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2019 Chevy Volt Finally Gets 7.2 kW Charger, -13 Degrees F Engine Activation
3 H BY ERIC LOVEDAY 37
It’s been asked for since the Chevy Volt first debuted way back in 2010 and for 2019…it’s here.
Say hello to the 7.2 kW onboard charger in the 2019 Chevrolet Volt. Unfortunately, it’s not standard across the range:
With the new 7.2 kW system, a complete recharge can be achieved in as little as 2.3 hours with a 240-volt outlet and supporting hardware. The new system is standard on the 2019 Volt Premier model and available on the LT trim. A 3.6 kW charger is standard on the Volt LT.
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2019 Chevrolet Volt
Though this is certainly the most significant change / upgrade for 2019, other notable alterations have been made too, including this:
In addition to the new charging system, the 2019 Volt offers a number of enhancements designed to improve convenience and help owners get more out of their all-electric driving experience.
For those in colder climates who want to use as little gas as possible, the 2019 Volt allows activation of the automatic engine-assisted heating system to be deferred until much lower temperatures — minus 13 degrees F / minus 25 degrees C — for more all-electric operation.
The 2019 Volt also features new Low and Regen on Demand profiles that enable increased regenerative braking capability when drivers let off the accelerator pedal. The feature helps the vehicle achieve its class-leading EV range, and the updates come with an improved driving feel with smoother operation when slowing.
As well as a rather lengthy bullet list of slighter changes:
- GM’s continuing evolution of the pedestrian alert system, first deployed in 2011, now using front and rear speakers to provide audible alerts when operating at slow speeds.
- A new digital rearview camera replaces the previous analog system.
- New driver-switchable Adaptive Cruise Control allows the choice of conventional cruise control or adaptive cruise control.
- New tire fill alert sounds a horn when full tire pressure is achieved.
- New, decorative seating patterns are offered on cloth seats.
- New Power Convenience Package available on LT adds a power driver seat in addition to all content offered on the Comfort Package.
- Wireless charging pad for compatible phones is relocated ahead of the shifter for easier use (available with navigation radio).
- New Pacific Blue Metallic exterior color is available.
- New Jet Black/Porcelain Blue interior is offered on Premier.
- Available dealer-installed blackout package includes sport pedals, black front/rear bowtie emblems and 17-inch machined-aluminum wheels with black-painted pockets.
More info in the press blast below:
2019 CHEVROLET VOLT CHARGES QUICKER, IMPROVES CONVENIENCE
DETROIT — A new 7.2 kW charging system on the 2019 Chevrolet Volt cuts recharging times nearly in half by adding about twice the all-electric driving range per hour of charge.
The new system headlines a number of additional enhancements for the 2019 Volt and increases the vehicle’s all-electric utility for owners who take advantage of “opportunity charging,” or plugging in around town to top off the battery charge.
“With about twice the range added during 240V Level 2 charging sessions, the 2019 Volt’s 7.2 kW system makes opportunity charging more worthwhile,” said Jesse Ortega, chief engineer, Chevrolet Electric Vehicles. “It effectively extends the vehicle’s all-electric driving range, while providing about twice the range for the money when plugging in at public facilities that charge by the hour.”
With the new 7.2 kW system, a complete recharge can be achieved in as little as 2.3 hours with a 240-volt outlet and supporting hardware. The new system is standard on the 2019 Volt Premier model and available on the LT trim. A 3.6 kW charger is standard on the Volt LT.
The new charging system complements the Volt’s extended-range electric propulsion system, which with a full tank of gas and a full charge offers an EPA-estimated 53 miles of pure EV range and 106 MPGe, or gasoline equivalent. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered generator kicks in to extend the driving range to a total of 420 miles (675 km) on a full tank.
Improved owner experience
In addition to the new charging system, the 2019 Volt offers a number of enhancements designed to improve convenience and help owners get more out of their all-electric driving experience.
For those in colder climates who want to use as little gas as possible, the 2019 Volt allows activation of the automatic engine-assisted heating system to be deferred until much lower temperatures — minus 13 degrees F / minus 25 degrees C — for more all-electric operation.
The 2019 Volt also features new Low and Regen on Demand profiles that enable increased regenerative braking capability when drivers let off the accelerator pedal. The feature helps the vehicle achieve its class-leading EV range, and the updates come with an improved driving feel with smoother operation when slowing.
A new Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system with an 8-inch-diagonal color touchscreen incorporates a new Energy App. The app’s Impacts Screen shows drivers how driving style, route, weather conditions and cabin comfort setting may affect range and conveys the impact more intuitively based on mileage rather than the previous numerical “score.” Drivers will enjoy having more information about their efficiencies and can aim to eke out every EV mile possible.
The 2019 Volt also introduces its first power driver’s seat. The six-way seat is standard on Premier and available on LT models.
Additional changes and updates:
GM’s continuing evolution of the pedestrian alert system, first deployed in 2011, now using front and rear speakers to provide audible alerts when operating at slow speeds.
A new digital rearview camera replaces the previous analog system.
New driver-switchable Adaptive Cruise Control allows the choice of conventional cruise control or adaptive cruise control.
New tire fill alert sounds a horn when full tire pressure is achieved.
New, decorative seating patterns are offered on cloth seats.
New Power Convenience Package available on LT adds a power driver seat in addition to all content offered on the Comfort Package.
Wireless charging pad for compatible phones is relocated ahead of the shifter for easier use (available with navigation radio).
New Pacific Blue Metallic exterior color is available.
New Jet Black/Porcelain Blue interior is offered on Premier.
Available dealer-installed blackout package includes sport pedals, black front/rear bowtie emblems and 17-inch machined-aluminum wheels with black-painted pockets.
“The 2019 Volt’s enhancements give customers more of what they love with the vehicle and make it even more useful as an everyday electric vehicle,” said Ortega. “It’s a more seamless experience than ever.”Availability
The 2019 Chevrolet Volt goes on sale this fall.
FAST FACT: Volt owners have driven more than 2.8 billion EV miles, saving more than 108 million gallons of gas.
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37 Comments on "2019 Chevy Volt Finally Gets 7.2 kW Charger, -13 Degrees F Engine Activation"
What took them so long and where is the CCS DCFC?
Don’t need it when you have thousands of gas stations
Tell that to the Outlander PHEV…
Or the i3 REx
Hey Mitsubishi – putting a CHAdeMO port on your PHEV is silly. It adds unnecessary stress to the battery, and will only save a fraction of a gallon of gas each time it is used.
“Is that so?” said the 16 kWh iMIEV.
In case you missed it, the iMiEV was a BEV, not a PHEV. Apples and Oranges, my friend.
Batteries are batteries. They have a BMS that can limit the charging current in either case.
The keyword here is “unnecessary”. If the i-MiEV is running low, recharging is necessary to keep moving. If the Outlander PHEV is running low on battery, it can simply burn a little gas. Recharging it would only save a fraction of a gallon each time. It seems penny wise / pound foolish to me to not just use your PHEV as a PHEV at that point.
People who drive these cars find DCFC “convenient”, if not “necessary” and use it a lot.
Well if it gets more demand on the QC infrastructure which in turn causes more build out, then I am all for it. As long as the resulting build out includes both CHAdeMO and CCS.
Do you really want to be in your Bolt EV or i3 BEV and be waiting an hour for an outlander to gain 20 miles range?
Although it would be nice for 0-80% charging, that is only like 40 miles, I would rather they didn’t. Do you really want to wait in line for an hour or more for a Volt to get to 100% at CCS before you can charge a BEV? The 7.2 will take it to 100% in probably 2.5 hours including cell balancing.
0 point in the Volt getting CCS.
If it had a 100 mile EV range or so, then it starts to make sense. But for 53 miles? Waste of money.
Nice! A lot of these changes will not be appreciated much by the casual EV shopper, but for Volt fans they are certainly pretty sweet (especially the 7.2 kW charging, lower ERDTT temp, and power seat!).
Where I live with my first gen, ERDTT was annoying. With -13F, it would never go on for me. Nice.
Exactly, might get it 1 or 2 days a year. My Gen 1 was 25 F, which is like 90+ days a year with the engine starting. Moving it to 15 F cut it back to like 30 days a year for later Gen 1 and Gen 2.
Eight years for 7.2 kW charging system (and not even standard like my EV was back in 2014) and power seats !
And people ask why GM takes long ???
Yeah. Perhaps another question is why they finally did it.
Yes, especially since the Volt is apparently not going to survive much longer anyway.
Answers:
1) To further differentiate the volt as the best phev overall/value offered in the states.
2) To better fight the popular Prius prime and other phevs here n coming.
3) To better fight the much better and coming bev competition.
4) To better streamline costs as the bolt uses the same size on board charger…I think.
5) To continue the history of improving the volt during the middle cycle years as GM did with improving range with the first gen volt.
Will the volt have better range though?
Any word on more KWH as well? a 200 mile battery plus range extender is a killer combo.
A 200-mile battery won’t need a range extender, it would need a DCFC capability.
A waste of both resources.
Good list of improvements! I think it’s a mistake though to not include the 7.2 kw charger as standard. That old slow charger should not be in ANY 2019 car!
It adds a lot of cost and most don’t really need it on an EREV like the Volt. It is smart to have it a pay for option to help with otherwise discounted Volt sales.
The new features are great. I hope we see the new GM EV soon, supposed to be out by year end.
I wonder if it really does add much cost going from 3.6 to 7.2. Yes it probably requires some modifications, but isnthe marginal cost increase to Chevy really that much? I would be surprised if the actual difference in manufacturing cost is more than 15-25$. I sure bet the Chevy will charge buyers much more and they makes a ton of money on this option.
I do agree that the changes they made address just about everything that I didn’t like about my 2016. Nice improvements in the basic car.
-No fix for rear seat headroom.
-Is that horrible “burgundy” interior still an option?
-Cheap rear suspension, as if Chevy engineers don’t know independent suspensions.
It still needs improvement.
You can’t fix rear seat headroom without redesigning the car altogether.
Power driver seat! FINALLY!
7.2kW charging option is good too! 🙂
So the ’19 Volt finally gets some decent updates, 3 years after the ’16 came out.
That probably means we can expect some updates come to the Bolt next year as a 2020 model, since it debuted as a ’17.
Fourth year of vehicle gen for improvements is the norm for non-Tesla automakers.
GM really needs to increase the quick charge capability to at least 150kwh for all 2020 bolts and of course make quick charging capability a standard feature. Make aeb standard as well.
Perhaps range will be increased a bit to above 250 miles too
Nice:
“New driver-switchable Adaptive Cruise Control allows the choice of conventional cruise control or adaptive cruise control.”
Many vehicles make this too difficult or disallow completely (like my i3), hope this is easy to enable for those conditions where ACC isn’t working right. Like my i3 it cuts off shortly after sunrise if the sun is hitting the camera. Really annoying, it would be nice to have regular cruise for those times.
The elephant in the room is the Honda Clarity PHEV. Competition works.
Very disappointing. I was hoping for a big boost in battery capacity, instead there is none. Guess I’ll stick with my 2017 for a few more years.
I see the feature set appealing to Gen 1 holdouts. I would expect no battery increases for the Volt, ever. If anything PHEVs will go to less EV range and BEVs will have the larger batteries to make up for not having gas.
What is the cost differential between a 3.6 kW and a 7.2 kW charger? You would think that it would b cheaper just to put the 7.2 in all of them and buy in bulk.