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GM learning from current Chevy Volt owners as it works on next-gen model

Details of the second-generation Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in hybrid are coming in at a trickle, and the latest is that the 2016 model-year Volt will be improved in all meaningful areas, including performance and all-electric range, says General Motors powertrain director Larry Nitz. 60 percent of Volt customers only charge using a standard 110 outlet. Nitz was speaking to Autoline After Hours about the current and future Volt. He said that GM has been tracking Volt driving habits and found that about two-thirds of the Volts' collective miles are driven in electric mode, and that 81 percent of all Volt trips were done in pure EV mode. Additionally, Volt drivers plug the car in 10 times each week, on average. Nitz also said 82 percent of the Volt's commuting miles are coming from the plug instead of the gas tank. Oh, and 60 percent of Volt customers only charge using a standard 110 outlet. Last month, GM released a teaser shot of the 2016 Volt (above) and said the car would make its worldwide debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show next January. Earlier this year, the Volt was reported to be getting a new chassis for the upcoming version. The Volt could use a bit of new life. Through August, Volt sales were down 12 percent from a year earlier to 13,146 units, and sales plunged 25 percent alone. That compares unfavorably to the Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle, whose 2014 sales have jumped 34 percent to almost 19,000 units. You can see Nitz dish the goods in the video below (Volt comments start at around minute 15). You will also notice AutoblogGreen contributor Gary Witzenburg talk about his history with the EV1 and share his take on the Volt. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

2016 Chevy Volt arrives with 50-mile EV range, 41 mpg [w/ video]

Let's start with the numbers. The 2016 Chevy Volt will have an all-electric range of 50 miles from a new, 18.4-kWh lithium battery. It will get 41 miles per gallon (combined) once the battery runs dry and have 102 MPGe. Oh, and it has five seats, sort of. To compare, today's four-seat 2015 Volt has a 38-mile range from a 17.1-kWh battery in a powertrain that offers 37 mpg and 98 MPGe. So, across the board, there are notable improvements. Now that that's out of the way, let's talk story. General Motors will unveil the new Volt at the Detroit Auto Show later today, but it's been talking about how this new version – the first major plug-in hybrid vehicle to get a serious redo in the modern era – was crafted with reams and reams of data from first-gen Volt customers. At a preview event for journalists last week, GM executive chief engineer Pam Fletcher told Autoblog that these owners "gave us the recipe" to make the second-gen model. At the top of the request list was more range (check), more "fun-to-drive" behavior (check?) and a smoother and quieter experience (we'll assume a check here, given that the new 1.5-liter four-cylinder – the first North American application of this new engine family – should offer more power with less noise than the previous 1.4-liter, four-cylinder powerplant). Other customer-driven changes in the new Volt include a different place to store the charging cable (in the side of the trunk instead of under the load floor) and a new brake system with improved blended regenerative braking feel as well as driver-selectable regen levels. The requested 50-mile range comes from a new, lighter battery that has increased capacity from fewer cells (192 vs. 288) and a simplified control architecture. Along with the new battery, the electric drive unit is a two-motor deal that is up to 12 percent more efficient and 100 pounds lighter, while also being "tremendously smaller," notes Fletcher. It offers 294 pound-feet of torque and a maximum 149 horsepower of "motoring power" delivered to the wheels. GM says it has worked hard to reduced the amount of rare earth materials in these motors, and one of them doesn't use any at all. The new powertrain offers improved acceleration times, as well. The 2016 Volt can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 8.4 seconds, a seven-percent improvement, while the 0-30 mph time has been improved by 19 percent, down to 2.6 seconds. The new Volt is more conventional looking, but certainly not completely ordinary.

Ford also working on 200-mile EV to compete with Bolt, Model 3

The Chevrolet Bolt is on a lot of people's radars. You may have even noticed friends and colleagues who harbor very little interest in the automotive world, or anything labeled as "green," who have taken notice of a 200-mile electric vehicle coming out of Detroit. Mass appeal is the idea, after all. You can include Ford in the list of interested parties, in this case with the intention of taking direct aim at the Bolt – and, by proxy, the Tesla Model 3 – with an affordable, long-range EV of its own. Ford will unveil its own long-range EV, positioned to compete with Chevrolet, later this year, according to Automobile. Details are very scarce about Ford's plans, but we do know that the Bolt (or whatever the Chevy all-electric hatchback will end up being called) is expected to offer over 200 miles of driving between charges, with a sticker price around $30,000. The other major player, of course, is Tesla's smaller, more affordable sibling to the Model S. The Model 3, also slated to go on sale in 2017, should cost less than $40,000. While Tesla has established itself in the EV world, another long-range EV out of Detroit would win some customers from the California-based startup. For now, though, we'll just have to wait, as Ford remains tight-lipped about its plans for the car. Automobile predicts a possible unveiling at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, what with California's EV mandate being a driver of strategy for various automakers. Most can agree, though, that a larger field of options – while not ideal for backers of the Bolt or Model 3 – will only benefit the car-buying public. Related Video: Featured Gallery Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept: Detroit 2015 Related Gallery Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept News Source: AutomobileImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green Rumormill Chevrolet Ford Tesla Electric Future Vehicles Chevy Bolt ford ev