GM adapted the planetary gearset used in its two-mode hybrid vehicles to realize the goal of the Volt, which Posawatz describes as making "the Volt feel like an electric car all the time. Although mostly working as an electricity generator, it can add its own boost to the planetary gearset under these conditions to let the main traction motor spin at reduced speed. Similarly, when the batteries are depleted, the gas engine can take the role of that second electric motor when the car is being driven at speeds of 70 mph. When the battery has a usable charge, a second electric motor in the system delivers a boost to the planetary gearset, letting the traction motor, which still has the only mechanical connection to the wheels, reduce its speed by half. To reduce wasted energy, GM relied on two strategies. Through testing, GM found that this motor became inefficient when spinning at high rpms, with the car running at 70 mph and above.
Chevy Volt Vehicle Line Director Tony Posawatz explains that the Volt's 111 kilowatt electric traction motor is always driving the wheels of the car when it is in motion. We received a call back from GM to one of our inquiries about the Chevy Volt powertrain.
#2012 chevy volt range extender drivers
Rather than a revolutionary automotive powertrain, GM has merely delivered something evolutionary, a hybrid that is closer to the electric car than a Toyota Prius or Ford Fusion Hybrid. According to Temple Chevrolet, a 16-kWh lithium ion battery and 111-kW electric motor can power the 2013 Volt for up to 38 miles of all-electric, zero-emissions travelan 8.5 percent improvement over 2012but if/when drivers do want to go further, that’s when the award-winning range extender comes into play. But it also takes some of the wind out of GM's sails for the Volt being a real electric car. This complex system takes into account different running conditions to provide the most efficient power to the wheels. But when the battery is depleted and the car is running at 70 mph or above, the planetary gearset transmits additional motive force directly from the engine to the wheels. When the battery is depleted, the range extender engine kicks in to generate electricity for the motor, as GM noted in its press materials.
Most of the time, the electric motors turn the gearset. The studied vehicle is the 2012 GM Chevrolet Volt and the Voltec Gen 1 system. Markus writes that both the electric motors and gas engine connect to a planetary gearset, which in turn drives the wheels. Power is inverted from a technically advanced, 1.4L 63-kW (84-hp) gasoline-powered onboard engine to the electric drive unit to provide up to 310 additional miles of range."īut GM left some information out. And unlike GM's press releases claim for the car, the power does not solely come from the electric motors.Īccording to GM's materials on the Volt, "When the battery energy is depleted, the Volt seamlessly transitions to extended-range mode. In an article being echoed around the Web, Motor Trend reporter Frank Markus lays out in detail how the Chevy Volt transmits power to its wheels. The Chevy Volt's gas engine can, under certain conditions, deliver boost to the drivetrain.
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