So, the Volt is just a wanna be PIP, right?

If I'm not mistaken, the Volt came onto the market before PIP. The VOLT is a true EV with a gas generator to extend its range.

PIP is a gas car, NOT EV, that has an electrical drive train to help boost the overall MPG

 

You are mistaken... The Volt is a PHEV just like the PiP and several other Plug in Hybrids out there. (Looks like someone is trolling the troll.) LOL

 

Whatever you say pal. If you like to think the VOLT is the same as Prius Plug in under the hood, go right ahead. LOL

 

That's correct. The gas generator charges the batteries and the batteries drive the electric motor(s). Normally, the gas generator will not kick in until the batteries level go below a certain level. Therefore, if your trip total less than 30 miles, the generator will just sit there quietly.

 

I was talking to "SLOW_RR"

 

It's difficult to compare. VOLT is great for people who use it for work and then charge the car at the end of the day. But when you take it to go long distance, the MPG is poor after you go beyond the 30 mile limit on the battery. PIP would give you better MPG going long distance.

 

pripa, you're off the mark again. volt engine can also supply power to wheels when necessary.

 

o/p. volt is a smaller car than pip with longer ev range and poorer hv mpg's.

 

And it is not a Toyota which automatically makes it a lower class vehicle.

 

The Plug in prius is just that -- it dirives mostly like a prius. The Volt is a whole different animal and drives mostly like an EV.

The Volt is an extended range electric Vehicle (EREV), with full performance (up to 100MPH and no acceleration limits) in EV mode. The EPA rates it at 38 miles (and many drivers greatly exceed) of EV driving. The PiP cannot exceed 62mph nor can it accelerated hard in EV mode, and EPA rates it at 6miles AER (because of an acceleration event) and 11miles of EV with a small bit of gas.


Once the battery is depleted it can operate as either a serial hybrid (just a generator) or as a parallel hybrid (like normal prius driving). The Volt is EPA rated 40 on the highway, and with use of hold mode one can generally keep the battery range for city driving. Good drivers can greatly exceed both the EPA EV milage (I routinely get 50miles per charge in the summer) and slightly exceed the ICE milage (43-50 for me in summer, lower in winter).

While the ICE MPG is lower, the larger battery allows for more time using electricity and For most drivers the Volt will use much less gas and more electricity. The median car on voltstats.net is getting 171MPG.. the Median Plug in Prius is getting 69MPG.


@ the op, the Volt is not a pip wanna-be.. it was the first anounced PHEV announced Jan 2007, and committed for production in July 2008. This predates the announcement of the PiP (December 2009). I will note that the PiP is a production version of what Kit providers had been doing to Prius since 2006., adding an bigger battery that is charged from the wall.

 

I stand by what I said. Although very different (just as a Smart Car is very different from a BMW) they are both classified as PHEV's. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt , Plug in America. BTW Since my youngest son was the person through whom all early news information on the development [of the battery technology] of the Volt at Argonne National Lab had to be cleared, I just might have as much or more information about the Volt as you do... I also thoroughly researched the Volt as well as the PiP before I made my choice to buy the PiP.

My son is the guy in the red tie on the right...

 

Sorry, this was directed at the post above by fotomoto; I just didn't do it fast enough.

 

Dang, thats interesting . I did not know that Argonne National Labs developed the Volt or managed its press releases. Here I was thinking it was GM. I thought ANL only had a role in the cathode chemistry (because what was developed by CompactPower and LGChem was covered by a an ANL patent and it was better to license than fight.) I'm not aware of any GM/ANL agreements before 2011.. can you provide some references?

 

Mea Culpa... I shouldn't write posts when I am ticked.... Yes it was principally the battery technology and how it worked with the car that were done at Argonne.... Anything concerning the technologies being developed at the lab fall under my son's review before being published. My son is the Director of Communications, Public Affairs, and Education at the lab. I believe he told me GM did use the facilities for some testing and other things as well.

 

Thanks.. I have some friends (well acquaintances really) that worked for Compact Power in the early days and others doing battery research for GM, so know a good bit about the battery side of the development history.

I could see lots of advantages for other testing as ANL has a good lab for PHEV and some really good people doing systems level evaluation -- and its often useful to get a 3rd party evaluation of what some energized engineers are telling management.

I do agree that the Volt is a PHEV.. but its really a different type of car than the Plug in Prius. Both are, in ANL terminology PHEV, with the PIP being PHEV20 and the volt being PHEV60 (they use KM for range).
However, both are also Hybrids Electric vehicles like the regular prius, and both are Electric (or electrified) vehicles.
But the specialization of deeper parts of the hierarchy are still meaningful. The greater EV power and greater EV range make the Volt different to drive and help it use much less gas.

(So do you any insights when will ANL finally reach a decision on J1715 standard on terminology and resolve the to EREV or not to EREV question? (Last I heard the proposal was considering EREV isa PHEV isa HEV is EV, BEV is an EV, as the primary hierarchy. )