I was told this from a Dealership, which at first I didn't believe. So I went to an alignment shop and they did the front but said the rears are much more involved (and cost more), and even then they might not be able to get it into specs. I've read about the issue on this forum.
Looks like 4 year old FUD to me. The Volt's battery pack is actively managed. I have heard of zero reports of this being an issue. If this was the deciding factor in not getting a Volt I would recommend asking how it has worked out for some Arizona owners.
I like trollbait's suggestion -- consider a less expensive EV like Spark or a LEAF 'S' and keep your Prius. Another possibility is a used Volt since quite a few of them will be coming off of leases in the near future but have been well-loved and cared for (perhaps unlike some other leased vehicles). It all depends on what aspect of getting a new Volt appeals to you. Is it the Volt specifically or having a local EV driving experience generally?
I don't have any big brainstorms here, just the obvious... your 10-yrs CARB warranty on the Prius battery will be up, well 10-yrs after you bought it. So you might get good trade-in now. For the Volt or PiP you get CA state tax $incentive and HOV access, HOV does not sound like big deal for you. The Prius gives you nice hauling practical family car for 5. The Volt I assume gives more luxurious ride than Prius for 2 folks, less room for family and junk. My calcs for my state VA tell me I need >10000 mile/yr to pay off a green car (we actually have a tax on hybrids here believe it or not) so I may not buy a "green" car next time unless I just want one anyways despite the tax penalties. But I think both my case and yours at lower useage miles, sort of opens up the choices to all good 35+ MPG cars -PHEV or not.
This is a real potential problem for lithium ion batteries but the Volt protects its battery from heat-based degradation as well as any car out there. Quite a few LEAF owners in the SW have switched over to the Volt after seeing excessive battery capacity losses in the LEAF or worrying about it being a problem. It's unclear how well the Prius Plugin and the Ford Energi models will fare with only active air cooling (the LEAF was entirely passive). The GM engineer quoted in that article has been quoted elsewhere as saying that Volt owners in mild or colder climates should expect about 15 years out of their batteries but in hot areas like the SW it might be more like 12 years on average. The Volt actively chills the battery during charging in hot climates and also when parked and the battery is near full which is when Lithium batteries age the quickest in hot weather. If you often have a shaded or cooler garaged location to park in while not plugged in then I wouldn't worry. Likewise, if you are in an unshaded location but can keep the car plugged in so it can cool the batteries from grid power, if needed. For the Volt, the main concern would be leaving the car outside in the sun in very hot temperatures all day long. The battery is insulated and in the center of the car surrounded by lots of car mass so it takes many hours for the battery to get unhappily hot.
I absolutely hate the looks of the LEAF, the front end looks like a tadpole. But both of those cars are very small and I prefer something a bit larger. Plus I already have two cars and don't want three.
I love my Volt. I test drove both the Prius and Volts numerous times and the volt hands down was a better vehicle for me. I spend 35-40 a month on electricity, second my only home electricity bill went down due to a better time and use rate from sdge. Charging at home and topping off at work I was only using a gallon a month. The fuel is used when visiting GF who lives 75 miles away. If had needed the 5 seat the Prius would have been the only choice.
Like state earlier, you don't drive enough miles for any new car to make financial sense but who buys a new car just to save money? We all get the itch for something new and exciting to drive. I went through a 2012 Prius Three and a 2012 PIP advanced before I figured out the Volt is what I really wanted. I easily get 39mpg on long trips with sustained speeds of 75+mph. At those speeds my Prii were only 6-8mpg better with 15" wheels. With 17" wheels the gap closes. My GenII was only slightly better at around 42mpg with 15" wheels. I get 40-48 miles of EV and the ICE NEVER fires up while I have EV range left. This is more of an emotional decision than a financial one so go with what you feel is right and will make you most happy. YOLO! You Only Live Once
The Volt is much less vulnerable to heat-related problems than the other battery electric vehicles in that it has liquid battery cooling and will actually run a chiller to cool the battery if the state of charge is high and the temperature gets high. I haven't heard of any heat related problems on the Volt forum (gm-volt.com).
Agreed. My garage is regularly over 100F during the summer. When I plug in the Volt to charge, the cooling system starts up shortly after. When I would charge my PIP there was no active cooling that I could discern.
The Volt often circulates coolant through the battery pack even in more modest temperatures during charging in order to equalize the cell temperatures and runs that through a radiator which is cooled by a fan. It's a happy sound that reminds me of a purring cat. If the battery get hotter then it will also kick on the A/C compressor to further chill the liquid coolant.
What the Rav4 EV, with Tesla drive train, or Focus electric, or Fit EV? The Fiat, smart, and Spark EVs are small cars, but the rest have the same amount, or more, space as the Volt. Considering that keeping the Prius may not be worth paying the insurance, I also suggested renting a car for those long trips. Or put a few more miles on the Vette. Many here wish they had the BEV selection you do. Unless you are frequently taking trips beyond one of these EVs' ranges, it is worth considering.
