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May 28, 2010
The next step in hybrid cars
Chevrolet’s Volt offers an attractive alternative to the gas engine.
BAILA LAZARUS
There is a joke that is shared among those who follow new automotive technology. It goes something like this: hydrogen fuel cells are the technology of the future (pause for effect) and they always will be.
But while the automotive industry’s new-tech developers struggle to find clean alternatives to gasoline through the development of fuel cells, electric vehicles are inching closer to feasible solutions. These days, car shows are always demonstrating the latest manifestations of the plug-ins, and the latest of the latest is the Chevy Volt.
Now, just to be clear, for a vehicle to replace a completely utilitarian gas-powered car, it can’t be fully battery-operated (as yet). The size of battery that would be needed to equal a full tank of gas, even in a compact car, would be impractical. And even if you could get one that fits inside a “normal”- size vehicle, when it came time to recharge it, you couldn’t just swing into a charging station, plug in and pull away in the same amount of time that you would when you’re filling a tank of gas. You would need to plug it in overnight or, if it’s a quick-charge battery, for a few hours at least. So either you accept a very short range on your car, with the knowledge that you have to plug it in every night, or you drive a hybrid that combines a battery with some other method of propulsion.
Currently, hybrids that consist of battery- and gas-powered motors will switch between the two means of propulsion depending on the speed of the vehicle; for example, electric power will be used for stop-and-start city driving, and gas power will kick in at higher speeds.
The makers of the Volt, however, wanted to achieve an even greener drive, so they created a car that uses only battery power no matter how fast you’re going, and the engine mode moves into gas usage only when the battery is drained. For this reason, they decline from referring to the car as a “hybrid,” and refer to it only as an “electric vehicle” (EV), claiming it “is propelled by electricity at all times and at all speeds.” It’s a little misleading, but potentially true if you only drive your car a minimal distance.
To calculate that distance (and to decide how big a battery to create), Chevrolet polled drivers on what an average driving day would entail; that is, to and from work, within a city range, as well as a few errands at the beginning or end of the day. The figure they came up with was 64 kilometres. So they built a lithium-ion battery that holds just enough juice for that distance. When the battery is depleted, the four-cylinder gas engine is used. On-board electricity-generating technology maintains enough energy to run the combustion engine, allowing drivers to continue driving for hundreds of kilometres, if needed.
The car is plugged in at night, recharging the battery, which takes about five to eight hours. Basing their calculations on 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, Chevy has determined the cost to drive the car solely on battery power to be about 50 to 80 cents per day.
Just prior to the Olympics, Chevrolet brought the car up to Vancouver for a peek, and I was one of a fortunate few who got to take it for a test drive. Overall, the look and feel of the car, inside and out, is similar to a Toyota Prius, albeit a little flatter. The result is that the back window has very little angle to it and I found looking through the rear-view mirror to get a read on what was behind me to be rather difficult. The Volt has a feature that compensates for this with a rear camera that gives an in-dash view of everything that’s going on. I wouldn’t want to rely on it while I’m driving, though.
The engine started up with the push of a button that made as much noise as turning on a light switch. A moment later, a little giddy and nervous, I was off for a tour of Stanley Park.
What impressed me most about the car was the power, which was totally unexpected. I could have been driving a six-cylindre, given the torque produced by the engine, which, in the MPV5 version, can go up to speeds of 100 kilometres per hour. And, when hitting inclines, a button on the dash can be pressed to activate the Volt’s “sport mode,” giving it an extra boost.
Aside from the rear-view component, I was really impressed with the vehicle and definitely thrilled to know I was the first person to drive the Volt in Canada in rainy conditions. Where else, but in Vancouver?
As the Volt is in production mode, the Chevy representatives said there is no estimated sales price yet. Look for it when the Volt goes on sale in Canada in 2011.
Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, painter and photographer, who often likes to get behind the wheel of the latest car.
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