Great video. I have had my 2017 Volt LT since February. At first I was thinking my love for it was new car excitement but it has not gone away at all. It is the perfect car for me in the post covid world. I am working from home so no commute and I almost never use more than 50 miles per day. I drove it from GA to NY and back but since I returned over a month ago, I have not used any gas.
The battery control algorithm on the Volt is designed to protect the battery. It's conservative, never completely discharging or charging it to the theoretical limit. This takes a major source of stress off of it. The cooling system is also robust, liquid cooled plates between the cells.
I am so happy for you. I cannot wait until I can afford a used Chevy Volt. I quit my job a couple years ago and started my own business. Finally starting to see light of the tunnel to make small profits to one day buy a Volt and hopefully not worry about buying another car for 10 years or so. (I do not drive much)
That's a great idea. I got a really nice 2017 Volt for a GREAT price. The owner I got it from was getting a Model 3 so he wanted to sell. All I can tell you is start looking soon as you can! I was just super lucky I got the one I did because it was actually in my State and there wasn't another one around for over 500 miles!!!! I just got super lucky the one that I was looking for actually kinda fell into my lap. I haven't looked at the market for a couple years but they are probably still not that easy to find (with all the options you might want) so start looking now. Then you can go a year on ONE TANK OF GAS like I did the first year I had it!!!
@@MrSovrin just look on carmax and carvana, they both deliver the vehicle from another state for a fee. What makes them a good dealership is they have a return policy. VERY VERY FEW dealerships will let you return a vehicle.
@@dansmith6990 Sound advice. I've been looking for a Model S for a couple years now and still haven't found the one I want at the right price. They definitely pop up on Car Max and Carvana a lot. I've never used either of them myself but they seem pretty popular. I've now got about 115,000 on my 2017 Volt and I think I'm going to just keep it instead of getting an S. The only big problem I've had with it since I bought it used was the EGR valve got all gunked up with carbon, this is from the engine not being used much and never really getting a chance to come up to temp and burn all that stuff off, so it's a common problem. I'm not a mechanic by any stretch but I was able to take the valve off and clean it out and get the stuck valve open again and that cleared up the check engine light and she runs like new again. Saved $1500 bucks doing it myself as it's a really expensive part (if the dealer could even get one in I guess there's been a long backorder on parts). While I'm at it I would not recommend going a year on one tank of gas like I did the first year (just did it to see if I could) because the engine maintenance cycles will greatly exacerbate the carbon build up in the EGR exhaust system. So now I run the engine in hold mode while on the interstate all the way to work to let it get all the way up to temperature when it thinks it needs an engine maintenance cycle whenever it hasn't been run for a while.
@@oneqwickbird For me, sticker price was just under $20k, but I spent a couple grand more to extend the warranty as mine was close to expiring. This was in 2018 for my 2016 model.
Got the 2017 as new white with two tone interior. I've only changed the oil once. I'm posting this on APR 28 2021. I agree with all your comments. I had one call up to upgrade the Module 2. A software upgrade free of charge. A shift to shut down alarm warning had to be adjusted once. Also free under warranty. I'm still in the 31K mile range right now and keep it garaged. Many folks assume it's new. I'll never go back to gas either! Bravo my friend good choice.
I have a Model 3 and a 2017 Volt and the Volt is just incredibly reliable. Its nearly as quick and fun to drive. The range is sensational, and we easily get over 60 miles on her in summer. I agree, no regrets and will keep her for a very long time.
I have the 2016 Chevy volt with 70,000 miles on it and I haven't done a thing to it, other than change oil twice in it, and I talked to a kid that has one and he reprogrammed it and said he is getting zero to 60 and 4 seconds with it . 🤯😁😁
Dude I’ve been preaching this since 2014 - GM is making some really cool new products!! Bolt is cool but I wish the Volt was redesigned full electric. I love my Volt - I convinced my family to pick up a 2016 lt and a 2017 lt , Im just watching the odometer throw miles on and basically no maintenance!!
Putting my order in for a 2018 Volt LT with the comfort package tomorrow after a snow plow slid down a hill and totaled my Jetta that was parked in my driveway 😩😩😩 … I’m super psyched to get it! Thanks for your service by the way!
Thank you, and I'm sorry for your loss! A driveway should be where your car is safest! Glad to hear you are turning a loss into an exciting new opportunity!
I have a 2016 Chevy volt and it's the best vehicle I've ever owned, and I've owned quite a few of them. And I've never done one thing to it other than just change the oil in it today for the second time since I had it in 2 years 🤯😁😁😊😊😊😊😆😆
I've had my 2017 Volt for about 9 months now and I love it. I really think the Volt as a concept is going to become more appreciated as its absence is felt and more pure EV drivers experience range anxiety, face long inconvenient charge times, have to put off road trips, etc. The Volt is the EV that magically becomes a hybrid when you want to go on a road trip.
@@IamtheFerryMan I hate overpaying but I don’t think these prices are going back to normal anytime soon. So I guess it’s inevitable right now. What color did you get? At least it’s a 2018 so the battery should have more life in it than the older ones.
I have a 2017 Volt, same color as yours. I love it. Fun to drive (always drive in sport), round trip to work 50 miles and always have battery left (except winter when it drops to around 45 miles of range) and then when i go on a long trip, fill it up and go! AND the heated steering wheel is awesome! I agree with you on the charging speed but, like you say, plug it in at night and no big deal, full tank of electrons in the morning. My only real gripe is that cubby where you store the 120V charge cord, that door is a joke, falls off all the time.
Agreed! I actually discovered recently (after 2 years of ownership, I can't believe it) that the charger I have belongs to a gen 1 Volt. As I understand, the gen 2 is much smaller, and doesn't have a handle. I imagine that could be why we have such a hard time getting it to fit. Nonetheless, the locking mechanism on that door is a joke. With the charging speed, I would definitely prefer it to be 6.6 or 7.2 kw, because there have been plenty of times where we went to the mall or to a restaurant and could have gotten a full charge on a Volta or nearby ChargePoint station. Regardless, since most of us sleep over 4 hours a day, at least we can get one full battery each day. All around great car! What state are you in? I feel like our color is by far the most popular, at least from what I have seen driving around on the freeway. Thanks for watching!
@@Joshjames1234 I'm in Minnesota so needless to say, lots of snow and cold but being the batteries are pretty heavy, it handles pretty well in the winter although I'm not in love with those low rolling resistance tires, time for new ones this fall so I may change brands of tires, we'll see. I did put some double sided tape on the charger cubby door to help keep it on, seems to help. I can't believe you have the gen 1 charger in there, they are quite a bit bigger than the newer gen 2 version. A friend of mine's kid has a gen 1 volt and his charging equipment finally died and he picked up a Duosida 240/120V EVSE for less than $200, seems to be working great.
Excellent car, I also have a 2016 with almost 60k miles. I have seen a slight battery degradation of about 2 percent (down from 14kwh usable to 13.7). Also agree on charging speed. They added 7.2 kw charger option for the 2019 model right before they cancelled it.
I just got a 2014 Cadillac ELR…..I got it for $19000 and love it!! I know it’s part of the VOLT family again…this car run perfect and I have no regrets
We have one of each generation now... A 2013 and a 2019. Both are great, dependable cars. GM knocked themselves out designing and testing this car. It was a new effort to evolve into the electric age and they wanted it to go well. Both generations are great cars. We haven't had any problems with them after owning for 5 years.
I sold my 2016 Volt when the 2019 came out and I found out it was the last year to be made.. I had to get it. Also, the Adaptive Cruise Control and OTA updates are nice too. Oh and the 7.2kw charger on it is awesome, charges in 2hrs from empty to full on my 40amp charger.
I dont mean to be so offtopic but does anybody know a method to log back into an Instagram account? I was stupid lost my password. I would love any help you can offer me
I love my volt as well .. if you keep generating after full I get up to 84 miles.. but don’t do this often. Just reached 100k and feels like new love both my 2016 volts
@@toddbenfield6546 well after you have plugged in and have a full charge you can keep regenerating up to 85miles . But from what I have learned it's not good for the longevity of the battery...just reached 155k and battery still holding on altho regeneration has slowed
They hold their value too! I bought my 2013 two years ago for $13.9k, and now it's worth $12.9k, which is roughly $4k more than I still owe on the loan! I absolutely love the car. I call it the "poor man's Tesla"... ;-) Btw, it _is possible_ to use the "bottom" reserve of the battery, but only if there's no gas in the tank. (Although it is _NOT_ recommended.) Somebody posted a video about it here a few years back.
I love my Chevy volt! No complaints at all! I have a 1st Gen 2015, they had a slightly bigger battery than the previous years. I average 42 miles a day when the weather is right before it switches over to engine.
Love our 2014 Volt with 114,000 miles. Bought it used in 2016 for $16K. Love the super solid build quality of the Gen1. Closing the doors is like closing vault.
@@dansmith6990 well if the guy sold it apparently it had way more miles on it than a conventional car that he would have had to sell a long time before he would have sold a car with 400,000 miles on it.
Great video. Are we the same people? I'm a former Marine musician with a 2013 Volt that I've had for 4 years and have a RUclips channel where I talk about my Volt and Zero SR. Bought my 2013 in 2016 with about 26k miles (brand new to me) for about 16k and have loved it. Would like a Gen II but really no reason to upgrade right now since my car has been paid for since 2018 and has no issues. Keep it up.
Small world! What bands were you with? I was with 1st MarDiv before I went MSG. We need more Marines to drive electric! I think if I was still in, it would be impossible because even in 2020, most bases have no charging stations, and especially not at any barracks. I was honestly *this* close to buying a gen 1, but at the last moment I got a 2016 for a similar price. Still an outstanding car!
@@Joshjames1234 I was with III MEF Band from 08' to 10' and Parris Island Marine Band from 2010 to 2011. Then I got out, got my degree and got back in as an officer. Now, I'm out again. Ha! For sure, no way Marines or Sailors that live in the barracks could drive an EV. They would have to run an extension chord from their barracks rooms to the parking lot!
Originally I wanted the Volt but didn’t like how low to the ground you sit. I was driving a 2006 Prius from 2013 to 2021. I finally took the dive and bought a 2017 Bolt EV. I love the car and love the 0-60 in 6 seconds. My job lets me charge the car for free so I haven’t paid a dime to run the car. I bought it with 37,000 on the ODO. I look forward to never buying a drop of Gas again. Most shopping centers have free charging where I live, so I get to park close to the store and get free charge.
Love the Volt, minor correction, of the 18kwh battery you can use 14kwh so it's only 20% left blocked off or 10% on each end. Which I actually prefer, if almost half the battery were inaccessible I'd be pretty upset.
The Gen1 Volt has less range, but it's built better than the Gen2. We love our 2014 with 114,000 miles. No problems except for needing to reprogram the high voltage charging system. Best car I've ever owned (out of 15 vehicles). Installed a 240 charger in the garage so 80% of our driving is electric. I'll never go back to ICE. Ordered a Cybertruck two days after it was introduced.
I have a 1st gen volt and i've had it for 6 years. I have had 1 problem with the heater, but other than that it has been the best car i have ever owned (and i'm 67). I still try to drive more efficiently to get more electric miles. Am retired now but when I worked in the summer i could get up around 44 miles on a charge. It is a 13 and is rated for 38 miles. No battery degradation at all as far as I can tell.
i’m getting one here in a couple months i’m coming up from a 2007 ford five hundred and watching videos like these are making my nerves a little calmer
You have a lot to look forward to! If you can, try to get a 2019 model year for the faster charging (verify it has the faster 7.2 kW charging speed), but if you are looking to save money, you can't go wrong getting a 2016 model year or newer.
Two 2107 Volt Premier's in our garage. Perfect cars for our family use. We drive electric 100% of the time driving locally, but just took one cross country and got 41 mpg for the trip. For two people it is perfect!!!
Glad to hear from a happy fellow customer! Chevy absolutely made me a fan of their brand. 60k miles on my end with no major issues (except the shift to park, but that was simply a day at the dealer and they repaired for free). How many miles do you have on your 2017s? Have you used the MyChevy app to see your detailed stats?
@@Joshjames1234 Yes I have used the app. We have two Premiers one red (mine) one blue. Both have about 35K on each. I calculate my wife's car only has about 7,000 miles on the ICE, mine about 10,000 on the ICE but my car has been driven on more long distance trips. Absolutely love the adaptive cruise control. Glad to hear you hit 60K trouble free miles.
Same color as mine! Got the grey leather, and love this interior over all the other ones👍 got my 2018 with 900 miles in Jan 2019 for $23,000. My 2nd Volt. Still have my gen 1 with 63,000 miles, with only tires, and 2 oil changes. Getting ready to do the 3 fluid change. They say 5 yrs, or 100,000 miles. Good luck👍
I just got 2016 volt, i had no idea they existed!! That same day I was set on getting a 2012 civic coupe from fb market place but my pops wanted something newer for me so we went to dealership. At dealership we were about to leave but then I noticed the car we were leaning on. Honestly, im still a bit sad I didnt get the honda. Like come onnn it was an ex with few miles!! But then again im grateful bc if i got it i would have riced it since its automatic. BUT SINCE I DIDNT THAT MEANS I COULD DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND GET A MANUAL ! thatll be in future
Oh, and I disagree with what you think is slow charging speed. It's a Volt. You get a full charge in about 3.5 to 4 hours. To me, that's good especially since there is no range anxiety with this car.
I bought a used 2016 chevy volt premier with 70k miles on it, after a thousand uber eats deliveries plus my 100 miles daily to and from work now have 120k miles on it and couldn't be happier. I actually use to drive my truck to work and spent $500 on gas a month now I'm saving $400. I invested in the chevy volt cause near my job there's a free charging station so it worked out 😊 The only issue I had was the "shift to park alert" but I solved that with the Vaseline trick other then that just a couple oil changes, a set of new tires and still going strong 👍
I share your enthusiasm. It's definitely an amazing car. I use it mostly for short rides in the city, and on the highway a comfortable ride is assured.
Much simlarity here. I have a Gen1 2015 Volt. My first electric car and nobody I even know, besides coworkers and not many of them, despite being in the Auto insustry. 40 miles to school drop then work, charged at work by lunchtime and back home all on zero to may 0.25 Gallons of gas. 138k miles, not battery degredation. Besides a common heater pump and heater control module, totally reliable adn fixed right 1st try, although it takes the deaeler a while. I had to get my power box rewired slightlky and the plug installed, both of which I could have done but didn't want to. I installed the charger myself. I lengthened the J plug cable. I love that I can make ti to work and back on all or mostly electric (sometimes the engine come on AS I PULL IN TO THE PARKING DECK.!). I have had cars from economy to a Tahoe, a Diesel pickup, a Manual C7 Corvette convertible, sedans and driven plenty others. This is my favorite car, over all that I've ever had. the One I love most, get the most consistent enjoyment from becasue I can always go fast, take curves, accelerate hard, go fast (yeah, twice), enjoy quiet, suffer no gear shifting, enjoy instant torque responsiveness, etc. All with negligible fuel usage. Yes the Corvette sounded awsome and was a blast to shift and play the engine note like an instrument. Phenomenal limts and sports car fun but go to jail fast and "showy". The Volt is ALWAYS intersting and doing stuff and you can always safely play the green ball economy game with yourself and watch power flows in varying usaged and conditions., It's built like a litteral tank. Absolutely the best overall used (commuter) car I could find, by far. A Honda S2000 or Mazda RX8 or a BRZ/A86 would be cool but not practical, especially in Michigan ice.
So first of all, I'm glad you had such a great experience with your volt⚡. I have not had such a great experience. I purchased my volt brand new in 2018. Within a 6 months, my AC went out in the middle of summer, and proceeded to go out 3 more times in the span of a little over a year and a half. As far as my electric battery, it was amazing to have the 53 electric miles. After around one year, it would only charge to 44 miles max. I know every car is different, but mine has given me quite a bit of problems. Hopefully they correct this in future electric projects
I'm sorry to hear that! It sounds like at least the AC system was a lemon. With the range, that sounds pretty normal. As you drive, the computer learns your driving style and location (hilly, flat, etc), which changes your estimated range. Warmer weather and flatter roads will make that range number go up.
The depreciation on the 2nd generation is steep so getting one for $10K is becoming easier. I'm either getting one of these or a Prius v for the cargo space. My 10 year old Escape hybrid has been excellent for the last 3 years of ownership.
Absolutely. The only thing I'm sad about is they made hardly any 2019 Volts with the faster charging, so those may be harder to find. Nonetheless, they make for very reliable used cars for cheap!
@@Joshjames1234 I used to often get too focused on feature wants but when I find a good deal that lacks them, it makes no difference in experience & saves a lot of money. I just saw a video where people have shown the stock 120v charger just needs an adapter to work as a 240v charger. That saves a pricey accessory upgrade right there.
They never wanted it to succeed from the beginning. They just built it to get the EV angry world off their back after the EV1 fiasco. Case in point, they had a third grader write and direct the advertisements for it. Not even remotely showing what it was capable of. I bought a 2016 used in 2017, with about 16,000 miles on it. I've got about 41,000 now. I use it for almost all of my road trips. Most comfortable car I've owned and I've owned a lot of cars. The main thing that I've discovered is that the ICE system is its weakest point. You have to use it regularly to keep it functional. The SW for the the car is a bit buggy. I've had it leave the radio playing and lights on after I shut it off and got out. A few other things, but pretty insignificant. The other thing is that it's only got a 3.3 kw charger. Didn't change that until the last year, I think. No fast charging at all either. That also protects the integrity and range of this battery technology.
Great video bud… I know you put it out a while back but I’ve just now discovered this vehicle thanks to RUclips. Just wondering, any updates? Still a good choice in your opinion?
Still an amazing vehicle! With the rise in catalytic converter thefts around the country, I have yet to hear a single Volt getting their cat stolen, given its hidden placement. This is one example of while the Volt still continues to impress me. Are you looking at getting one? What do you have now, and what vehicles are you looking at?
@@Joshjames1234 yes looking at getting here somewhat locally… There is a 2014 with 97,000 miles. I’m also considering a Ford Fusion hybrid but about a days drive from here. It’s a 2014 with less just under 200k miles but no accidents and 1 owner… super cheap.
That feeling when the car tells you that you have to burn the rest of the gas you've had in the tank after a year because it's going to go bad if you don't!!! It's an actual message you get at the end of a year if you haven't managed to go through a whole tank of gas. I think it was (fuel service mode) or something like that. I've had my 2017 for over 3 years now and the only major problem I've had is the EGR valve was dirty with carbon, because the engine doesn't run enough to get hot most of the time, but a quick google search and a little elbow grease I took the valve off and cleaned it out myself saving over $1000. Now whenever I know that I will need the engine I always let it run until it come all the way up to temp on the highway so hopefully I won't have to clean it again for a long time.
Thank you for the review. I'm very interested in getting one. I drive 18 miles round trip from home to work and back. Are the 1st. Gen s as reliable? Thanks.
To be clear, 2011 to 2015 Volts (generation 1) were designed, built and marketed as electric cars with a gasoline powered range extending generator. Electric motors were the only ones propelling the car, gas engine not connected to the drive train. It's similar to a railroad diesel/electric locomotive.The 2017 and subsequent models (generation 2) behaved in a similar fashion but gasoline power would occasionally couple to the drive train. It then becomes a series hybrid. Small point, granted but this confusion couldn't be overcome by GMs marketing staff thus making it a difficult sell.
I’ve been wanting one looking for one currently I live in Toronto Canada gets cold so I expect to see ev range go down. Thing that worries me is they don’t make the car anymore but you saying yours been good heard there was wheel bearing was an issue so is 77,000 km vs a 160,0000 km a good buy still thank you
Im getting a 2018 volt premier in a few months after my a3 lease is up in may/june. So stoked! I honestly like it better than the tesla model 3. The model 3 i had got 240 miles But was less than 240, was more like 230 or so. But normal range was 206. Sadly with normal driving the battery range went down quickly, and once u lose battery on that, your stuck, but with the volt, u dont have to worry about range anxiety. Also with the model 3 i hate the big screen, i dont see the point of having a big ass tablet screen. Plus i like knobs and buttons too. Not just touch screen.
The Volt is not a plug in hybrid. It's an EV with an onboard generator. Hybrid cars are primarily propelled by an engine/transmission combo like any other car, but are assisted by motor/battery at slow speeds. Volts are propelled by motor/battery exclusively, then creates its own electricity off combustion generator when battery charge lowers (caveat-the planetary gear set does allow the engine to boost power to the wheels up around 87 mph)
don't know where you get your info from ... you do plug it in and you can drive the 50 miles and if you keep the miles below that you will never have to use tne engine. PAY ATTENTION!! to the facts
Hello, I'm thinking about buying a used volt 2nd gen. What are things to look out for when buying one? Is it relatively quick? Glad you enjoy yours and thanks for the informational video. Cheers!
Honestly, you can't go wrong. I would say just make sure they have taken it to the dealer for the software update if you need Android Auto. Apple CarPlay is already included. Just to make sure everything is running well, make sure they charge the battery so you can drive in EV mode. Switch to "Hold" to see how it runs with the gas. Otherwise - normal car stuff. If you like it, get it! Seriously such an underappreciated car.
There are officially fewer used 2018+ Chevy Volts available on autotrader than there are used model 3s... which didn't start production until late 2017 and would have been considered a 2018 model. People are either holding on to their 2018+ or they're being bought up quickly. It's just a cheap way to get an electric vehicle that will significantly cut down on gasoline needs. I bought a new premiere prior year model (2018) in 2019 for $21,500 after full federal credit on the last day the full credit was available for GMs. I got pretty lucky since GM was deeply discounting prior year Volts to get rid of inventory My thoughts on the car is that I love it for being electric with 95% of my miles driven in electric mode. As to the car itself... it's ok. The front seats are comfortable enough, but coming from 8 years of owning sport luxury cars, I wouldn't exactly call them good. The driver's cluster and infotainment could use a major revamp. More information could be provided in the driver cluster with better organization. On the infotainment screen, I keep it on the energy screen that tells you miles driven and kWh used. Either way, that screen repeats the same numbers twice. Why not just list them once and use the extra space to show me my average miles / kWh (or Wh / mile if preferred) or a chart of my energy use. Hell, just show miles/kWh on the drivers cluster so I can use the main screen for something else like navigation! I've never used the navigation. Android Auto is far superior. I wish it was wireless though. They could have done a better job with the center console. There's like that front cubby that's hard to actually reach into or get something out of. The climate control was super confusing when I first got the car, but it's gotten easier I guess. It would be nice if the resistive heater was more powerful. On VERY cold days, you absolutely need to run the engine to heat up the cabin. I found warming up the car in the garage by pre-conditioning kept the car warm enough that I didn't need to run the HVAC much on the way to work. On the way home can be bad though... had to start wearing winter boots to keep the feet warm. In the rear seat, there's no headroom, little leg room, and no way you're fitting in a 5th passenger unless it's a small child. The hatch is great, but the rear bumper is WAY too high, so to put anything in the trunk you have to lift it over the bumper and then back down into the trunk. When it drives fully electric, it feels great... when it drives on gas, it's awful. The best solution to that is that when you know you'll exceed the electric range, then when driving on the highway at a constant speed, switch to hold mode. If you hit stop and go traffic, need to pass, or exit the highway, switch back to electric. The goal is to get back home for the day with no battery left. L mode regen isn't powerful enough so you can't do real one pedal driving. You sort of can with the max regen paddle. If you want to coast in L mode, the slip point is really hard to maintain. I usually end up repeatedly switching between D and L... so it's only a matter of time before I get the dreaded "Shift into park" issue. I use the max regen paddle on the steering wheel when coming to a stop, which is pretty difficult to get used to and learn the timing. I wish it was capacitive based on how hard you pull the lever. I also wish holding it down would bring the car to a complete stop. The car does creep, so I'm not sure if I turn that off (I think I can?) if the paddle will bring me to a complete stop. Either way, if I'm holding the paddle while coming to a full stop, bring me to a full stop.. what designer thought I wouldn't want to stop? My last two vehicles were higher end luxury vehicles, but I wanted a responsible electric car. I can say that I personally wouldn't go back. All this talk of people loving their Teslas more than any other car... a lot of those people have never driven any other electric car before, and a lot of what they love are things they can get with any other EV including the Volt. The benefits of electric are huge. Just the fact that you never or rarely have to go to the gas station, have far less maintenance, can preheat the car in the garage, and will save loads of money on fuel are all great. I do try to think of the full global picture though, and PHEVs use smaller batteries than long range BEVs to significantly reduce emissions. If battery supply is limited, then PHEVs could allow us to more rapidly shift more cars to electric, and more rapidly reduce emissions. I get people love the EV drivetrain so much that they want to go full electric after having owned a Volt, but unless battery supply can keep up with production and demand, I think this push for long range BEVs with much larger batteries could backfire and result in a much slower transition to electrified vehicles and emissions reductions. People often want what's best for themselves, rather than thinking about the big picture and what's best for the planet. At the rate we're producing BEVs, we're a long ways away from replacing all 1.8 billion ICE vehicles on the planet.
just got a 2013 for $7,500. prices are falling though the floor right now. 92k miles on the odo about 54k of those on the motor battery gets 40 miles+ range coz i put the tires up to 40psi lol has leather seats + heated cheeks. guessing thats the better trim level? no back up camera but i dont like those
I want to mention some - things about EVs. EV in some areas are very expensive- depending on time of day, it can be from 25-43 cents per kWh. Registration can also be significantly more expensive in some states. Highway driving will be a let down. You will have to drive slow on the highway to get any where near the stated range. In a prius, i can be going 80+ mph and still get close to 42 mpg, you cant do this with straight ev without significantly degrading battery and decreasing range. As for the volt,on highway driving the engine will kick in faster then u expect. Last but not least. Liion battery has significantly less energy capacity then gasoline.
You are helping change the world! For the longest time, I was on the fence with getting a gen 1, and test drove a lot of them. I wish that could have been my first car!
My only issue with it is that it's GM. Based on my personal history, people I know, and Consumer Reports, I have trouble trusting any GM vehicle's reliability. My last Chevy was costing me $350 a month on average for maintenance and repairs over the time I had it. I drive 150 miles a day for a living and having a reliable car is a must. Also kind of disappointing that the mpg when in hybrid/generating mode is only 42 mpg when a second gen Prius like I have gets me 55 mpg over a full tank of city. driving.
Definitely more regen when you release the pedal, but unfortunately it is not enough to do one pedal driving! I personal keep it on D because I prefer the normal "creep" that a car makes when driving on city streets. Maybe I should try L more.
@@towardtheeast Thank you kindly! There was a review with the GM engineers where they talked a little more about that. They feel they "overengineered the battery" because the advertised range really doesn't go down with the life of the vehicle...so maybe they could have only made the top/bottom 10% inaccessible. It'll be great to see GM's next generation of EVs, and what they learned from the Volt/Bolt!
Unfortunately Chevrolet and Tesla are the two American automakers that have sold over 200,000 EVs, so they no longer get the $7,500 tax credit. As far as I know, makers like Hyundai, Jaguar, Audi, Kia, etc still get the full federal credit. A lot of states, like New Jersey, give $5000 in state incentives. CA currently has a $2000 incentive. I would also look up your local utility and air quality management district if they have incentives. Personally I wasn't eligible for any tax breaks (because they only apply to new vehicles), but I did get about $2,000 from my local utility and air quality management district.
Yes! Both are Gen 1, so the battery gets about 38 miles, compared to Gen 2's 52. Definitely go for a test drive...those early models have stood the test of time!
On the gen 2 Volts (2016 and later) the battery is EPA rated at 53 miles. Gas brings the total range to 420, but it really all depends. I notice I get more gas range when filling up in Nevada compared to California (400 vice 300), but that is due to mixture regulations. Weather and hills can also change the numbers around for both battery and gas.
When you run out of battery and the engine is running how much can the battery charge using the regen? Could you charge it to 100% doing that theoretically on a longer trip or will it only charge to a certain percentage?
When the car runs out of battery, it turns in to a conventional hybrid that converts friction from the brakes into extra range. For example, you could start at the top of a mountain with an empty battery, and arrive at the bottom with a full battery, but that would have to be an incredible mountain. The most I have gotten was an extra 4 miles of range after going down a decent decline. When at a stop light or parked, the engine will keep running, but only to maintain a minimum battery level. It won't burn an entire tank of gas to fill up the battery, as that would be wildly inefficient. It doesn't even run to give a single mile of range, but just enough to keep the electronics on for a few moments/minutes while you are stopped. I've noticed when listening to the radio while parked, the engine will occasionally run for a minute or so before turning off. It is pretty sporadic; it runs just enough to keep the radio and A/C on for a little bit before the engine turns on again. When sitting in a parked car with the A/C running, the engine runs for about a minute for every 10 minutes of idle time, but that is a huge guess, and I'm sure it runs more when running the heater.
@@brianconnell6587 Correct. Though the effect is like braking, the slowing & resistance to momentum AND regen is purely done by the electric motor when it's not generating drive.
What about the ICE? GM doesn't have a stellar reputation for producing high quality engines. Using the Volt like an EV can't be good for the gasoline engine's reliability. Can you force the engine to run occasionally just to circulate fluids?
All the magazines are so anti-American made so all you hear is the bad. When foreign all you hear about is the good and most of these magazines are owed by foreign companies. A foreign car could be shit and not know it.
The supplied portable charging cord for the volt using a household 120 volt outlet takes 12.5 hrs to charge fully from a completey depleted state at the maximum 12 amps that the vehicle offers. Using a level 2 charger, 240 volts cuts the full charging time to 4.5 hrs. The volt has an 18.4 kwh lithium ion battery which in my area where the electric company provides electricity at $0.135 per kwh costs roughly $3.00 for a full charge. A battery replacement for the Volt PHEV costs around $9,000 vs around $19,000 for a 100% EV such as the Tesla. If you need to drive many miles daily having an engine that supplements the battery as in a PHEV is by far the least costly vehicle to drive. With the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act that Congress passed this year the purchase of a used phev or ev in 2022 qualifies to receive a $4,000 income tax credit. Also all restrictions have been removed from the major auto manufacturers qualifying purchasers to receive a $7,500 income tax credit on new all electric vehicles purchased in 2022 and beyond with no end date at this time. I drive my 2018 Volt using as much electricity as possible resulting in an overall reduction of 70% of my fuel costs. As the video indicated I have had no trouble putting 20k miles on my volt in 5 months. A normal ice has over 200 moving parts where a phev or full ev averages 20 to 40.
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Great video. I have had my 2017 Volt LT since February. At first I was thinking my love for it was new car excitement but it has not gone away at all. It is the perfect car for me in the post covid world. I am working from home so no commute and I almost never use more than 50 miles per day. I drove it from GA to NY and back but since I returned over a month ago, I have not used any gas.
I bought a used 2013 volt with 130k miles and the battery is still perfect.
The battery control algorithm on the Volt is designed to protect the battery. It's conservative, never completely discharging or charging it to the theoretical limit. This takes a major source of stress off of it. The cooling system is also robust, liquid cooled plates between the cells.
Great video! I really enjoyed the ride along through socal! I’m surprised this doesn’t have more views than it does. Well done!
I just bought a 2016 Volt LT with 162K miles on it. But whomever sold it, had really took care of it. I love it!
I am so happy for you. I cannot wait until I can afford a used Chevy Volt. I quit my job a couple years ago and started my own business. Finally starting to see light of the tunnel to make small profits to one day buy a Volt and hopefully not worry about buying another car for 10 years or so. (I do not drive much)
Sounds like you're the perfect person for the Volt!
That's a great idea. I got a really nice 2017 Volt for a GREAT price. The owner I got it from was getting a Model 3 so he wanted to sell. All I can tell you is start looking soon as you can! I was just super lucky I got the one I did because it was actually in my State and there wasn't another one around for over 500 miles!!!! I just got super lucky the one that I was looking for actually kinda fell into my lap. I haven't looked at the market for a couple years but they are probably still not that easy to find (with all the options you might want) so start looking now. Then you can go a year on ONE TANK OF GAS like I did the first year I had it!!!
@@MrSovrin just look on carmax and carvana, they both deliver the vehicle from another state for a fee. What makes them a good dealership is they have a return policy. VERY VERY FEW dealerships will let you return a vehicle.
@@dansmith6990 Sound advice. I've been looking for a Model S for a couple years now and still haven't found the one I want at the right price. They definitely pop up on Car Max and Carvana a lot. I've never used either of them myself but they seem pretty popular. I've now got about 115,000 on my 2017 Volt and I think I'm going to just keep it instead of getting an S. The only big problem I've had with it since I bought it used was the EGR valve got all gunked up with carbon, this is from the engine not being used much and never really getting a chance to come up to temp and burn all that stuff off, so it's a common problem. I'm not a mechanic by any stretch but I was able to take the valve off and clean it out and get the stuck valve open again and that cleared up the check engine light and she runs like new again. Saved $1500 bucks doing it myself as it's a really expensive part (if the dealer could even get one in I guess there's been a long backorder on parts). While I'm at it I would not recommend going a year on one tank of gas like I did the first year (just did it to see if I could) because the engine maintenance cycles will greatly exacerbate the carbon build up in the EGR exhaust system. So now I run the engine in hold mode while on the interstate all the way to work to let it get all the way up to temperature when it thinks it needs an engine maintenance cycle whenever it hasn't been run for a while.
Great video! Just ordered a 2017 Chevy Volt, and can't wait for it to be delivered.
Thank you, and congrats! How many miles? Premier or LT? What color?
I would buy this car again if I could! You made a great choice!
@@Joshjames1234 37k Miles, LT and Gray!
That is basically the exact same thing that I got! I bought mine at 29k miles. You will fall in love!
How much did you pay?
@@oneqwickbird For me, sticker price was just under $20k, but I spent a couple grand more to extend the warranty as mine was close to expiring. This was in 2018 for my 2016 model.
This was a well designed car. It was prematurely discontinued. Great EV for people who live in apartments that don't have access to charging.
On my 2017 volt i get 56-58 miles range on a full charge its amazing!!! Really dope car i love it!!
Got the 2017 as new white with two tone interior. I've only changed the oil once. I'm posting this on APR 28 2021. I agree with all your comments. I had one call up to upgrade the Module 2. A software upgrade free of charge. A shift to shut down alarm warning had to be adjusted once. Also free under warranty. I'm still in the 31K mile range right now and keep it garaged. Many folks assume it's new. I'll never go back to gas either! Bravo my friend good choice.
I have a Model 3 and a 2017 Volt and the Volt is just incredibly reliable. Its nearly as quick and fun to drive. The range is sensational, and we easily get over 60 miles on her in summer. I agree, no regrets and will keep her for a very long time.
I have the 2016 Chevy volt with 70,000 miles on it and I haven't done a thing to it, other than change oil twice in it, and I talked to a kid that has one and he reprogrammed it and said he is getting zero to 60 and 4 seconds with it . 🤯😁😁
@@gmc70707 You should be changing transmission and brake fluids as well.
Dude I’ve been preaching this since 2014 - GM is making some really cool new products!! Bolt is cool but I wish the Volt was redesigned full electric. I love my Volt - I convinced my family to pick up a 2016 lt and a 2017 lt , Im just watching the odometer throw miles on and basically no maintenance!!
Putting my order in for a 2018 Volt LT with the comfort package tomorrow after a snow plow slid down a hill and totaled my Jetta that was parked in my driveway 😩😩😩 … I’m super psyched to get it! Thanks for your service by the way!
Thank you, and I'm sorry for your loss! A driveway should be where your car is safest! Glad to hear you are turning a loss into an exciting new opportunity!
How's your new Volt treating you? I'm about to get one myself
@@mike_t_007 I love it! I highly recommend the Volt 👍
I have a 2018 Volt. I hit a huge deer with it and it still runs perfect!
I have a 2016 Chevy volt and it's the best vehicle I've ever owned, and I've owned quite a few of them. And I've never done one thing to it other than just change the oil in it today for the second time since I had it in 2 years 🤯😁😁😊😊😊😊😆😆
On my second Volt! Best commuter ever made.
I've had my 2017 Volt for about 9 months now and I love it. I really think the Volt as a concept is going to become more appreciated as its absence is felt and more pure EV drivers experience range anxiety, face long inconvenient charge times, have to put off road trips, etc. The Volt is the EV that magically becomes a hybrid when you want to go on a road trip.
how much was it?
@@SIIKAP1, it was $17,000 + TTL, 21k miles.
@@DoctorHemi not bad. These current prices are very high!
@@SIIKAP1 I picked up a 2018 Volt LT with 40k for 19k earlier this month. I know I paid a little over but it's still a great deal.
@@IamtheFerryMan I hate overpaying but I don’t think these prices are going back to normal anytime soon. So I guess it’s inevitable right now.
What color did you get? At least it’s a 2018 so the battery should have more life in it than the older ones.
I have a 2014 coming today from Carvana - 54K miles, $13,740. My little brown starship - can hardly wait!
Congrats, and enjoy the ride!
@@Joshjames1234 I LOVE her, but oh my, she is mighty tiny.
I have a 2017 Volt, same color as yours. I love it. Fun to drive (always drive in sport), round trip to work 50 miles and always have battery left (except winter when it drops to around 45 miles of range) and then when i go on a long trip, fill it up and go! AND the heated steering wheel is awesome! I agree with you on the charging speed but, like you say, plug it in at night and no big deal, full tank of electrons in the morning. My only real gripe is that cubby where you store the 120V charge cord, that door is a joke, falls off all the time.
Agreed! I actually discovered recently (after 2 years of ownership, I can't believe it) that the charger I have belongs to a gen 1 Volt. As I understand, the gen 2 is much smaller, and doesn't have a handle. I imagine that could be why we have such a hard time getting it to fit. Nonetheless, the locking mechanism on that door is a joke.
With the charging speed, I would definitely prefer it to be 6.6 or 7.2 kw, because there have been plenty of times where we went to the mall or to a restaurant and could have gotten a full charge on a Volta or nearby ChargePoint station. Regardless, since most of us sleep over 4 hours a day, at least we can get one full battery each day.
All around great car! What state are you in? I feel like our color is by far the most popular, at least from what I have seen driving around on the freeway.
Thanks for watching!
@@Joshjames1234 I'm in Minnesota so needless to say, lots of snow and cold but being the batteries are pretty heavy, it handles pretty well in the winter although I'm not in love with those low rolling resistance tires, time for new ones this fall so I may change brands of tires, we'll see. I did put some double sided tape on the charger cubby door to help keep it on, seems to help. I can't believe you have the gen 1 charger in there, they are quite a bit bigger than the newer gen 2 version. A friend of mine's kid has a gen 1 volt and his charging equipment finally died and he picked up a Duosida 240/120V EVSE for less than $200, seems to be working great.
Excellent car, I also have a 2016 with almost 60k miles. I have seen a slight battery degradation of about 2 percent (down from 14kwh usable to 13.7). Also agree on charging speed. They added 7.2 kw charger option for the 2019 model right before they cancelled it.
I get 14.4 usable on my 2018. Got a 2012, and down to 8.7 from 10.0. I think the update lost me 1.0 KW.
I just got a 2014 Cadillac ELR…..I got it for $19000 and love it!! I know it’s part of the VOLT family again…this car run perfect and I have no regrets
We have one of each generation now... A 2013 and a 2019. Both are great, dependable cars. GM knocked themselves out designing and testing this car. It was a new effort to evolve into the electric age and they wanted it to go well. Both generations are great cars. We haven't had any problems with them after owning for 5 years.
I sold my 2016 Volt when the 2019 came out and I found out it was the last year to be made.. I had to get it. Also, the Adaptive Cruise Control and OTA updates are nice too.
Oh and the 7.2kw charger on it is awesome, charges in 2hrs from empty to full on my 40amp charger.
I'm jelly of your faster charging and dashboard update! I wish my 2016 had ACC too.
I dont mean to be so offtopic but does anybody know a method to log back into an Instagram account?
I was stupid lost my password. I would love any help you can offer me
@Reed Van instablaster :)
@@reedvan9100 Yeah
I love my volt as well .. if you keep generating after full I get up to 84 miles.. but don’t do this often. Just reached 100k and feels like new love both my 2016 volts
Explain?
@@toddbenfield6546 well after you have plugged in and have a full charge you can keep regenerating up to 85miles . But from what I have learned it's not good for the longevity of the battery...just reached 155k and battery still holding on altho regeneration has slowed
@@got2bdirt how do you keep regenerating
Just bought a 2018 Chevy Volt, really enjoying it. Great video.
They hold their value too! I bought my 2013 two years ago for $13.9k, and now it's worth $12.9k, which is roughly $4k more than I still owe on the loan! I absolutely love the car. I call it the "poor man's Tesla"... ;-)
Btw, it _is possible_ to use the "bottom" reserve of the battery, but only if there's no gas in the tank. (Although it is _NOT_ recommended.) Somebody posted a video about it here a few years back.
I love my Chevy volt! No complaints at all! I have a 1st Gen 2015, they had a slightly bigger battery than the previous years. I average 42 miles a day when the weather is right before it switches over to engine.
I was actually going to get a 2015! All of the Volts are great. Glad to hear you are a happy customer too!
I just bought a 2014 (best I can do) but so far I LOVE IT .
Welcome to the family! I think every model year is great. Of course, the best one is probably the 2019, since it can charge twice as fast.
Love our 2014 Volt with 114,000 miles. Bought it used in 2016 for $16K. Love the super solid build quality of the Gen1. Closing the doors is like closing vault.
And I've seen videos with people getting over 300 and 400,000 MI on their volts with no problems at all. 🤯🤯😁😁
You've only seen 1, that was "Sparkie" and he's now since sold it
@@dansmith6990 there's more than one Chevy volt running around with over two and three hundred thousand miles on them .
@@dansmith6990 well if the guy sold it apparently it had way more miles on it than a conventional car that he would have had to sell a long time before he would have sold a car with 400,000 miles on it.
@@gmc70707 Again, you've only seen ONE person with a Volt with that high of mileage, not multiple people.
@@dansmith6990 did you ever own a volt ?
Great video. Are we the same people? I'm a former Marine musician with a 2013 Volt that I've had for 4 years and have a RUclips channel where I talk about my Volt and Zero SR.
Bought my 2013 in 2016 with about 26k miles (brand new to me) for about 16k and have loved it. Would like a Gen II but really no reason to upgrade right now since my car has been paid for since 2018 and has no issues. Keep it up.
Small world! What bands were you with? I was with 1st MarDiv before I went MSG.
We need more Marines to drive electric! I think if I was still in, it would be impossible because even in 2020, most bases have no charging stations, and especially not at any barracks.
I was honestly *this* close to buying a gen 1, but at the last moment I got a 2016 for a similar price. Still an outstanding car!
@@Joshjames1234 I was with III MEF Band from 08' to 10' and Parris Island Marine Band from 2010 to 2011. Then I got out, got my degree and got back in as an officer. Now, I'm out again. Ha!
For sure, no way Marines or Sailors that live in the barracks could drive an EV. They would have to run an extension chord from their barracks rooms to the parking lot!
Hey folks, is it harder to maintain oil and war with charging on bases?
@@GDMHificationranpitc Charging on Marine Corps bases is non existent. Better run an extension chord from your barrack's room or office.
@@GDMHificationranpitc Maintaining oil is the same as any other car.
Originally I wanted the Volt but didn’t like how low to the ground you sit. I was driving a 2006 Prius from 2013 to 2021. I finally took the dive and bought a 2017 Bolt EV. I love the car and love the 0-60 in 6 seconds. My job lets me charge the car for free so I haven’t paid a dime to run the car. I bought it with 37,000 on the ODO. I look forward to never buying a drop of Gas again. Most shopping centers have free charging where I live, so I get to park close to the store and get free charge.
Love the Volt, minor correction, of the 18kwh battery you can use 14kwh so it's only 20% left blocked off or 10% on each end. Which I actually prefer, if almost half the battery were inaccessible I'd be pretty upset.
Hey you're in Long Beach. I'm downtown myself. You got me thinking seriously about this over a 2016, 2017 accord.
The Gen1 Volt has less range, but it's built better than the Gen2. We love our 2014 with 114,000 miles. No problems except for needing to reprogram the high voltage charging system. Best car I've ever owned (out of 15 vehicles). Installed a 240 charger in the garage so 80% of our driving is electric. I'll never go back to ICE. Ordered a Cybertruck two days after it was introduced.
I just got a 2017 and I totally love it.
I have a 1st gen volt and i've had it for 6 years. I have had 1 problem with the heater, but other than that it has been the best car i have ever owned (and i'm 67). I still try to drive more efficiently to get more electric miles. Am retired now but when I worked in the summer i could get up around 44 miles on a charge. It is a 13 and is rated for 38 miles. No battery degradation at all as far as I can tell.
i’m getting one here in a couple months i’m coming up from a 2007 ford five hundred and watching videos like these are making my nerves a little calmer
You have a lot to look forward to! If you can, try to get a 2019 model year for the faster charging (verify it has the faster 7.2 kW charging speed), but if you are looking to save money, you can't go wrong getting a 2016 model year or newer.
@@Joshjames1234 I'm in the same boat! Looking forward to reporting back with a quick initial review
Two 2107 Volt Premier's in our garage. Perfect cars for our family use. We drive electric 100% of the time driving locally, but just took one cross country and got 41 mpg for the trip. For two people it is perfect!!!
Glad to hear from a happy fellow customer! Chevy absolutely made me a fan of their brand. 60k miles on my end with no major issues (except the shift to park, but that was simply a day at the dealer and they repaired for free). How many miles do you have on your 2017s? Have you used the MyChevy app to see your detailed stats?
@@Joshjames1234
Yes I have used the app.
We have two Premiers one red (mine) one blue. Both have about 35K on each. I calculate my wife's car only has about 7,000 miles on the ICE, mine about 10,000 on the ICE but my car has been driven on more long distance trips. Absolutely love the adaptive cruise control. Glad to hear you hit 60K trouble free miles.
Same color as mine! Got the grey leather, and love this interior over all the other ones👍 got my 2018 with 900 miles in Jan 2019 for $23,000. My 2nd Volt. Still have my gen 1 with 63,000 miles, with only tires, and 2 oil changes. Getting ready to do the 3 fluid change. They say 5 yrs, or 100,000 miles. Good luck👍
I just got 2016 volt, i had no idea they existed!! That same day I was set on getting a 2012 civic coupe from fb market place but my pops wanted something newer for me so we went to dealership. At dealership we were about to leave but then I noticed the car we were leaning on.
Honestly, im still a bit sad I didnt get the honda. Like come onnn it was an ex with few miles!! But then again im grateful bc if i got it i would have riced it since its automatic. BUT SINCE I DIDNT THAT MEANS I COULD DO IT THE RIGHT WAY AND GET A MANUAL ! thatll be in future
Bought my 2017 Volt in 2017. 43K, on the clock and it's been great. Lifetime mileage 87 mpg.
Oh, and I disagree with what you think is slow charging speed. It's a Volt. You get a full charge in about 3.5 to 4 hours. To me, that's good especially since there is no range anxiety with this car.
I bought a used 2016 chevy volt premier with 70k miles on it, after a thousand uber eats deliveries plus my 100 miles daily to and from work now have 120k miles on it and couldn't be happier. I actually use to drive my truck to work and spent $500 on gas a month now I'm saving $400. I invested in the chevy volt cause near my job there's a free charging station so it worked out 😊 The only issue I had was the "shift to park alert" but I solved that with the Vaseline trick other then that just a couple oil changes, a set of new tires and still going strong 👍
I share your enthusiasm. It's definitely an amazing car. I use it mostly for short rides in the city, and on the highway a comfortable ride is assured.
Much simlarity here. I have a Gen1 2015 Volt. My first electric car and nobody I even know, besides coworkers and not many of them, despite being in the Auto insustry. 40 miles to school drop then work, charged at work by lunchtime and back home all on zero to may 0.25 Gallons of gas. 138k miles, not battery degredation. Besides a common heater pump and heater control module, totally reliable adn fixed right 1st try, although it takes the deaeler a while. I had to get my power box rewired slightlky and the plug installed, both of which I could have done but didn't want to. I installed the charger myself. I lengthened the J plug cable. I love that I can make ti to work and back on all or mostly electric (sometimes the engine come on AS I PULL IN TO THE PARKING DECK.!). I have had cars from economy to a Tahoe, a Diesel pickup, a Manual C7 Corvette convertible, sedans and driven plenty others. This is my favorite car, over all that I've ever had. the One I love most, get the most consistent enjoyment from becasue I can always go fast, take curves, accelerate hard, go fast (yeah, twice), enjoy quiet, suffer no gear shifting, enjoy instant torque responsiveness, etc. All with negligible fuel usage. Yes the Corvette sounded awsome and was a blast to shift and play the engine note like an instrument. Phenomenal limts and sports car fun but go to jail fast and "showy". The Volt is ALWAYS intersting and doing stuff and you can always safely play the green ball economy game with yourself and watch power flows in varying usaged and conditions., It's built like a litteral tank. Absolutely the best overall used (commuter) car I could find, by far. A Honda S2000 or Mazda RX8 or a BRZ/A86 would be cool but not practical, especially in Michigan ice.
great recommendation. Now 3 years later, I found a volt with 97,000 miles I can afford. I hope it lasts. do you still have yours and still like it?
So first of all, I'm glad you had such a great experience with your volt⚡. I have not had such a great experience. I purchased my volt brand new in 2018. Within a 6 months, my AC went out in the middle of summer, and proceeded to go out 3 more times in the span of a little over a year and a half. As far as my electric battery, it was amazing to have the 53 electric miles. After around one year, it would only charge to 44 miles max. I know every car is different, but mine has given me quite a bit of problems. Hopefully they correct this in future electric projects
I'm sorry to hear that! It sounds like at least the AC system was a lemon.
With the range, that sounds pretty normal. As you drive, the computer learns your driving style and location (hilly, flat, etc), which changes your estimated range. Warmer weather and flatter roads will make that range number go up.
The depreciation on the 2nd generation is steep so getting one for $10K is becoming easier. I'm either getting one of these or a Prius v for the cargo space. My 10 year old Escape hybrid has been excellent for the last 3 years of ownership.
Absolutely. The only thing I'm sad about is they made hardly any 2019 Volts with the faster charging, so those may be harder to find. Nonetheless, they make for very reliable used cars for cheap!
@@Joshjames1234 I used to often get too focused on feature wants but when I find a good deal that lacks them, it makes no difference in experience & saves a lot of money. I just saw a video where people have shown the stock 120v charger just needs an adapter to work as a 240v charger. That saves a pricey accessory upgrade right there.
They never wanted it to succeed from the beginning. They just built it to get the EV angry world off their back after the EV1 fiasco. Case in point, they had a third grader write and direct the advertisements for it. Not even remotely showing what it was capable of. I bought a 2016 used in 2017, with about 16,000 miles on it. I've got about 41,000 now. I use it for almost all of my road trips. Most comfortable car I've owned and I've owned a lot of cars. The main thing that I've discovered is that the ICE system is its weakest point. You have to use it regularly to keep it functional. The SW for the the car is a bit buggy. I've had it leave the radio playing and lights on after I shut it off and got out. A few other things, but pretty insignificant. The other thing is that it's only got a 3.3 kw charger. Didn't change that until the last year, I think. No fast charging at all either. That also protects the integrity and range of this battery technology.
Very informative this is on of the only affordable EV
Great video bud… I know you put it out a while back but I’ve just now discovered this vehicle thanks to RUclips. Just wondering, any updates? Still a good choice in your opinion?
Still an amazing vehicle! With the rise in catalytic converter thefts around the country, I have yet to hear a single Volt getting their cat stolen, given its hidden placement. This is one example of while the Volt still continues to impress me.
Are you looking at getting one? What do you have now, and what vehicles are you looking at?
@@Joshjames1234 yes looking at getting here somewhat locally…
There is a 2014 with 97,000 miles. I’m also considering a Ford Fusion hybrid but about a days drive from here. It’s a 2014 with less just under 200k miles but no accidents and 1 owner… super cheap.
Awesome review. I am torn between the G2 Volt and a 2017 Kia Optima PHEV. Great EV engineering and range vs. comfort and features.
The volt bro... it's a better car with a better proven track record
That feeling when the car tells you that you have to burn the rest of the gas you've had in the tank after a year because it's going to go bad if you don't!!! It's an actual message you get at the end of a year if you haven't managed to go through a whole tank of gas. I think it was (fuel service mode) or something like that. I've had my 2017 for over 3 years now and the only major problem I've had is the EGR valve was dirty with carbon, because the engine doesn't run enough to get hot most of the time, but a quick google search and a little elbow grease I took the valve off and cleaned it out myself saving over $1000. Now whenever I know that I will need the engine I always let it run until it come all the way up to temp on the highway so hopefully I won't have to clean it again for a long time.
Yes, I just changed my oil today and it's been a couple days over 2 years. the last change was 12 /16/ 2018. And today is 12/28 /2020
Don't forget the transmission fluid change (45k if memory serves me) and brake flush (every 2 yrs).
@@Lt_Tragg there is no transmission 😁
@@gmc70707 Sorry, you're right. But there is a "drive-unit" and the owners manual has a fluid change frequency listed within.
........at least on the 2nd Gen models - here's an illustration. The frequency is 45k mi ruclips.net/video/ilngL-b8Fqs/видео.html
Thank you for the review. I'm very interested in getting one. I drive 18 miles round trip from home to work and back. Are the 1st. Gen s as reliable?
Thanks.
As far as I know! There are some gen 1s that have over 400k miles on the odo.
To be clear, 2011 to 2015 Volts (generation 1) were designed, built and marketed as electric cars with a gasoline powered range extending generator. Electric motors were the only ones propelling the car, gas engine not connected to the drive train. It's similar to a railroad diesel/electric locomotive.The 2017 and subsequent models (generation 2) behaved in a similar fashion but gasoline power would occasionally couple to the drive train. It then becomes a series hybrid. Small point, granted but this confusion couldn't be overcome by GMs marketing staff thus making it a difficult sell.
I’ve been wanting one looking for one currently I live in Toronto Canada gets cold so I expect to see ev range go down. Thing that worries me is they don’t make the car anymore but you saying yours been good heard there was wheel bearing was an issue so is 77,000 km vs a 160,0000 km a good buy still thank you
Im getting a 2018 volt premier in a few months after my a3 lease is up in may/june. So stoked! I honestly like it better than the tesla model 3. The model 3 i had got 240 miles But was less than 240, was more like 230 or so. But normal range was 206. Sadly with normal driving the battery range went down quickly, and once u lose battery on that, your stuck, but with the volt, u dont have to worry about range anxiety. Also with the model 3 i hate the big screen, i dont see the point of having a big ass tablet screen. Plus i like knobs and buttons too. Not just touch screen.
All valid points! You have a lot to look forward to!
@@Joshjames1234 also im highly considering the hyundai ioniq too
VOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLTTTTTTT!!!!! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
The Volt is not a plug in hybrid. It's an EV with an onboard generator. Hybrid cars are primarily propelled by an engine/transmission combo like any other car, but are assisted by motor/battery at slow speeds. Volts are propelled by motor/battery exclusively, then creates its own electricity off combustion generator when battery charge lowers (caveat-the planetary gear set does allow the engine to boost power to the wheels up around 87 mph)
don't know where you get your info from ... you do plug it in and you can drive the 50 miles and if you keep the miles below that you will never have to use tne engine. PAY ATTENTION!! to the facts
Hello, I'm thinking about buying a used volt 2nd gen. What are things to look out for when buying one? Is it relatively quick? Glad you enjoy yours and thanks for the informational video. Cheers!
Honestly, you can't go wrong. I would say just make sure they have taken it to the dealer for the software update if you need Android Auto. Apple CarPlay is already included.
Just to make sure everything is running well, make sure they charge the battery so you can drive in EV mode. Switch to "Hold" to see how it runs with the gas. Otherwise - normal car stuff. If you like it, get it! Seriously such an underappreciated car.
@@Joshjames1234 thank you!
There are officially fewer used 2018+ Chevy Volts available on autotrader than there are used model 3s... which didn't start production until late 2017 and would have been considered a 2018 model. People are either holding on to their 2018+ or they're being bought up quickly. It's just a cheap way to get an electric vehicle that will significantly cut down on gasoline needs.
I bought a new premiere prior year model (2018) in 2019 for $21,500 after full federal credit on the last day the full credit was available for GMs. I got pretty lucky since GM was deeply discounting prior year Volts to get rid of inventory
My thoughts on the car is that I love it for being electric with 95% of my miles driven in electric mode. As to the car itself... it's ok. The front seats are comfortable enough, but coming from 8 years of owning sport luxury cars, I wouldn't exactly call them good. The driver's cluster and infotainment could use a major revamp. More information could be provided in the driver cluster with better organization. On the infotainment screen, I keep it on the energy screen that tells you miles driven and kWh used. Either way, that screen repeats the same numbers twice. Why not just list them once and use the extra space to show me my average miles / kWh (or Wh / mile if preferred) or a chart of my energy use. Hell, just show miles/kWh on the drivers cluster so I can use the main screen for something else like navigation!
I've never used the navigation. Android Auto is far superior. I wish it was wireless though.
They could have done a better job with the center console. There's like that front cubby that's hard to actually reach into or get something out of.
The climate control was super confusing when I first got the car, but it's gotten easier I guess. It would be nice if the resistive heater was more powerful. On VERY cold days, you absolutely need to run the engine to heat up the cabin. I found warming up the car in the garage by pre-conditioning kept the car warm enough that I didn't need to run the HVAC much on the way to work. On the way home can be bad though... had to start wearing winter boots to keep the feet warm.
In the rear seat, there's no headroom, little leg room, and no way you're fitting in a 5th passenger unless it's a small child. The hatch is great, but the rear bumper is WAY too high, so to put anything in the trunk you have to lift it over the bumper and then back down into the trunk.
When it drives fully electric, it feels great... when it drives on gas, it's awful. The best solution to that is that when you know you'll exceed the electric range, then when driving on the highway at a constant speed, switch to hold mode. If you hit stop and go traffic, need to pass, or exit the highway, switch back to electric. The goal is to get back home for the day with no battery left.
L mode regen isn't powerful enough so you can't do real one pedal driving. You sort of can with the max regen paddle. If you want to coast in L mode, the slip point is really hard to maintain. I usually end up repeatedly switching between D and L... so it's only a matter of time before I get the dreaded "Shift into park" issue. I use the max regen paddle on the steering wheel when coming to a stop, which is pretty difficult to get used to and learn the timing. I wish it was capacitive based on how hard you pull the lever. I also wish holding it down would bring the car to a complete stop. The car does creep, so I'm not sure if I turn that off (I think I can?) if the paddle will bring me to a complete stop. Either way, if I'm holding the paddle while coming to a full stop, bring me to a full stop.. what designer thought I wouldn't want to stop?
My last two vehicles were higher end luxury vehicles, but I wanted a responsible electric car. I can say that I personally wouldn't go back. All this talk of people loving their Teslas more than any other car... a lot of those people have never driven any other electric car before, and a lot of what they love are things they can get with any other EV including the Volt. The benefits of electric are huge. Just the fact that you never or rarely have to go to the gas station, have far less maintenance, can preheat the car in the garage, and will save loads of money on fuel are all great.
I do try to think of the full global picture though, and PHEVs use smaller batteries than long range BEVs to significantly reduce emissions. If battery supply is limited, then PHEVs could allow us to more rapidly shift more cars to electric, and more rapidly reduce emissions. I get people love the EV drivetrain so much that they want to go full electric after having owned a Volt, but unless battery supply can keep up with production and demand, I think this push for long range BEVs with much larger batteries could backfire and result in a much slower transition to electrified vehicles and emissions reductions. People often want what's best for themselves, rather than thinking about the big picture and what's best for the planet. At the rate we're producing BEVs, we're a long ways away from replacing all 1.8 billion ICE vehicles on the planet.
Well said! And I'm very impressed with how much you paid for your 2018...it was the same price I paid for my 2016 model year w/ 30k miles.
just got a 2013 for $7,500. prices are falling though the floor right now.
92k miles on the odo
about 54k of those on the motor
battery gets 40 miles+ range coz i put the tires up to 40psi lol
has leather seats + heated cheeks. guessing thats the better trim level? no back up camera but i dont like those
I want to mention some - things about EVs. EV in some areas are very expensive- depending on time of day, it can be from 25-43 cents per kWh.
Registration can also be significantly more expensive in some states. Highway driving will be a let down. You will have to drive slow on the highway to get any where near the stated range. In a prius, i can be going 80+ mph and still get close to 42 mpg, you cant do this with straight ev without significantly degrading battery and decreasing range. As for the volt,on highway driving the engine will kick in faster then u expect.
Last but not least.
Liion battery has significantly less energy capacity then gasoline.
I will be getting a Vault 2014 for my kids. They wanted Jeep Wrangler, but I know better.
You are helping change the world! For the longest time, I was on the fence with getting a gen 1, and test drove a lot of them. I wish that could have been my first car!
The lower amp charging contributes to the longevity of the battery.
My only issue with it is that it's GM. Based on my personal history, people I know, and Consumer Reports, I have trouble trusting any GM vehicle's reliability. My last Chevy was costing me $350 a month on average for maintenance and repairs over the time I had it. I drive 150 miles a day for a living and having a reliable car is a must. Also kind of disappointing that the mpg when in hybrid/generating mode is only 42 mpg when a second gen Prius like I have gets me 55 mpg over a full tank of city. driving.
Where are you driving?! It’s stunning.
Joshua Tree National Park in SoCal! :-)
I bought my 2017 for 17k two years ago 👍
How many miles? Any issues?
@@Joshjames1234 had 23k miles on it when I bought it. Leather interior. Had to have the 12v battery changed around 58k miles.
Is it loud inside?? I have a Chevy sonic and I hate how lts loud
Not at all! It is surprisingly quiet. I drove a 2020 Prius and was actually amazed how much louder its engine was.
Been driving in L mode since new. What are the implications of driving like this?
Definitely more regen when you release the pedal, but unfortunately it is not enough to do one pedal driving! I personal keep it on D because I prefer the normal "creep" that a car makes when driving on city streets. Maybe I should try L more.
@@Joshjames1234 also didn't know that the battery operation ranges between 20 and 80% to avoid degradation. Great review!
@@towardtheeast Thank you kindly! There was a review with the GM engineers where they talked a little more about that. They feel they "overengineered the battery" because the advertised range really doesn't go down with the life of the vehicle...so maybe they could have only made the top/bottom 10% inaccessible.
It'll be great to see GM's next generation of EVs, and what they learned from the Volt/Bolt!
If I buy a used 2017 Chevy Volt today, is there any tax breaks state or federal?
Unfortunately Chevrolet and Tesla are the two American automakers that have sold over 200,000 EVs, so they no longer get the $7,500 tax credit. As far as I know, makers like Hyundai, Jaguar, Audi, Kia, etc still get the full federal credit. A lot of states, like New Jersey, give $5000 in state incentives. CA currently has a $2000 incentive. I would also look up your local utility and air quality management district if they have incentives. Personally I wasn't eligible for any tax breaks (because they only apply to new vehicles), but I did get about $2,000 from my local utility and air quality management district.
@@Joshjames1234 Thanks
Are the 2014 and 13 good models?
Yes! Both are Gen 1, so the battery gets about 38 miles, compared to Gen 2's 52. Definitely go for a test drive...those early models have stood the test of time!
What highway is this?
How many miles can you get on a full battery and full tank of gas?
400 +
On the gen 2 Volts (2016 and later) the battery is EPA rated at 53 miles. Gas brings the total range to 420, but it really all depends. I notice I get more gas range when filling up in Nevada compared to California (400 vice 300), but that is due to mixture regulations. Weather and hills can also change the numbers around for both battery and gas.
When you run out of battery and the engine is running how much can the battery charge using the regen? Could you charge it to 100% doing that theoretically on a longer trip or will it only charge to a certain percentage?
When the car runs out of battery, it turns in to a conventional hybrid that converts friction from the brakes into extra range. For example, you could start at the top of a mountain with an empty battery, and arrive at the bottom with a full battery, but that would have to be an incredible mountain. The most I have gotten was an extra 4 miles of range after going down a decent decline.
When at a stop light or parked, the engine will keep running, but only to maintain a minimum battery level. It won't burn an entire tank of gas to fill up the battery, as that would be wildly inefficient. It doesn't even run to give a single mile of range, but just enough to keep the electronics on for a few moments/minutes while you are stopped.
I've noticed when listening to the radio while parked, the engine will occasionally run for a minute or so before turning off. It is pretty sporadic; it runs just enough to keep the radio and A/C on for a little bit before the engine turns on again. When sitting in a parked car with the A/C running, the engine runs for about a minute for every 10 minutes of idle time, but that is a huge guess, and I'm sure it runs more when running the heater.
@@Joshjames1234 I live in Colorado. I was able to regen 14 miles... also it doesnt convert the friction from the brakes.
@@brianconnell6587 Correct. Though the effect is like braking, the slowing & resistance to momentum AND regen is purely done by the electric motor when it's not generating drive.
Does anyone else have experience towing with a gen2 Volt? I’d like to be able to tow a 1000-1500 lbs pop up camper. Thanks in advance :)
I'll bump this request, 'Jacob, cos I'm looking to buy one.
They should’ve made a SUV variant like volt
"Trickle charge" is better for durability.
Prius who? Never heard of it!
What about the ICE? GM doesn't have a stellar reputation for producing high quality engines. Using the Volt like an EV can't be good for the gasoline engine's reliability. Can you force the engine to run occasionally just to circulate fluids?
Yes, I use HOLD mode on long trips to save a little battery when I get off freeway.
hum.. a spark? do you mean bolt
nah thats what im saying
All the magazines are so anti-American made so all you hear is the bad. When foreign all you hear about is the good and most of these magazines are owed by foreign companies. A foreign car could be shit and not know it.
The supplied portable charging cord for the volt using a household 120 volt outlet takes 12.5 hrs to charge fully from a completey depleted state at the maximum 12 amps that the vehicle offers. Using a level 2 charger, 240 volts cuts the full charging time to 4.5 hrs. The volt has an 18.4 kwh lithium ion battery which in my area where the electric company provides electricity at $0.135 per kwh costs roughly $3.00 for a full charge. A battery replacement for the Volt PHEV costs around $9,000 vs around $19,000 for a 100% EV such as the Tesla. If you need to drive many miles daily having an engine that supplements the battery as in a PHEV is by far the least costly vehicle to drive. With the newly passed Inflation Reduction Act that Congress passed this year the purchase of a used phev or ev in 2022 qualifies to receive a $4,000 income tax credit. Also all restrictions have been removed from the major auto manufacturers qualifying purchasers to receive a $7,500 income tax credit on new all electric vehicles purchased in 2022 and beyond with no end date at this time. I drive my 2018 Volt using as much electricity as possible resulting in an overall reduction of 70% of my fuel costs. As the video indicated I have had no trouble putting 20k miles on my volt in 5 months. A normal ice has over 200 moving parts where a phev or full ev averages 20 to 40.