Chevy, as well as many other auto manufacturers, have been making a big push into the EV market in the United States. While Tesla is considered the innovator and the best when it comes to EV performance, many other companies are also making great strides and offer their vehicles at more affordable prices.
The Chevy Volt is a PEV, known as a plug-in electric hybrid, and has proven to be the most popular and best-selling one in the United States.
The Big Milestone
In the beginning of August, General Motors announced that the Chevrolet Volt has sold 100,000 units of its vehicle. This makes it the clear leader in plug-in vehicles, even surpassing the high-selling Nissan Leaf, and has made it a mainstream plug-in vehicle in the United States.
First emerging towards the end of 2010, the Chevrolet Volt was one of the first of its kind to be released in the mainstream market. It operates by first using battery power and then, once the battery power is used up to a certain point, switching to a low-use gas engine. This makes it a plug-in hybrid, rather than an all-electric vehicle.
What Has Led to Its Popularity.
Besides having first-mover advantage, the Chevrolet Volt has gained popularity especially since the second-generation model was released towards the end of 2015. The new Chevrolet Volt uses better battery technology in which they are more energy-efficient and thus, require less batteries. This the has translated to improved EV performance since the Volt now is able to operate strictly on battery power for a range of 53 miles. The previous model only had a range of 38 miles. When used in conjunction with gas, it can travel 420 miles in between charges.