What is the battery capacity (kWh) of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt?

The battery capacity of the 2013 Chevrolet Volt is 16.5 kWh.

The 2013 Volt used a lithium-ion battery pack whose gross capacity was increased from the 16.0-kWh pack fitted to earlier model years. That change raised the energy available for electric driving and helped increase the car’s EPA-rated electric range from about 35 miles to roughly 38 miles, depending on testing and conditions.

The Volt was a plug-in hybrid with an unusual extended-range design. Its battery powered the traction motor for normal electric driving, while a gasoline engine could generate electricity or assist the drive system after the usable charge was depleted. The car therefore combined electric-car operation for daily trips with the refueling flexibility of a gasoline vehicle.

The most important qualification is the difference between gross and usable capacity. Although the pack was rated at 16.5 kWh, the driver could not access all of that energy. Chevrolet’s battery-management system kept reserve capacity to protect the cells, maintain performance, and reduce degradation. Sources may therefore cite a usable figure of about 10.9 kWh, but that is not the battery’s total nominal capacity. The 16.5-kWh answer is the standard specification for the 2013 model.