Chevy volt gas only mileage

[rmay635703]

I’m not sure what your saying.

I just use the energy screen which keeps
kWh's / miles and
Gallons / miles
Separate

You have to write them down though and calculate each day

The overall fictional “mpg” on the display IS relavent for comparison on a steady trip where you drive the same distance and use a full battery everyday.

If your trip varies a lot or you are trying new routes you need to keep a mpg book of the energy display

I guess I would need to understand what you are looking for

[Ecky]

When the Volt calculates its fictional MPG, does it use 33.7kw = 1 gallon of gasoline for the electric portion?

EDIT: To my knowledge, the only car which truly operates as a series hybrid most of the time is the 2nd gen Accord Hybrid. It has no gearbox. The engine can drive the gears at a single fixed ratio on the highway, but otherwise it truly operates as a generator only:

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

I’m not sure what your saying.

I just use the energy screen which keeps
kWh's / miles and
Gallons / miles
Separate

You have to write them down though and calculate each day

The overall fictional “mpg” on the display IS relavent for comparison on a steady trip where you drive the same distance and use a full battery everyday.

If your trip varies a lot or you are trying new routes you need to keep a mpg book of the energy display

I guess I would need to understand what you are looking for

What I really want to calculate is the bsfc of the generator, which should be possible since the data coming from the generating motor would be ththe "dyno".

Looking to calculate the efficiency of the generator system. Comparing ev to er gives a relationship, then tying that back to the efficiency of the ev would give actual efficiency. Right? Average, of course.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Ecky

When the Volt calculates its fictional MPG, does it use 33.7kw = 1 gallon of gasoline for the electric portion?

See my attachment and do the math, promise it’s not hard.


Gen 2= yes
Gen 1= no

But honestly there is Volt stats (if you are lazy)

And of coarse the results of each complete charge is on the energy display when you get home.

It’s very simple to take kwhrs per mile and gas miles metrics
And calculate your respective “actual” combined MPGe metric

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

What I really want to calculate is the bsfc of the generator, which should be possible since the data coming from the generating motor would be ththe "dyno".

Looking to calculate the efficiency of the generator system. Comparing ev to er gives a relationship, then tying that back to the efficiency of the ev would give actual efficiency. Right? Average, of course.

Um no,

You would need a scangage or dashdaq like device that could take instantaneous power and fuel flow rate metrics to give you an estimate and since the volt is almost always sending power to the wheels and battery at the same time you would get strange behavior and likely just nonsense

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Um no,

You would need a scangage or dashdaq like device that could take instantaneous power and fuel flow rate metrics to give you an estimate and since the volt is almost always sending power to the wheels and battery at the same time you would get strange behavior and likely just nonsense

As long as it is not directly driving the wheels, all power being generated would show up under mga, right? Doesn't matter if it feeds mgb or the battery.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

As long as it is not directly driving the wheels, all power being generated would show up under mga, right? Doesn't matter if it feeds mgb or the battery.

Looking at the transmission diagrams, this might be possible on the gen1 but not the gen2, since MGA is always connected to the planetary gearset.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Ecky

The Volt has an orbital transmission just like a Prius. The engine is fully capable of driving the wheels directly. The first gen's engine was clutched behind one electric motor but still mechanically drove the wheels. It was clutched so it could be disconnected, but that's not even true of the 2nd gen - it's geared directly.

Thanks, that cleared up my misunderstanding. I had always thought the Gen I was a series only hybrid, but apparently it is a series / parallel hybrid.

[Ecky]

And that's probably a good thing, overall. More drivetrain losses, but it's likely a lesser evil then converting from mechanical to electrical and then back to mechanical energy.

[ocnorb]

Just a comment on Volt gas only mpg. Because I live at high altitude (5000 ft) I decided to try some ethanol free 88 octane gasoline. On longer trips my previous best was 42mpg (gas only).

In November and early December we took the same trip to the in-laws (Thanksgiving and Christmas parties) running the "Clear88 " and it got 46.5mpg each trip. Far and away the best mpg the car has gotten.