The Chevy Volt is finally coming together. GM just went public with the details surrounding its battery warranty and it’s on the same level as the Prius’s. The auto maker will cover the Volt’s LG Chem lithium-manganese pack for eight years or 100,000 miles. This comes after extensive testing over a three-year period in which testers logged over 1 million miles of driving and 4 million hours on the battery packs. Needless to say that GM tested the entire system thoroughly.
GM-Volt posted some of the Volt’s key features that actually validate a lot of the questions I had during my Volt mule test drive last year.
Thermal Management: the intrinsic thermal management system allows teh pack and car to operate flawlessly from -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 C) and as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit (+50 C). In cold weather the cells are warmed by the generator and in cold weather they are chilled.
Diagnostics: there are more than 500 diagnostic tests on the pack that run 10 times per second. 85 percent ensure the pack is operating safely, 15 percent ensure durability.
Cell design: the LG chemistry ensures high power and long life.
Energy Management: by not fully charging or discharging the battery ensures the longest possible life.
It’s good to see GM backing the Volt’s battery system with a long warranty. Batteries degrade over time and since the Volt’s powertrain is directly powered from the battery unlike in a traditional hybrid where they simply assist, owners should not have to worry about their life for a while.
Techtyphooon
