Issue link: http://pfmmag.epubxp.com/i/113376
FOCUS Chevy Volt I The Chevy Volt...And Its Role In Policing p q The Volt is a Compact sedan. The front seat room is OK for two adults. The rear seat room and the trunk volume are both defnitely small, but this is seldom an issue for most admin uses of the Volt. If the Volt is pushed into uniform patrol service, both these shortcomings must be sorted out. (Photo courtesy General Motors) tank in a sedan that gets 16 mpg. However, the total fuel situation aboard the Volt is not as obvious as looking at your old gas gauge. With information overload from the Driver Information Center, once you deplete the battery, start looking for a gas station. What if you run the battery down to the preset minimum level, so the Volt switches to the gas engine���and you run out of gas? Te Volt propulsion battery has a reserve amount of electric power. Te acceleration will be reduced, but the Volt will move for three to four miles. Just the opposite. What if you never run the battery to the minimum and never actually use any gasoline? Te Volt uses an internal Fuel Maintenance Mode, which activates the gas engine to burn at least a little gas. Tis automatically kicks in if you have been in electric mode (only) so long, there is a risk of the gasoline growing state, or the alcohol separating from the gasoline on E10 pump gas. So the Volt uses the gas in the tank before it grows stale, even if the Volt is only ever operated in Normal (Electric Mode). Low-Gear Regenerative Braking Te Volt uses regenerative braking each time the vehicle gradually slows down. Almost undetectable by the driver, regenerative braking in Drive (D) charges the main battery pack. Te Volt can also be driven with the shift lever in Low (L) position. Te use of Low produces much more aggressive regenerative braking than in Drive. Consider using Low in heavy stop-and-go trafc and when traveling or coasting downhill. q The Volt is nimble at low speeds and responsive at high speeds. It reaches 60 mph in 10 seconds, cruises easily at 75 mph, and has a top speed of 100 mph. It handles like a sports car. Unlike all-electric cars, the Volt has a driving range of over 350 miles. (Photo courtesy General Motors) Te use of Low involves such aggressive regenerative braking that almost no use of the brakes is required. And the Volt can be driven in Low instead of Drive indefnitely. Of course, that assumes the driver and passenger can put up with the very aggressive regenerative braking. Te use of Low in suburban, urban or heavily urban trafc produces a lot of battery charging. In fact, Low produced so much electric power from regenerative braking that we drove 39 miles in Normal mode (batteryonly) when the propulsion battery gauge and electric range estimated displayed an initial reading of 31 miles. Tat extra eight miles of battery-only driving came from the battery being recharged by regenerative braking. Noise-VibrationHarshness: Not! Te Voltec electric drive system consists of two electric motors, three clutches, and a planetary gear set made up of a planetary sun gear, planetary ring gear and planetary carrier. With all these clutch engagements and disengagements and all the gear set locking and locking, you will never notice it. Te en- 22 Police Fleet Manager Jan-Feb 2013