Comment by cyberax

I had a 2012 Chevy Volt. It was indeed a delightful car!

But I believe that the series mode was a mistake. The later versions of Volts removed it entirely, improving the fuel economy.

> It was way too complicated and expensive the two times they tried it (2008, then the Volt). It was successful and lives on to this day in its original application: city buses.

I don't think that it was too complicated. Hybrids are using essentially the same system, except that they have a smaller battery and less powerful electric motors.