2016 Chevrolet Volt: Major Upgrades Lined Up Over Last-Gen Variant, Price Unveiled, And More

The 2016 Chevrolet Volt is expected to arrive this December and this vehicle is likely to give some stiff competition to the Tesla Model S. The second-generation Chevrolet Volt received praises from the experts and the customers for the massive improvements that the company had implemented.

Chevrolet refined the vehicle on the general note, which helps the Volt stand out in a crowd. The 2016 Volt features a 1.5-lityer direct fuel injected engine block as a backup over the primary electric motor. The Volt also features a gas-powered generator in case the battery runs out of juice.

Hence, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt will not leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere, in case you plan on taking a hybrid for a spin outside the city limits! The Volt draws power from two electric motors working consecutively to produce maximum power and efficiency.

Chevrolet claims that the upcoming vehicle is silent, refined, yet powerful and agile. The vehicle boasts of a combined power delivery of 101 BHP, which is boosted to 149 BHP using the two electric motors.

Chevrolet claims that the lower RPM levels of the direct-injection engine, combined with higher compression ratio plays an important role in reducing the overall engine noise. Chevrolet has also improved the recharging capability of the Volt, which can now recharge itself from 0 to 100% in 4.5 hours from a 450-volt charging point.

The average range of the upcoming Volt is close to 53 miles and once you are out of electric power, the 1.5-liter petrol engine kicks in. Both the engines combined, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt has a combined range of 420 miles on full charge and a full tank of gas.

Chevrolet claims that the Volt can accelerate from 0 – 60 MPH within 8.4 seconds and sports a top speed of 98 MPH (restricted). The vehicle sports a base price tag of $33,995 and borrows quite a few features from other Chevrolet sedans while boasting a few sportier additions.

Chevrolet has redesigned the vehicle from the ground up and it looks sportier and more aggressive than ever. The 2016 Volt has the best-in-class range. The closest rivals to the Volt, the Audi A3 Sportback e-Tron and the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid have a total driving range of 17 miles and 35 miles respectively.

The silent driving needs some getting used to, although, the vehicle feels pretty normal on most counts. Chevrolet has infused instant torque and linear power delivery, which makes the driving experience quite pleasing.

The 2016 Chevrolet Volt can be used as a cruiser and people using the last-gen model are waiting in line to get their hands on the upcoming version. Chevrolet has packed in an 18.4kWh li-ion battery in the Volt, located towards the center of the vehicle, much like where the drivetrain humps in conventional petrol engines lie.

The new battery pack saves 30 percent more power and has 20 percent more storage capacity than its predecessors. Even though the battery pack is heavy, Chevrolet, in a smart move, has used all that additional weight to lower the center of gravity of the vehicle.

As a result, the 2016 Chevrolet Volt feels more grounded, comfortable and well balanced than before. The car feels nimble around the corners and even though the battery power drains out incredibly fast when pushed around, it feels awesome!

Battery-powered cars have evolved over the years and Chevrolet has played a game-changing role in that dimension. The Volt also has a readymade customer base lined up outside the showroom. People who wanted to go eco-friendly but could never dream of being seen driving a Toyota Prius or Nissan Leaf.