The Volt’s lithium-ion battery pack
GM finally confirmed that the will utilize an 8 gallon fuel tank to supplement the Volt’s EV range.
So, what does that mean for the Volt’s real world range and fuel economy?
Once the lithium ion battery pack drops down to 30 percent of its full charge, then the 1.4 liter engine begins generating electricity to power the Volt. The battery, however, is never recharged in this state. Still, in this state the Volt can travel at least another 300 miles, and then the battery has to be recharged. That will take about 8 hours at 120V, although a special 240V supply could drop that charge time down to about 3 hours.
But that won’t matter as long as you only drive 40 miles or less, right?
Not necessarily. According to the latest reports, “Most people will get less than 40 miles. ” And, once electric range is used and the Volt is dependent upon its gasoline engine, the Volt’s city fuel economy will probably be around 38 mpg.
