GM Chevy Volt to feature 'Mountain' mode | Green Tech - CNET News Answering the question about if the ICE can charge the batteries. This mode would not be needed often, and even without it the car would still be able to climb the steepest mountains in America with normal roads.
We always knew the ICE would charge the battery-pack. That's how it maintains the regular 30% minimum. Adjusting it to offer a greater buffer is just a software tweak, adding a button on an option screen. The mode that will be needed often is for the heater... all winter long here. .
Selecting the mode is completely optional. I think if you run into a huge mountain regularly you will love the feature and know when to use it.
I have a perfectly good "terrain selector" under my right foot in the prius, how is this different? . _H*
It tells the system to force charge the HV battery to the high limit. That way you have more charge in the battery before starting the hill. Tom
While the Prius and the Volt are quite different they both have one thing in common: They have a peak HP output that is higher then their sustained HP output. Take a Prius (gen3) up a steep hill and at first you have 134HP but once the battery is exhausted you have 98hp, with the Volt its worse, you start with 149hp and end up with 71hp. Both cars will climb the biggest mountains in the USA (with proper roads) with no problem at reasonable speeds with the lower HP numbers. What the mountain mode does is allows you to store extra power so you have 149hp for a longer period. 3x a year when I drive through the Pennsylvania mountains I would use this mode (if I had a Volt!).
I think they would raise the minimal SOC a bit higher as they said the EV range will be lower. The ICE should also run near WOT most of the time to conserve the remaining battery charge.
The more I read about the Volt, the more I find myself doubting the design, and anxiously awaiting the on-road driving experiences of the public. At first, I assumed the "Mountain Mode" was similiar to "Power" mode on the Prrius. Now I have my doubts. I read elswhere on PC the ICE is the Prius is retarded when it first starts to better control emissions, and power is reduced. In time, emission components are warm, and the ICE becomes more efficient. Now consider the Volt. We live 30 miles from a long steep mountain pass. So the Volt departs home, runs in EV mode for 30-35 miles, then comes to the grade. The battery is depeleted, the ICE is stone cold, and when needed for the grade, it must go through the emission controls warm up ... I assume at lower power and efficiency. It will be interesting. One additional thought. I was looking at the Tesla S online. Impressive. Mention is made that provisions have been made to easily remove the battery pack. Has anyone any idea how the battery pack in the Volt will be removed? That large "T" shaped battery would appear to be problematic to replace.
In mountain mode, you will got ~25 miles in EV mode before the ICE will kick in to go into CSM because the SOC will be kept at 40-50% instead of 30%. That means the overall mpg will be lower.
yes, they are quite different. the prius is a real car. the volt? an idea we can all make claims about without any proof in reality. great discussion tho!
I can see the commercials now: "Hi! I'm a Volt!" (played by a loud overweight guy in his late 50s with an obviously fake toupee, plaid jacket, lime green pants, and white shoes, puffing on a cheap cigar). "And I'm a Prius." (Played by Ira Glass)
