In many parts of the country, including Michigan, it is still somewhat of a novelty to plug in your car. Watch video
DETROIT, MI - In many parts of the country, including Michigan, it is still somewhat of a novelty to plug in your car.
If you have the key fob* to a Chevrolet Volt, plugging in your car is not just a novelty, but a necessity if you want to have all-electric, gas-free driving power.
The Volt is different from an all-electric vehicle such a Tesla, or from a hybrid vehicle such as a Malibu Hybrid or numerous others, because it uses both all-electric driving and a hybrid, gas-electric powertrain.
Without boring non-engineer readers too much with the nitty-gritty, basically an 18.4 kWh battery provides an all-electric range of 53 miles on the new, 2016 Chevrolet Volt Premier we tested. That's an improvement over the 38 miles of all-electric range in the previous generation.
A 1.5-liter "range extender" engine provides another 370 or so miles of gas-assisted driving. When the battery power is depleted past a certain threshold, the engine will come on seamlessly.
When that engine is running, it's known the "charge sustaining mode." And here's what it means for practical driving purposes: When you are in all-electric, battery-powered drive mode, the Volt is a pure dream to drive. It's smooth. It goes down the road like a hot knife through butter, for lack of a better cliche.
But when that all-electric range is depleted on the highway for example, whoa boy, here comes the old gasoline engine. I think you notice it, especially because it does not always directly correlate to your foot's pressure on the gas pedal.
(Other people I've talked to who have driven Volts insist that it's not noticeable. Have you driven a Volt? Let us know what you think in the comments.)
That's not to say that it's bad, and the Volt still rides extremely well and has plenty of pickup once the gas-assisted power kicks in.
It just adds yet another, somewhat unique aspect to the car.
How long will it stay somewhat unique? Automakers seem to be moving more toward electrification in all its forms. Hyundai did just that, revealing what could basically be considered an electrification trifecta at the New York auto show with the Ioniq Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid and Electric.
Volvo Cars will launch plug-in hybrid cars across its vehicle range and plans to introduce a fully electric car by 2019, calling it a "mainstream" thing to do.
Tesla's all-electric Model 3 has created buzz not seen for a new car in some time, if not in at least a generation.
Meanwhile, initial sales of the 2016 Chevrolet Volt appear to be solid, bucking the trend of American shunning sedans in favor of crossovers and trucks.
In the first quarter of this year, deliveries of the Volt are up 113 percent on an annual basis to 3,987 units, though the comparison is against the previous-generation, as the 2016 model first hit dealerships last fall.
We took a first-generation, 2013 Chevy Volt and a new, 2016 model back to the place where they were first assembled to compare what's new and improved on the plug-in electric car. The Volt we tested was the Premier trim level. It had soft, black leather interior with heated seats in front and back.
It has an 8-inch touchscreen display that can adapt to Apple CarPlay, as well as traditional buttons and knobs. The simplified controls are welcome for some Volt customers who disliked the previous generation's almost universal use of touch-pad controls.
The 2016 Volt Premier we tested was loaded with safety features, such as lane-keep assist, front automatic braking, "intellibeam" headlights and forward collision alert.
The price as tested was $40,245. A base model starts at about $33,220, putting the Volt in the "affordable" range that Tesla is aiming for with its $35,000 Model 3, and that's before federal tax credits.
General Motors has invested heavily in making sure the Volt has the latest, cutting-edge technology. It's been a trailblazing model for the Detroit automaker, and it will be interesting to see if can continue to stay ahead of the curve as more automakers get into electrification.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook.
*Like most new cars I've been testing, there are no longer traditional keys. There is an "emergency key" that can swing out from the fob if the electronics aren't working, but otherwise most cars have push-button ignitions. You just need to have the fob in your pocket or purse to start the vehicle. The only exception I've seen lately is the 2016 Buick Encore, which had a traditional keyhole ignition. My wife suggested that this may be because Buick often caters to a more mature customer base that is accustomed to using keys to start their cars.