At its core, the 2018 Chevrolet Volt remains a plug-in hybrid—but the aces up its sleeve are its 53-mile, EPA-rated range solely on electric power and its gas engine’s ability to take over when needed.
For most drivers who will use their Volts to commute to and from work on weekdays, gas station stops will be few and far between. We’ve rated the Volt’s real-world performance a 6, giving it an extra point for its sublime ride quality.
In practice, it’s not an especially great car to drive, but don’t let its ho-hum feel overshadow its impressive powertrain. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
A T-shaped lithium-ion battery resides between the driver and passenger and under the rear seat. It’s an 18.4-kwh unit supplied by LG Chem. Should the driver deplete the battery, a 1.5-liter inline-4 gas engine under the Volt’s hood quietly kicks on and effectively turns the Volt into a hybrid rated at 42 mpg combined. Its electric powertrain is rated at 149 horsepower and torque stands at a solid 294 pound-feet.
That setup delivers power exclusively to the front wheels; both motors can power them together or one can drive the vehicle while the other is used to recharge the battery. The gas engine can clutch in and out to assist the electric motors if the Volt determines that it’s the most efficient setup at that time. What’s most impressive is how transparently the Volt’s drive system operates; unless you’re looking at its status screen, you’ll probably have no idea how many different situations are going on underneath.
Those power figures don’t necessarily indicate how immediate the 2018 Volt’s acceleration is. It’s not jarring, but it delivers seamless grunt as soon as the accelerator is pressed. With a full load up a mountain grade, the Chevy Volt won’t win a drag race; it runs out of steam rather quickly. But with 0-60 sprints around eight seconds, the Volt is about average for a smaller car with a 4-cylinder gas engine.
We’ve driven Volts hundreds of miles in full hybrid mode; it’s easy to forget that the gas engine is running since it’s so silent and it turns this Chevy into a terrific highway companion thanks to limited wind rush and excellent straight-line stability.
Most owners will make use of a 240-volt Level 2 charging station, which tops off a depleted battery in about 4.5 hours. There’s no DC quick-charging available with the Volt, but that’s probably not a big deal for most owners since the gas engine is there for longer trips. If a 120-volt outlet is the only one available, it’ll take nearly half a day to fill up the Volt’s battery, however.
