Image: Chevrolet Volt (Source: Chevrolet, CC-BY-NC 3.0 license)

In this unit, we will look at the operation of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt Plug in Hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The key specifications of the PHEV are given in the table below:

The Chevrolet Volt is a series-parallel configuration Plug in Hybrid electric vehicle that has an electric drivetrain using an electric motor of 149 hp (111 kW). 1.4L internal combustion engine (ICE) of 83 hp (62 kW) is used to operate a generator that is used to charge the 16.5 kWh EV battery. An onboard battery charger connected to the grid can also be used to charge the EV battery. Thus, PHEV can be driven fully electric for a daily commute that is less than all electric range of 38 miles. Beyond 38 miles, the engine and generator are used to charge the battery, which in turn powers the motors in the series mode. In the parallel mode, the engine directly powers the wheel. In the series-parallel mode, a combination of the two modes is possible depending on which is most energy efficient. The electric mode has a high much higher efficiency of 98MPGe compared to the hybrid mode energy efficiency of 37MPG.

Image: Block diagram of a plug in series-parallel hybrid electric vehicle such as the Volt