The Chevrolet Volt began life as a marketing concept: “what if,” GM’s finest minds asked themselves, “we could sell a car that could go 40 miles without burning any gasoline?” That goal was achievable (although how easily and regularly remains to be seen), but it came at a cost: if you check out GM’s just-released standard equipment sheet (click on “standard equipment”), you’ll find that the Volt’s gasoline range extender requires premium fuel. What’s strange about this is that the Volt’s 1.4 liter range extender is hardly an overstressed buzz-bomb, making only 80 hp at the crank and 74 hp at the generator. Why then does it need premium? Considering that the Volt would have struggled to pay off its premium over the Toyota Prius anyway, the decision to require premium fuel makes no sense at all.
More importantly, what happens when owners refuse to use the premium pump? Will the little range extender knock from pre-ignition and run rough? Will the Volt be unable to maintain speeds climbing the Rockies during summer with 87 octane in the tank? Or, as we suppose, will absolutely nothing happen? Does it bother you to be told by an auto manufacturer that expensive premium fuel is needed for a plug-in electric car?
Source: The Truth About Cars
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