Electrical Energy Consumption in the Chevy Volt

[msirach]

State of charge usage is around 65%

Lyle Dennis - GM-VOLT - December 03, 2010

Real power consumption of an EV is a highly debated subject. What is your goal? --Ed.

With the release of the EPA testing result we finally have a good idea how much electrical energy the Chevy Volt will consume.

Its lithium-ion battery back contains 288 cells which combine to a total of 16 kwh of energy storage capacity when full. From the days of the concept GM said it would only use half of that energy to travel 40 miles, keeping the rest as a gradually receding buffer to keep the battery healthy. Over time engineers realized they were comfortable using more of that energy safely.

In the final configuration, according to GM’s Director of Battery Systems Mickey Bly, “we moved the state of charge usage from 50% (8kwh) to around 65% (little over 10kwh) during the development and validation phase as we learned how capable this battery really was.”

Sixty-five percent of 16 is 10.4 kwh.

That is the exact amount of energy the Volt has at its disposal to complete its full range of pure electric driving. The EPA has determined that will be 35 miles on average. They also report that energy use works out to 37 kwh/100 miles, or 2.7 miles per kwh. This will depend on driving style, cabin climate control use, and terrain. Most people will see between 25 and 50 miles of range. In my experience at mostly high speed highway driving, I range from 32 to 38 miles of range (40 degrees outside and 72 degrees cabin mostly).... [Read More]