2017 Chevy Volt Brings Minor Tech Updates vs 2016 Volt
Originally published on EV Obsession.
We’ve reported several times on the new 2016 Chevy Volt and the impressive all-electric mileage it brings to the table, and noted that there was still a bit of uncertainty out there about the possibility of incremental changes that might be coming with a minor update with the 2017 model year. Lo and behold, details about the incremental changes coming to the 2017 Volt have surfaced and they appear to be in line with the whispers that had been going around.
The first major difference between the 2016 Volt and the 2017 Volt in the US is that the 2017 Volt will be available in all 50 states. The 2016 Volt was only available in select markets — mostly where low- and zero-emission vehicle sales are mandated — so we are thankful to see the 2017 will soon be reaching the full US market.
The 2017 Chevy Volt is expected to have the same body style and look when it arrives next spring, but has a few surprises inside that should excite potential buyers. Notably, the “Premium” package will have optional adaptive cruise control. This tech is super sexy and is rapidly gaining adoption in the mainstream as automakers scramble to throw tech at the rapidly evolving personal vehicle market. Adaptive cruise control is the first pillar of the autopilot tech that Tesla has popularized which lets drivers set a speed and buffer distance… from which the car will automagically speed up or slow down to maintain the ideal distance based on set speed and buffer distance (typically measured in car lengths).
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Rounding out a healthy suite of safety features, complimentary forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, low-speed braking, blind spot warning, and intelligent high beams are all available on the updated 2017 model — for an extra $2,185, that is.
The addition of these options do cost extra but the out-the-door price of the 2017 Volt has actually decreased vs the 2016 — by a meagre $50… but hey, 50 bucks is 50 bucks, right? Other than those minor changes, the 2017 is expected to be the same as the 2016. Perhaps Chevy wanted a bit more time to fine tune a few options, but either way, the new 2017 Volt looks that much more exciting with these new options.
Looking back at sales of the 2016, we can see that the pent up demand for the new model panned out in October with a spike in Volt sales. Up to 1,324 of the Volts were sold in October, and that ramped up to 1,980 in November as availability increased and back orders were filled, with ~1,700 of those Volts being 2016 Volts. We expect the new options in the 2017 and wider availability will kick sales up a few more notches, positioning the 2017 Volt for a great 2016.
Hat tip to Green Car Reports for the details on the 2017 Volt.
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