One Year of Driving Mostly on Electricity
I didn’t really know what to expect when I signed the papers to lease my 2018 Chevrolet Volt. I knew the car and that it was compromise, as plug-in hybrids are by definition. I would have preferred to go full electric—and do have a back-up ICE vehicle available—but I didn’t have a home charger at the time and wasn’t sure there was public infrastructure to support my typical bi-weekly 250-mile round trips to Sacramento without causing an overnight stop-over or long delay.
The Volt was the logical choice to go as electric as possible while still holding onto a longer distance option. Turns out my more infrequent long trips have defaulted primarily to my ICE backup—because I got really got caught up driving electric as much as possible. I get upset whenever that 1.5-liter four-cylinder Ecotec engine kicks in, even if it’s for the last mile or two of a trip and it’s still pulling 40+ mpg.
By the end of the first year I had added an Accel AxFAST home charger that plugs into the 240-volt outlet in my garage (part of the air conditioning system; though it can also work off of a 110-volt outlet). Charging was never difficult, but now it was fast. The 18.4-kilowatt-hour battery is typically topped off within three hours even when it’s depleted.
Simple math
The math at the 10,000-mile mark for the Volt was simple. I filled up the 8.9 tank five times during the year (the car came with a full tank), using an even 50 gallons of regular for the times I ventured beyond the 53-mile range of the battery. That works out to 200 miles for each gallon of gas I used, but more important–the electricity cost was negligible. I barely noticed any change on my monthly utility bill. I imagine running the A/C regularly would have bumped the bill substantially beyond what daily charging of the Volt would do.
Beyond the incredible fuel economy, 10 grand of miles has reinforced my long-held opinion about the Chevrolet Volt, one established when I first drove a Gen. 1 Volt when they were launched. While not a sports car, the low center of gravity created by the floor-mounted battery pack, coupled with the torque from its twin electric motors, turn the Volt into a sporty hatch. It’s got the looks to carry it off, in my opinion.
Two features stand in a year’s time in the Volt—the adaptive cruise control (ACC) and the Regen on Demand paddle. ACC is a must for freeway driving, although I’ve used it enough to now know its limitations and when to pre-emptively disengage it (merging traffic can catch it off-guard). It is my favorite technology on the car after the electric drive. The Regen paddle is an elegant way to control not only the car’s speed and deceleration, but a great tool for maximizing range. It’s right behind ACC on my favorite list.
Other notes from a year behind the wheel. I remain convinced of the place of the hatchback in the automotive pantheon. The ease of loading (a remote release would have been a nice touch, Chevy!) and convenience of the large trunk space was put to use numerous times. Fold down the rear seat and the Volt can haul an amazing amount of stuff. It’s not a crossover, but the hatch allows it to emulate one at times.
One Year In
In my first year with the 2019 Chevrolet Volt I’ve been to the dealership once, for a fix-while-you-wait software update (over the air updates are a thing, Chevy!). I’ve gotten regular missives from the dealer to bring the Volt in for an oil change based on the length of time I’ve had it. I respond with the latest of my monthly reports on my Volt’s status. My oil health is still at 30 percent, a testament to the overwhelming electric miles I’ve been able to rack up. Soon, I’ll go in for a courtesy 12-month tire rotation and system check.
When I compare this year with the Volt to my year with my ICE vehicle, it’s a short list. Oil changes: Volt=0; ICE=2. Other than that, both vehicles were trouble-free, but the amount of money spent on fuel for the ICE was exponentially higher than the Volt, even though that car ended up going fewer miles. The good news is I see my overall miles shrinking so, as EV ranges expand beyond 200 and 300 miles and the fast-charging network likewise expands, I expect to shift to a single EV the next time a vehicle change comes up. In the meantime, this 2018 Chevrolet Volt has been a great introduction to driving electrically over the long-term.
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