considering trading my PiP for a Volt

Nice report CSS....out of curiosity does Michigan have incentives for Volt being GM home state?

 

Absolutely none.

I work about a mile from the GM CVO (Company Vehicle Operations) facility though and I can see ELRs, Spark EVs and Amperas plugged into a big solar charging canopy.

 

12 amp vs. 8 amp option. Think your set at 8 amp. Seems to be set from the info/nav screen.
Charging on 2013 12-amp vs. 8-amp option [Archive] - GM-Volt: Chevy Volt Forum

 

Does the PiP have a 6.6 kW onboard charger?
Can you verify the amperage draw?

I know many Volt owners that would like the faster 6.6kW charger. I didn't think the PiP had it, however if it does that would explain it.

 

Don't be a stranger. Pay us a visit from time-to-time.

 

Cograts, seems to be a lot of that going around.

 

Congrats on the Volt, I hope it works well for you.

The PiP and Volt charge at the same 12A rate at 120v. In terms of miles per 10 minutes, the PiP might appear to charge faster if you had been driving it more efficiently. Also, the PiP may have more efficient charging (less overhead) when charging at 120v. This is especially true if the battery is hot. The PiP may run some fans to cool the battery but the Volt will run pumps and a radiator fan to run coolant through the battery and may even run the A/C compressor, if needed. This will preserve battery life but may take a little more energy.

When charging at "240v", the Volt charges at a faster absolute rate. The actual rate varies with the voltage. Residential and small buildings are usually 240v but large garages and commercial buildings are often 208v. If a Volt is charging at 3 kW at 208v then a PiP would be charging at 2.2 kW.

Also, both cars will slow down their charging rate as the battery approaches a full charge so make sure to compare them when their rates have stabilized a minute or two after they begin charging on an empty battery. The PiP will suddenly drop to a slower charging rate as it nears full but the Volt will slowly reduce its rate during the last few minutes of charging.

My 2011 Volt tends to add about 13-14 miles for every hour of charging at 240v and completes a full charge in about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

 

Congrats fourty... I'm sure you love the close to 50 mi EV range of the Volt and you got one heck of a great deal with the MA rebate and Fed tax credit!

Sorry I wasn't around to answer the charging question, at any rate- I charge at home from 240v L2 which is 3.3kW (measured at 13.75 amps at the plug compared to the PIP's 9.6amp draw at 240v) so I get about 10 EV mi/hour recharge at 240v.... same rate as the Chargepoint Station at work. The Volt is limited to 3.3kW charge rate at 240v so it still takes 4hrs to get your full recharge.

FWIW- here's the Volt forum to get involved with:
GM-Volt: Chevy Volt Forum
Overall it's a pretty good bunch, like here and every forum they've got a few um... characters... but 99% of the ppl over there are helpful.
You'll recognize a few of the PC regulars there (including myself) posting almost daily, so make an account and start posting!

Again... congrats!

Rob

 

Once you restart on the next outting- the Volt will default back to 8amp rate.
GM was very concerned about overheating less than optimal outlets in older homes and made the Volt default to 8amp rate for 2014 models.

That will be irrelevant once you install a L@ 240v charger at home anyway- L2 for the Volt defaults to 3.3kW rate.

 

There's your problem right there. Your 14.5 miles on the PiP is about 1/3 over the EPA estimate while your 36 miles on the Volt is slightly under the EPA estimate. If I were driving your 2014 Volt a full charge would give me about 50 miles, not 36.

I think you have new car syndrome. You are lead-footing it a bit and trying the capabilities of the car. Also, the tires may need a little air and new tires take at least a few hundred miles to break-in and get lower rolling resistance.

Make sure you aren't using more climate controls than you need. Use "fan only" or Eco mode unless you really need more. Go into the center console config screen and turn off the "auto defog" option which tends to be too aggressive and energy wasting.

Because the Volt is heavier it is more sensitive to braking style for regen efficiency. Try using 'L' in city or stop and go driving instead of 'D' on the shifter. This will help you do mostly single-pedal driving and then stronger regen will help you avoid unnecessary friction braking.

Have fun!

 

Agreed!
The Volt's got so much more EV power than the PIP, many former PIP owners, including me... do lead foot the Volt when they first get it.
And why not.. It doesn't really matter, it's all EV anyway- so put it in Sport mode, get your yaya's out- then settle down in Normal mode and get 48-50 EV miles per charge.

Have fun anyway and don't worry about it- everyone gets 38-50EV miles out of the 2014 Volts, as a PiP owner- I guarantee you'll see 47-48EV mles in a week or too.

 

Great move! You did real well!!! Wish I could get some good deals here!
Some one will catch me, it just takes a lot of work and about 6 weeks.

Just because your getting a volt does not mean you can't visit often!
Keep us posted, always good to hear from you! As well as the other Volt People!

 

Okay. Probably the EV range estimate in the car will take a few charges to adjust to your actual driving style similar to the way the PiP estimate works. My long-term average is also around 129 MPGe in EV driving.

The center display will show the actual miles and gas consumption and will reset automatically after a full charge. You can get to that screen by pushing the "leaf" button near the start/stop button.