16-kWh lithium-ion battery
Check the official documentation for items listed here to be sure and in case of changes.
The Chevrolet Volt is the first plug-in hybrid car made in large quantities and sold in the United States. Some call the Chevy Volt an "electric hybrid" since its main source of power for most driving is electric. The Prius is called a gas-electric hybrid. Here is how I think that hybrids should be categorized with regard to battery energy.:
Of course, if the battery is rechargeable, as is the case for the Chevy Volt, "Plug-In" should be added in front of the hybrid-type name.
Chevrolet calls the Chevy Volt an "Extended Range Electric Car", which is slightly misleading.
The Chevy Volt has been selected by GreenCar.com as the Green Car of the year for 2011.
| Battery voltage: | 300 V
|
| Battery cells: | 200 Li-ion |
| Battery weight: | 400 lb |
| Battery energy: | 16.5 kWh (~11 kWh useable) |
| Generator starts: | at battery capacity of 8.8 kWh |
| Battery replace: | <77% of battery capacity |
| Charging time: | 120 V:10.5 hours; 240 V: 4.25 hours |
| Motor power: | 111 kW/149 hp |
| Engine: | 1.4 liters, 4 cylinder |
| Engine/generator power: | 55 kW/74 hp |
| Range: | ~382 miles |
| Electric range: | ~35 miles |
| mpg after charge depletion: | ~45 |
| Pre-warming on grid: | Yes |
| Heated seats: | Yes |
| Driving modes: | Normal | Sport | Mountain |
| Power cord: | 20' |
| Battery warranty: | 100,000 miles/8 years |
| Warranty: | Basic: 36,000 miles/3 years; 100,000 miles/drivetrain(5 yr), rust(6 yr) |
| Gasoline tank capacity: | 9.3 gallons, premium fuel |
| Roadside assistance: | 100,000 miles/5 years |
| OnStar availability: | Yes |
| Air bags: | 8: 2 front, 2 side in front, 2 knee in front, 2 roof rail |
| 0->60 mph: | 8.8 seconds |
| Weight: | 1720 kg/3790 lb |
| Hybrid type: | Series/parallel 30-70 mph |
| Price: | $39,995 (minus $7.,500 tax credit) |
Engine/generator maintains battery at 8 kWh when EV operation causes the battery to fall to that level.
16-kWh lithium-ion battery
Deconstructing the Chevy-Volt battery
Electric driving: |
effective 93 mpg |
Gasoline driving: |
37 mpg |
Electric range: |
35 miles |
Electric yearly cost: |
$601 |
Gasoline yearly cost: |
$1302 |
A planetary gear set (also called an epicycle gear set) is used to connect the battery/electric-motor, the gasoline-engine/generator and the wheels:
C1, C2 & C3 are automatic clutches.
The outer ring gear is clutched to the chassis. The battery powers the large traction motor which passes power to the center carrier gear set and then on to the wheels through the reduction gears.
Both the large traction motor, through the inner sun gear, and the small motor, through the outer ring gear, are powered by the battery, which power is passed to the center carrier gear set and then on to the wheels through the reduction gears.
The outer ring gear is clutched to the chassis. The engine drives the small motor/generator to charge the battery, which powers the large traction motor, which passes the power on to the inner sun gear and then on to the center carrier gear set and on to the wheels through the reduction gears.
The engine both powers the wheels through the outer ring gear and on to the center carrier gear set and powers the motor/generator to charge the battery. The battery powers the traction motor and on to the inner sun gear and then to the wheels through the reduction gears.
This is similar to the Prius series/parallel Hybrid Synergy Drive. The connections to the three components of the planetary gear set are different, as shown below.
The Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive used in the Prius also uses a planetary gear set, but with a different way the components are connected:
ICE = internal combustion engine (connected to the center carrier gear set), MG1 = small generator/motor (connected to the inner sun gear) and MG2 = large motor/generator; the wheels and MG2 are both connected to the outer ring gear (R).
Comparing the planetary-gear-set connections for the Prius and for the Volt:
An operating difference between the Prius and the Volt series/parallel hybrids is that the Volt cannot drive the wheels solely by the ICE, whereas the Prius can.
The big advantages of the Volt over the Prius are:
A 2005-2009 Prius can be converted to a plug-in Prius:
L. David Roper interdisciplinary studies
L. David Roper, http://www.roperld.com/personal/roperldavid.htm
4 April, 2016