VOLT EV HOT IN THE COLD

GM says Chevrolet Volt works fine in frigid weather
Chris Woodyard, January 17, 2011 (USA Today)

"One of the big fears about electric cars was that extremes in temperature, both excessive heat and cold, would bedevil their systems and make them harder to cool or heat, or drain the battery in the process. Not so, says General Motors when it comes to the electric Chevrolet Volt.

"The problem is that electric cars have such efficient powerplants that they don't produce enough waste heat [to warm] the car's occupants…[T]hat huge car battery…can electrically heat the cabin…[but it takes] as much energy to heat the interior of a car on a cold day as it does to drive…"

Charging Volt in the cold (click to enlarge)

"…General Motors says the Volt has several features designed to minimize the drain on the lithium-ion battery while still affording occupant comfort…[D]rivers can use the smart phone app to remotely start the car while it's still plugged in. That way, the car gets warm before it is driven and it takes power from the electric grid, not draining the battery.

"Volt engineers took the car to locales such as Kapuskasing, Ontario, and Fairbanks, Alaska, in order to test and calibrate the climate control system. Of course, Volt has…a backup gas engine, so even if it has poorer performance in cold weather, the gas engine can save the day."