GM tweaks new Volts to qualify for $1500 CA rebate & HOV lanes

It's odd that this is "new" news. This was known since November 2011 (http://www.green.autoblog.com/2011/...y-volt-ready-for-california-hov-access-extra/).

 

I can think of several reasons that may dissuade HOV wannabees from buying a Volt:

1. A PiP is cheaper to buy, and likely to run since plugging in is not a priority.
2. HOV drivers usually rack up miles, and would not want a lease. They would want to avoid the uncertain (but likely high) depreciation of the car when they go to sell the car when the stickers have elapsed.

 

Prius PHV also qualify for $1,500 CA rebate, HOV lane and $2,500 federal tax credit.

The first shipment has already arrived in California. Deliveries are set for next week.

 

The expiration of the yellow stickers last summer created a temporary glut of used Prii, as people sold them in order to buy white-stickered cars with lower FE. It was worth many thousands to a lot of people to trade yellow for white. For the Volt, it is a selling point that will work, for a few buyers.

 

We've already seen posters here at PC for which the restricted access to a PHV presentes a time delay of 2.5 months compared to a Volt, so they are going Volt.

Time != milage, so some of the HOV access people will still only drive 40-50 miles a day for which a Volt would be more gas efficient (and probably cost less to operate). If they can charge at work, then, using currently available estimates, the Prius PHV will save them gas only if they are doing more than 65mile each way, or 130m RT. If they cannot plug in at all they will more likely to PHV. Cost savings depend on the local power rates which vary greatly in Cali.

If people are buying for HOV, I would expect they may very likely go for a higher milage lease (say 20K/year). They expect the HOV stickers to be going away in 2-3 year so will want the next "HOV" car then.

 

What were the modifications made? Why are these modifications not on Volts sold elsewhere? I assume they reduce emissions further and if so, how and by how much?

 

They added a secondary air injector to improve catalytic converter efficiency on cold starts. I describe it in more detail here
http://priuschat.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1475452&postcount=75

They reduce emissions by by about 2x-3x on the cold start. Makes no difference after about 2min (when the volt was already very clean.. just not good at the start). Unclear if it will be on all car. right now it is clearly an option to order. If you only have 50 or so cold-starts per year (what I expect) because the ice is mostly for longer trips, even the existing Volt is still cleaner than a prius firing up every day.

 

Very is vague subjective non quantitative term.

 

This is how the Volt with modification compares to Prius PHV.

Exhaust Emission



Evaporative Emission



Source

 

lol they all look pretty clean compared to some of the latest European diesels!?!

I dare not even quote the Nox figures for a popular Renault Minivan diesel. Ok I dare, the latest Renault Espace diesel comes in at 0.367g/km for Nox. That's per km not mile! Positively filthy.

 

The irony is that the regular 2012 Toyota Prius makes the New York's Clean Pass Program while the 2012 Chevy Volt does not. Drinnovation is trying to rationalize Volt's emission at only 50 starts per year, but the emission of an "Electric Car" should not be questionable.

https://www.dot.ny.gov/programs/clean-pass

 

Yea, GM really need to make that low emission package available outside California.

Prius PHV qualifies for NY Clean Pass. Prius c should as well. Unfortunately, Prius v mpg wasn't high enough.

 

The volt is more than electric , is an EREV, its emissions are going to be questioned. But the EPA emissions are based on the the ER not the EV part...

I explained why, to some, its just about the formal emissions testing, but how you use it and what really matters. NYDOT is based entirely on the testing, and as far as I can tell its based on the early 2012 model, not the 2012.5 with CARB enhancements.

You can say its rationalizing, but I also said I was looking to get mine upgraded. 50 dirtier starts is still 50 dirtier starts. My argument was that 50 starts a year in a Volt are better than 300 starts a year in most SULEV/"PZEV" certified cars.

 

It'll be good to know the exact amount emission whenever Prius PHV start the gas engine vs. consuming more electricity to provide the same burst of power.

 

On a slightly different tangent, there's talk of some European cities considering a zero emissions zone; taking a congestion charge a step further. If that were to happen, the cars would need to be fully electric or have a reasonable battery range (40km instead of 1km) and be able to hold the battery at charge until it were needed. The Vauxhall/Opel Ampera (European variation of the Chevy Volt) could be made capable and the Volvo PHV prototype is capable of saving its battery until required.
Source: Robert Llewellyn's Fully Charged podcasts.

Also, according to the new JC08 fuel economy standard in Japan, the Prius G Touring in 17" wheels drinks 30.4km/l 3.29l/100km 85.8mpg(UK) 71.8mpg(US) very close to the Prius PHV on 15" wheels value of 30.8km/l 3.25l/100km 86.9mpg(UK) 72.7mpg(US). These figures are so close that they are obviously without using the EV mode. The JC08 test is only 8.1km long, so it could be done purely on EV in the PHV... which wouldn't give a realistic comparison figure either.
Sources
Japanese Motor Vehicles Guidebook 2011-2012 No. 58
JC08

 

...well a few more Prii would do the trick as well

 

lol Oh boy, don't get me started.

One diesel car complying to the latest European emission standards (not a diesel car sold here that complys to US diesel standards - some VW & BMW's for example) emits about 20 times more smog pollution than one Prius or even a petrol car. And with the Prius the engine isn't running when in slow and stationary traffic.

Anyone, or any one in their family who has asthma should drive a petrol car, preferably a hybrid. Otherwise they're part of the pollution problem here.

London stinks. Paris stinks, most European cities stink of diesel fumes and it ain't nice.

 

Strange you expect the average Volt driver to have about 50 cold starts a year while in another thread you wrote you counted 58 cold starts with your Volt since August 2011...and your utility factor (as can be derived from your signature) is much higher than the average Volt driver's.
Just a thought regarding expectations...