One of the concerns surrounding electric vehicles is their ability to operate optimally in extreme temperatures, whether it is hot or cold temps, as it may drain battery power. But according to General Motors, the all-new Chevrolet Volt won’t have this problem, which will please Minneapolis Chevrolet dealers as well as dealers in other areas with extreme temperatures.
According to Chevrolet Warrenton, the difficulty for EVs is having battery power that can propel the car in extremely cold temps, while also providing enough power to keep occupants warm inside the cabin of the Chevrolet. Nashville, for example, has a relatively moderate temperature range for an American city, but low temperatures can approach freezing.
“It requires as much energy to heat the interior of a car on a cold day as it does to drive at a constant speed,” said Susan Stevenson, General Motors’ benchmarking engineer for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
Luckily, GM engineers say that the Volt features a range of systems that minimize the drain on the lithium-ion battery, while also affording occupant comfort. One feature is the Volt’s smartphone app, which allows drivers to start the vehicle remotely while it’s still plugged in. That way, the Volt can warm up by taking power from the electric grid, rather than from the battery.
In addition to this, the Volt will of course able to operate using its internal combustion engine, even if battery performance is minimized. That’s one advantage that the Volt has over what may be its biggest rival, the Nissan Leaf.
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