Why Can't Other Plug-In Hybrids Copy Chevy Volt's All-Electric Running?

It is just the hobbling of it to satisfy CARB regulators as put a real damper on the hybrid side of it.

 

Cadillac Will Discontinue the ELR

 

GM stated the ELR was going to be a limited production when they released it.

 

Similar to the Volt.

The i3-rex ONLY operates as a series hybrid once the battery pack gets low and the 36 HP engine starts up.
It WILL maintain 80 MPH 'out here on the prairie' with that little engine.
I had one for a "3 day weekend Test Drive". Fun car !!
But what is it rated? 80 miles EV - 80 miles Gas burning series hybrid. You wouldn't want to cross the Rockies with one.

The Volt will engage the 3rd clutch when out on the highway and be a parallel hybrid, like a Prius. Only it's a 38 mpg highway rated hybrid.
You CAN cross the Rockies in a Volt and pass Prii in the slow lane as they gasp in the high altitude air. The Volt still has 150 HP at altitude !

 

So . . . . if I ever cross the Rockies (other than in a jet), I'll know which one to get.

 

BMW crippled the US version to conform to CARB BEVx standard. To do this they had to have gas distance no longer than battery, which the epa gave 71 miles. They even delayed it make the gas tank smaller. The European version has a bigger gas tank and a button to allow the driver to go into gasoline mode. For crossing the rockies you probably would want a 7 gallon gas tank, and to use that button so that you can accelerate at full speed up those hills (it has much better acceleration than the prius in EV mode).

But this is the original simple volt design. 4 seats, EV with a gasoline engine and generator to drive it when the battery goes dead. BMW didn't have a small cheap 3 cylinder available when they launched so grabbed one of their motorcycle engines. The gasoline option doesn't really hurt the bev version, it just needs a little room for the engine, gas tank, and pollution control. Its bmw I bet it only costs them half of the $4000 they charge to add the rex.

The gen II volt departed from the original idea. This probably reduces motor costs as smaller mgb (mg2 in hsd speak) is needed in the new voltec system, as mgb and mga can combine to power it in ev mode. It is a much more complicated design than the i3+rex, you have the full complexity of the prius hybrid system - two universal gears, 2 motors, 1 ice that must be mixed, aggressive cooled egr plus 3 clutches not needed in the prius. The 3 clutches make the software a little simpler than toyota needs to write, but it is much more complicated than the i3-rex software.

Versus the serial design of the i3-rex if it wasn't crippled to get carb zev credits (worse car for customer to get government credits).

Rex advantages
Simpler software
Simpler hardware - 3 fewer clutches, no need to connect the motor and generator mechanically to drive, no egr cooler
Modular hardware - rex can be replaced easily as long as new one fits in the space.
Less R&D and labor cost

Voltec advantages
Smaller less expensive traction motor needed (mgb or mg2)
For charge sustain modes
Better city fuel economy (CS1 configuration is mainly used in the city cycle is similar to prius hsd) as the engine has lower transmission losses here, then the electrical losses in the rex
Better highway feel and economy (CS2 configuration is like the accord's hybrid mode. It gives a fixed gear between the engine and wheels, with mgb able to add power for acceleration or take it away and charge the battery. ) Here there is connected top gear type feel with electrical assist when better acceleration is needed, instead of a down shift in a typical automatic, or a whine in a cvt.
Better high speed performance in CS3

But lets be honest here, if gm did their homework right, 97% or more trips will be EV mode only, and the rex design is better here. On the remaining trips if you get a hold button like the volt and bmw europe gets we will be highway mode. In the US we really aren't going to need high speed if we are in a EVER PHEV. So in the volt drivers will mainly be in CS2 mode, versus serial mode in the bmw rex. That should add about 12% extra losses. The accord hybrid is closest to this mode and gets 45 mpg highway. The current i3-rex gets 37 mpg highway on premium, but put a more efficient engine in there you get to around 40 mpg on regular. BMW works with toyota, and they have a better engine that would work great in the i3-rex.
Toyota's astonishing new Atkinson Cycle engine delivers 78 mpg

If all things are equal and the ice runs for about 30% of the miles on 3% of the trips then a voltec setup would save you about 14 gallons of gasoline on a 15,000 mile year. There isn't really much fuel savings for this added efficiency. Still the voltec system would probably work better in a larger vehicle that had less aer miles, and we see that chevy is using it in hybrid not even phev mode.

The bigger differences are the vehicles look completely different, the i3 is made from carbon fiber and this adds a great deal to the cost of the vehicle, but also decrease weight bringing in better range, accelearation, and electrical efficiency. The bicycle type tires also probably give great efficiency in city driving, but worse handling on badly maintained streets. The volt is more aerodynamic which helps highway mileage.

 

I don't want to be a spoiler for our regular sales update, but according to the chart the i3 outsells the Volt - month after month - even though the BMW is more expensive. I suppose the only redeeming / saving grace for the Volt is, not all of those bmw sales consist of the pure ev or the hybrid version.
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The Volt sales are suffering from people waiting for the next generation. The i3 is new. In 2014, the i3 sales didn't get close to the Volts.

 

You can't really take a vacation in the i3, especially if there are mountains involved.
You could,, but it would almost be like driving an EV with a 'fast charge'-like 1.9 gal. of gas refuel ~ every 80 miles.
An i3 and a Volt don't really compare as EREV. I guess technically 80 miles of gas burning would be considered Extended Range.

I would love to own an i3 over a Leaf as a daily around town commuter. It's a fast fun car! But I can only afford one fast fun car.

 

March 2015 Plug-In Electric Vehicle Sales Report Card | Inside EVs

Bottom line is people are waiting for the improved gen II volt, and Gm seems to want them to wait. The Gen II volt looks to be both a better ev and a better hybrid. It won't be as good of an ev as the i3, since its heavier and less efficient with a smaller battery. To get these things the i3 added carbon fiber which for the time being adds cost. The gen II volt looks like it will be a better hybrid than the gen I, being lighter with a more power full and efficient engine as well as allowing parrellel serial hybrid modes at all speeds. In the US I expect the gen II volt to greatly outsell the i3, in europe though the i3 won't even have the volt as competition.

 

I would only consider an i3 REX if I could at least reactivate the driver control of the ICE.

 

Apparently, this is possible (by enabling some configuration options in the computer, sounds similar to Toyota's Techstream). I also read that the gas tank is 2.4 gallons (not the reported 1.9 gallons). It seems as though the gas gauge is programmed to "ignore" the last 0.5 gallons so it will show empty sooner (but this too can be enabled in configuration).

 

I figured it would be just enabling soft thing in the software. At worst, you would need someone with the ability for retuning a car's computer.

Wayne Gerdes got 33 gallons of gas into a F150 with a 23 gallon rated tank. It required using a jack. The manufacturer can reduce the amount a tank holds by installing the vent line lower down on the side.

 

there may well be the possibility of "waiting for Volt Rev II" going on ... but .... 2013/2014 i3 vs Volt sales are skewed. i3 sales didn't even begin until the 2nd quarter of year 2013. You gotta account for availability. Production is finally ramping up.
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why can't other phev's have pip's spacious interior?

 

Better rephrase your question. The Mitsu Outlander plugin's volume / sq footage blows the Pip away. And some of 'em are AWD iirc ... and they're rated for towing too.

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are they phevs? should i use that nutter voelkers term, plug in hybrid?

 

wait, you edited that!

 

Sorry, I was typing faster than I was thinking

 

that's my sop.