By RYAN BERLIN
The new Chevrolet Volt is truly a one of a kind car.
“The technology is miles ahead of everybody else,” Graff Chevrolet general manager Jim Messick said. “BMW was working on similar technology and when they saw the Volt that scrapped their multi-million dollar research and started over.”
“The only thing it’s missing is a flux capacitor,” Jason Shirely, Graff sales and leasing professional, said jokingly.
Graff Chevrolet is the only dealership in Isabella County to be lucky enough to have one of the technologically advanced machines
To learn about the new technologies that the Volt offers, Shirely had to spend all day in a class.
The $41,000, MSRP, car is fully electric.
It has a battery on board that will last for around 50 miles, depending on terrain and weather conditions.
When the charge is out the car has an electric generator, which is fueled by gasoline, which will last for about 340 miles.
“You can take this vehicle every night, plug it into your garage, unplug it in the morning, drive to work, drive home, and never use gasoline,”
According to the EPA, Volts total miles range can reach 379. For comparison Nissan’s Leaf, which is all electric, can reach anywhere from 63 to 168 miles.
“The technology is miles ahead of everybody else,” Graff Chevrolet general manager Jim Messick said. “BMW was working on similar technology and when they saw the Volt that scrapped their multi-million dollar research and started over.”
“The only thing it’s missing is a flux capacitor,” Jason Shirely, Graff sales and leasing professional, said jokingly.
Graff Chevrolet is the only dealership in Isabella County to be lucky enough to have one of the technologically advanced machines
To learn about the new technologies that the Volt offers, Shirely had to spend all day in a class.
The $41,000, MSRP, car is fully electric.
It has a battery on board that will last for around 50 miles, depending on terrain and weather conditions.
When the charge is out the car has an electric generator, which is fueled by gasoline, which will last for about 340 miles.
“You can take this vehicle every night, plug it into your garage, unplug it in the morning, drive to work, drive home, and never use gasoline,”
According to the EPA, Volts total miles range can reach 379. For comparison Nissan’s Leaf, which is all electric, can reach anywhere from 63 to 168 miles.
The main difference between the two is the generator.
Because the Volt has a generator, when it is done with its charge it can go for another 340 miles. When the Leaf loses its charge you need to stop and “fuel back up.”
“(The Volt) was designed with enough capability where if you want to drive it across the country you can. If you want it to be your daily commuter you can use it as that also.”
Potentially gasoline could be sitting in the Volt for a year. It is because of this that the fuel system is pressurized.
The Car has an onboard system that will monitor the gasoline and test the condition of the fuel.
“At some point you will get a notification to let you know that the gasoline needs to purge the system,” Shirely said. “With your permission the generator will run and burn that gasoline until the next charge.”
Every Volt comes with a 120V plug that you can keep anywhere.
“(Charging) is as simple as hooking up your Christmas lights.”
The Volt is an incredibly efficient car.
On the standard 120V outlet the car can become fully charged in 10 hours. It can also be charged on a 240V outlet and be fully charged in four hours.
Because the Volt has a generator, when it is done with its charge it can go for another 340 miles. When the Leaf loses its charge you need to stop and “fuel back up.”
“(The Volt) was designed with enough capability where if you want to drive it across the country you can. If you want it to be your daily commuter you can use it as that also.”
Potentially gasoline could be sitting in the Volt for a year. It is because of this that the fuel system is pressurized.
The Car has an onboard system that will monitor the gasoline and test the condition of the fuel.
“At some point you will get a notification to let you know that the gasoline needs to purge the system,” Shirely said. “With your permission the generator will run and burn that gasoline until the next charge.”
Every Volt comes with a 120V plug that you can keep anywhere.
“(Charging) is as simple as hooking up your Christmas lights.”
The Volt is an incredibly efficient car.
On the standard 120V outlet the car can become fully charged in 10 hours. It can also be charged on a 240V outlet and be fully charged in four hours.
Driven on gas only, the Volt will average 37 miles per gallon, combined city and highway driving.
When driving on a full charge, in just the first 35 miles, the car will average 93 miles per gallon.
The car battery has an eight year 100,000 mile warranty. So if something were to go wrong with it, it should be covered under the factory warranty.
“When you do need a new one somewhere down the road it will be like getting any other General Motors part,” Shirely said.
“You come into your service center and we take care of you here.”
The technology is so fresh that to even acquire a new battery would be an undertaking.
To help control fuel efficiency there are four different drive modes; eco, normal, sport, and mountain.
Eco mode cuts off the AC which helps save on miles.
Sport mode is going to maximize your power, declining the fuel efficiency and charge on the battery.
Mountain mode will help people climb steep hills and add more power as well.
When driving on a full charge, in just the first 35 miles, the car will average 93 miles per gallon.
The car battery has an eight year 100,000 mile warranty. So if something were to go wrong with it, it should be covered under the factory warranty.
“When you do need a new one somewhere down the road it will be like getting any other General Motors part,” Shirely said.
“You come into your service center and we take care of you here.”
The technology is so fresh that to even acquire a new battery would be an undertaking.
To help control fuel efficiency there are four different drive modes; eco, normal, sport, and mountain.
Eco mode cuts off the AC which helps save on miles.
Sport mode is going to maximize your power, declining the fuel efficiency and charge on the battery.
Mountain mode will help people climb steep hills and add more power as well.
Driven on gas only, the Volt will average 37 miles per gallon, combined city and highway driving.
When driving on a full charge, in just the first 35 miles, the car will average 93 miles per gallon.
The car battery has an eight year 100,000 mile warranty. So if something were to go wrong with it, it should be covered under the factory warranty.
“When you do need a new one somewhere down the road it will be like getting any other General Motors part,” Shirely said.
“You come into your service center and we take care of you here.”
The technology is so fresh that to even acquire a new battery would be an undertaking.
To help control fuel efficiency there are four different drive modes; eco, normal, sport, and mountain.
Eco mode cuts off the AC which helps save on miles.
Sport mode is going to maximize your power, declining the fuel efficiency and charge on the battery.
Mountain mode will help people climb steep hills and add more power as well.
When driving on a full charge, in just the first 35 miles, the car will average 93 miles per gallon.
The car battery has an eight year 100,000 mile warranty. So if something were to go wrong with it, it should be covered under the factory warranty.
“When you do need a new one somewhere down the road it will be like getting any other General Motors part,” Shirely said.
“You come into your service center and we take care of you here.”
The technology is so fresh that to even acquire a new battery would be an undertaking.
To help control fuel efficiency there are four different drive modes; eco, normal, sport, and mountain.
Eco mode cuts off the AC which helps save on miles.
Sport mode is going to maximize your power, declining the fuel efficiency and charge on the battery.
Mountain mode will help people climb steep hills and add more power as well.
