2016 Volt has a combined fuel economy of 77 mpg-e. The BMW i3 REx has a combined fuel economy of 88 mpg-e, and ranks as the most efficient EPA-certified current year vehicle with a gasoline engine.'' Likewise, only second to the

, the all-electric range is the second longest-range achieved by any plug-in hybrid car available for sale. Chevrolet expects that many 2016 Volt owners will run on battery only for 90% of their daily trips, up from 80% for the first generation owners based on

OnStar OnStar Corporation is a subsidiary of General Motors that provides subscription-based communications, in-vehicle security, emergency services, turn-by-turn navigation, and remote diagnostics systems throughout the United States, Canada, China, ...

data and other studies. To increase the electrically driven miles, the Volt would need better charging capabilities. The Volt's onboard charger can only handle 3.6 kW though, which is sufficient for overnight charging at the owner's home but falls short of the capabilities of public chargers. 7.2 kW charging system is standard on the 2019 Volt Premier. 7.2 kW charging system upgrade is a factory option on the 2019 Volt LT. The Volt also lacks a DC quick charging connector. Real-world driving reports from some Volt owners show they have been able to achieve maximum

of up to about , depending on driving style and conditions, well in excess of the EPA estimate. However, many gasoline vehicles, including performance oriented ones, report similar increases to the EPA's estimate when driven in an efficient manner.

Performance

* Top speed: (as tested) * Acceleration: ** : 7.1–7.8 s ** Standing 1/4 mile: 15.6 s @ 85.7 mph – 16.1 s at 86 mph'' ''

Production and sales

The second generation Volt debuted at the 2015

. At the Volt's debut, GM engineers said the second generation Volt was developed using extensive input from first generation owners. Chevrolet Volt WAS 2017 1738

Production of the 2015 model year Volt ended by mid-May 2015, while manufacturing of pre-production units of the second generation began in March 2015. The 2016 Volt starts at before any available government incentives, plus for destination; this price is lower than the 2015 model year Volt. The order books for the second generation Volt opened in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

on May 28, 2015. Series production began in August 2015. After California, initial deliveries of the 2016 Volt included

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and nor ...

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

, and

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...

; these are the other states that follow California's zero emission vehicle regulations. Chevrolet Volt WAS 2017 1518

Deliveries to retail customers began in the U.S. and Canada in October 2015 as a 2016

. Availability in the American market was limited to California and the other 10 states that follow California's zero emission vehicle rules. GM scheduled the second generation Volt to go on sale as a 2017 model year in the 39 remaining states by early 2016. A total of 1,324 units of the second gen Volt were delivered in the U.S. in October 2015, out of 2,035 units sold that month. The second generation Volt was released for retail customers in Mexico in December 2015. Pricing starts at 638,000 pesos (~). Manufacturing of the 2017 model year Volt began in February 2016, and the first units arrived at dealerships at the end of February 2016. The 2017 model complies with stricter Tier 3 emissions requirements and is available nationwide. Pricing of the 2017 Volt starts at , more than the 2016 model, while the Premier package starts at . These prices do not include taxes or any applicable government incentives. The Premier model offers two optional Driver Confidence packages with blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert,

Collision avoidance system A collision avoidance system (CAS), also known as a pre-crash system, forward collision warning system, or collision mitigation system, is an advanced driver-assistance system designed to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision. In its ...

s, lane-keep assist, and intelligent high beams. The 2017 Premier also offers an

adaptive cruise control Adaptive cruise control (ACC) is an available cruise control advanced driver-assistance system for road vehicles that automatically adjusts the vehicle speed to maintain a safe distance from vehicles ahead. As of 2019, it is also called by 20 u ...

option.

Chevy Volt 2nd gen charging Arlington 08 2017 5215

In July 2014, Opel announced that due to the slowdown in sales, the Ampera will be discontinued after the launch of the second generation Volt and that Opel planned to introduce in Europe a successor product in the electric vehicle segment. In April 2015, General Motors confirmed that it will not build the second generation Volt in right-hand-drive configuration. As only 246 units had been sold in Australia by mid-April 2015, the Holden Volt will be discontinued once the remaining stock is sold out. The Buick Velite 5 was introduced at the 2017

Shanghai Auto Show Auto Shanghai (), officially known as the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (), is a biennial international automobile show that alternates with the Beijing Auto Show (Auto China) as China's yearly international automotive ...

, a rebadged second generation Chevrolet Volt tailored for the Chinese market. The "Velite 5" was planned to be manufactured in China., but in the event, the car was called the

Buick Velite 6 The Buick Velite 6 (微蓝) is a compact station wagon, also known as a "multi-activity vehicle" (MAV) built by Chinese-American manufacturer SAIC-GM under the Buick brand. It is available as either an electric car or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). I ...

by the time it was actually released into the Chinese market in 2019. This model is to be sold exclusively in China with the same powertrain. In November 2018, GM announced it would cease Volt production on March 1, 2019, as the

Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly, also called Factory Zero, is a General Motors automobile assembly plant straddling the border between Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan. It is located about three miles (five km) from GM's corporate headquarters. Wh ...

plant is being closed. The Detroit-Hamtramck plant also builds the

Chevrolet Impala The Chevrolet Impala () is a full-size car built by Chevrolet for model years 1958 to 1985, 1994 to 1996, and 2000 to 2020. The Impala was Chevrolet's popular flagship passenger car and was among the better-selling American-made automobiles ...

Buick LaCrosse The Buick LaCrosse is a mid-size sedan manufactured and marketed by Buick since 2004. The LaCrosse is now in its third generation, slotted above the Buick Regal as the brand's flagship vehicle. The first-generation LaCrosse replaced the Century ...

, and Cadillac CT6. Production of the Volt ended on February 15, 2019. Buick Velite 5 front

According to the US 2018 model year ordering guide, new for the 2018 model year (2017 calendar year): For the US 2019 final model year (2018-2019 calendar year), Chevrolet has added the following new features: * 7.2 kW charging system standard on the 2019 Volt Premier. 7.2 kW charging system upgrade is a factory option on the 2019 Volt LT. * Option to defer automatic engine-assisted heating system for more all-electric operation. New threshold is minus 13 degrees F / minus 25 degrees C. * Option to configure Low and Regen on Demand profiles that enable increased regenerative braking capabilities. This improves electric vehicle range and reduces wear and tear on friction brakes. * New Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system with 8-inch-diagonal color touchscreen. The Infotainment 3 system provides a new energy app as well as capabilities for over the air updates. * New digital rear-view camera replacing the previous analog system. * New driver-switchable Adaptive Cruise Control option. * Power driver seat standard on 2019 Volt Premier and optional on 2019 Volt LT.

Reception

Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011. It was f ...

praised the shape, longer EV range, addition of a regenerative paddle, efficiency and big trunk. The reviewer did not like how the car lost its distinctive styling, that the rear middle seat had little leg room, and, at the full price of the car with all its options, one could buy a BMW. And for the "lows", Less than comfortable front seats, useless back seats and odd cornering imbalance. Overall, Car and Driver thought the Volt has been brought to the next level. The second-generation Volt was awarded the "2016

Green Car of the Year The Green Car of the Year is a ''Car of the Year'' award from the ''Green Car Journal''. The winner is selected by an 11-member panel comprising automotive and environmental experts. Invited jurors have included Mario Andretti; Carroll Shelby, Ja ...

" by

Green Car Journal ''Green Car Journal'' a monthly publication created in 1992, now published as an annual, focuses on green vehicles and environmentally friendly energy and technologies. The founder and editor is Ron Cogan. Co-founder and executive publisher throug ...

at the 2016

LA Auto Show The Los Angeles Auto Show is an annual auto show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center in early December. The LA Auto Show is an OICA sanctioned international exhibition. It is open to the public for ten days each year, filling of exhibit s ...

. The Volt became the first model to receive this award more than once. The second generation Volt scored a "Top Safety Pick+" rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The plug-in hybrid scored a "Good" rating in all of the

IIHS The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is a U.S. nonprofit organization funded by auto insurance companies, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle traffic collisio ...

crash worthiness tests. The second-generation Volt was named one of the top ten tech cars in 2016 by

IEEE Spectrum ''IEEE Spectrum'' is a magazine edited by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The first issue of ''IEEE Spectrum'' was published in January 1964 as a successor to ''Electrical Engineering''. The magazine contains peer-reviewe ...

References

External links

Official website
(archived) {{Buick vehicles Volt (2nd generation) Plug-in hybrid vehicles Front-wheel-drive vehicles Partial zero-emissions vehicles

Chevrolet Volt (second generation) The second generation Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid electric compact car produced by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand. It debuted at the 2015 North American International Auto Show to replace the original Volt, on sale since 2010. Retai ...