No Compromises in the Innovative 2016 Chevrolet Volt
October 16, 2015
INNOVATE
Driving is an unique experience that has two very separate, but equally important, feelings:
reliability and freedom. Reliability is the feeling you get on a daily commute knowing your
vehicle won’t let you down and trusting it to get you where you need to go. Freedom is what
you feel on the open road knowing that the only limit is your imagination and trusting that your
car will have the power and performance to handle anything you can throw at it.
These two feelings are abundant in the 2016 Chevrolet Volt, as I found out at a recent test drive
in the beautiful Beauce region just south of Quebec City. A common criticism of electric vehicles
in the past has been the compromise between reliability and freedom. Typical EVs have tried to
walk the line between these two opposing sides while satisfying neither. The 2016 Chevy Volt
laughs at any talk of compromise and gives you a car that provides both the reliability of a
commuter car and the performance to glide effortlessly through the beautiful fall colours of
rural Quebec.
For GM Canada, launching the all-new 2016 Chevy Volt just outside Quebec City was more than
just an opportunity to drive a scenic route through the countryside, it also represented a nod to
the number one market in Canada for electric vehicles. More than 50 per cent of all electric
vehicles in Canada are sold in Quebec, and for the Volt the numbers are closer to 75 per cent. If
the initial reactions are any indication, Quebec, and the rest of Canada, are going to love the
new Volt.
The first thing you notice about the 2016 Chevy Volt is the refined styling. The Volt is sleeker
and more upscale than previous models while still maintaining the iconic Volt look. The LED
headlamps and stylish grill provide the Volt with that quick glimpse into the future that makes it
so unique.
Once inside, the Volt provides all the modern finishes and features you’d expect in a car that
sits on the cutting edge of technology. The centrepiece is an eight-inch touchscreen that
powers most of the Volt’s core entertainment functions. If you have an iPhone, the Volt is one
of the first vehicles to seamlessly integrate Apply CarPlay which features Siri for effortless
hands-free navigation, communications, and entertainment.
However the true test really starts once you hit the road. Driving through the hills of the Beauce
region it regularly slipped my mind that I was driving an electric vehicle. With the car in normal
mode, where the electric motors power the vehicle, the only real indicator that you’re not
driving a traditional car is the fact that it’s so quiet. Even at high speeds the car is practically
silent, which will come in handy on those long drives when you need some time to think.
The biggest tangible difference in the driving experience is accelerating. Unlike a combustion
engine with a traditional multi-gear transmission, an electric vehicle like the Volt has one fixed
drive ratio. This means you don’t feel or hear the high RPMs as you switch gears, nor does the
car experience a jolt as each new gear is reached. The experience of accelerating in a Volt is
more like a rollercoaster—a smooth linear increase in speed that comes almost effortlessly. At
first there is a temptation to think that the quieter, more subtle acceleration also means a lack
of passing power---wrong! The Volt is able to pass at highway speeds with no issues. Once this
confidence barrier was overcome, the Volt felt just as powerful and reliable as any other
vehicle.
Of course no test of an electric vehicle would be complete without discussing range. Range
anxiety, or the feeling that you won’t have enough battery to get where you’re going, is a
common complaint with EVs. The Volt has you covered on two fronts when it comes to
maximizing range. The 2016 Volt can achieve 85 kilometres on a single charge, up from 61 on
the previous model. This is well within the range of the average Canadian commute, and for
added peace of mind, the range extending gas engine will keep you going after the battery
charge depletes.
What really stands out about the all-new 2016 Volt is that it eliminates many of the common
complaints and concerns about electric vehicles. With improved battery range, a gas engine for
longer trips, stylish good looks and a cabin with all the trimmings, the Volt is in many ways the
first EV that truly requires no compromises. As the fall foliage of the Beauce region unfolded
around me, the thought that I was driving an EV slipped away. In the moment, the Volt is just a
great car, one that provides both the reliability and freedom a driver needs to forget about
what they’re driving and just focus on the road.