Wednesday, June 13, 2012

I'm talking about the Chevy Volt....

Chevrolet Volt runs deep...


I'm talking about the Chevrolet Volt. Unlike the Toyota Prius, this is more than just a hybrid because a Chevrolet Volt can be plugged in and offers an EPA-estimated 35 miles of zero emissions driving per full charge with the option and flexibility of a gas engine when you need it. Unlike the Nissan Leaf, the Volt offers 35 miles of gas and zero emissions driving and up to 375 total miles on a full charge with a full tank of gas. It's about more than the Nissan Leaf which offers a range of 73 miles on a full charge without the flexibility of a gas engine. Really?

Recharge side goes here

Refuel side goes here

Sure the Chevrolet Volt can't compete against the likes of the Nissan Leaf because both of them are in a very different league. While the Nissan Leaf is a full-fledged zero emissions electric vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt is a PLUG IN HYBRID vehicle. PHV, right? PHV! A PHV is a different kind of eco car that you can refuel it with petrol or recharge the batteries. This is somewhat more of a multi-tasker. This is designed for long trips and mostly, most eco-conscious drivers want to have one even though this is much more expensive than the Toyota Prius and the Nissan Leaf.

As told, the Chevrolet Volt has an electric drive unit and a 1.4L Internal Combustion engine combined for various purposes. The electric drive unit has a power output of 150HP and the torque output of 273 lb-ft. The Internal Combustion engine has a weaker power output of 80HP and if the electric drive unit's battery is out of charge, this engine will serve as a backup. While an electric charge was its first priority, the gasoline engine equipped on the Volt will serve for emergency purposes only.

When it was launched, the  initial availability starts at California (Los Angeles, San Francisco), Washington D.C., Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Texas. Later on, the Chevrolet Volt is now sold nationwide but sadly, where I came from, I can rarely see a Chevy Volt cruising around the streets of Seattle. In my point of view, it seems that there are most Leaf vehicles roaming around than the Volts.

Here in Forza Motorsport 4, this Chevrolet Volt is...um...let's be honest, it's hopeless. This was made for cruising, not for racing, and that's it.

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