Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet Volt at a glance

The Volt is a compact five-door liftback with front-wheel drive. Unlike a conventional hybrid, it drives on battery power first and uses its petrol engine to generate electricity once the battery is depleted. More Chevrolet models are listed in our Chevrolet catalogue.

First generation (2010–2015)

The first Volt went on sale in the United States in mid-December 2010 as a 2011 model. It seated four, used a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery of which only about half was used to protect its life, and a 1.4-litre four-cylinder range extender. Its EPA-rated electric range was 61 km. It was also sold as the Opel Ampera in Europe, the Vauxhall Ampera in the UK and, from December 2012, as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand.

The first Volt collected many awards: in 2011 it was North American Car of the Year, World Green Car, Green Car of the Year, Motor Trend Car of the Year and Automobile of the Year, and in 2012 it shared the European Car of the Year title with the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera. About 88,750 were sold in the United States and just over 10,000 Amperas in Europe.

Second generation (2015–2019)

The second Volt was unveiled at the Detroit motor show in January 2015, and retail deliveries began in October 2015 as a 2016 model. It moved closer to a true electric car, with a larger body, five seats, better efficiency and a more powerful drivetrain, and it won Green Car of the Year again in 2016.

Exterior

The second Volt looks more modern and unconventional, as befits an electric car. A short, sharply sculpted bonnet, slim LED headlights and a chrome trapezoidal "grille" that is largely decorative give it a sporty face; the front is designed mainly for aerodynamics, which improved considerably over the first generation. Small vertical fog lamps sit in the bumper. The profile has dynamic, almost sporty lines, a deep lower crease and a thin character line running to the tail lights. A flap ahead of the driver's door hides the charging socket rather than a fuel filler. Ground clearance is an average 150 mm, and the car rides on 17-inch alloys. The tail forms a small spoiler, the redesigned lights blend into the boot lid, and a gloss-black plastic panel with slim reflectors sits low on the bumper; there are no visible exhaust pipes.

Interior

The cabin became friendlier and less futuristic. The dashboard resembles the latest Chevrolet Cruze, but materials and fit are better. A three-spoke multifunction wheel faces a digital instrument display framed in chrome, and a paddle behind the wheel activates Regen on Demand, which increases regenerative braking. The front seats are comfortable for most body types and have good side support. An 8-inch MyLink touchscreen with navigation and Apple CarPlay sits in the centre console, flanked by vertical air vents and above an intuitive climate panel. The tunnel has a recess with two USB ports, a chrome-trimmed gear selector and a parking brake switch. Materials include soft plastics and leather, with blue ambient lighting.

The rear now seats three instead of two, but space is tight because the battery runs under the cabin, and legroom is limited. The luggage area holds 301 litres.

Voltec drivetrain

The second-generation drivetrain combines the 1.5-litre petrol engine, which runs on regular petrol and mainly charges the battery, with two electric motors, one of which also works as a generator. Drive-unit torque rose from 370 to 398 Nm, and the motors are about 45 kg lighter. Published figures give 0–100 km/h in 8.5 seconds, a top speed of 157 km/h, about 6.9 l/100 km in hybrid mode, a total range of up to 676 km and about 4.5 hours for a full charge. The battery was developed with LG Chem.

Chassis and safety

The second-generation body is stiffer, with a reinforced structure, more high-strength steel and front crumple zones, yet the car is 114 kg lighter. Suspension remains MacPherson at the front with an anti-roll bar and a torsion beam at the rear. Rack-and-pinion steering has electromechanical assistance with several modes, and the brakes are discs all round (ventilated at the front). The Volt achieved top safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA. Equipment includes ten airbags, ABS, blind-spot monitoring, automatic parking, lane monitoring, forward automatic braking, a rear camera, ISOFIX anchorages, stability control, LED lights front and rear, heated seats, climate control and the 8-inch infotainment system.

End of production

Because of low demand, GM ended Volt production in February 2019. About 68,375 second-generation cars were sold in the United States. In China, a related model was sold as the Buick Velite 5.

Key specifications

Strengths and weaknesses

Owners like the Volt's looks, good performance, economy and electric range, good sound insulation, comfortable seats and audio quality; the second generation adds a digital instrument panel, better trim and excellent safety. On the downside, ground clearance can be limiting, the rear camera gets dirty, there is no spare wheel, the rear backrests do not fold and the standard halogen headlights are not very bright. Rivals included the Toyota Prius Plug-in, BMW i3 with range extender, Nissan Leaf, Ford C-Max Energi and Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in.