Holden Volt

Emergency
Response Guide

9/11/12
1

Course Overview
Duration:
2 hours
Course Content:
Vehicle Introduction
Battery and Electrical Technology
Emergency Operations
Response to the Incident

Course Overview
The intent of this guide is to provide information to help you respond to
emergency situations involving Holden Volt vehicles in the safest manner
possible
This guide contains a general description of how the Holden Volt vehicle
systems operate, identifies the location of the unique badging, and includes
illustrations of the unique components
The guide also describes methods of disabling the high voltage system and
identifying cut zones.

Vehicle Introduction

Holden Volt
The Holden Volt is a front-wheel drive, four-passenger electric vehicle with
extended-range capability
The Volt is propelled exclusively by electric motors
The Volt uses high voltage energy that is stored in the high voltage battery
as its primary power source
Once the battery capacity is reduced, the petrol engine drives a generator
which produces electricity to power the Volt

Volt Badging
The Holden Volt badging is one method of identifying the vehicle
The vehicle's Volt logo is located on the right-front and left-front fenders as
well as the hatch lid
A Charge Port is located on the left hand side of the vehicle below the A
pillar

Volt Identification
Another method to identify a Holden Volt is by the unique Liquid Crystal
Display (LCD) Instrument Panel Cluster and Energy Display.

To be updated

Volt Propulsion
The Volt propulsion system is composed of the following components and
systems:
High Voltage Lithium-Ion battery (360V)
Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) low voltage battery (12V)
Power Inverter Module (PIM)
Accessory Power Module (APM)
High Voltage Battery Charger
1.4 Litre Engine
4ET50 transmission

Petrol Engine and Transmission

The 4ET50 transmission is a fully
automatic, front-wheel drive transaxle,
variable-speed, electronic controlled
transmission.
The transmission contains two electric
motor / generators that are utilised to:
Propel the vehicle
Generate / recapture energy
Start the internal combustion
engine
The Volt uses an internal combustion
1.4L engine.
The engine does not directly propel the
vehicle, but operates only to spin the
drive motor / generator.

System Operation
The Holden Volt is an Extended Range Electric Vehicle (EREV) that uses
an electric propulsion system to drive the vehicle
Stored electrical energy is used in electric mode to propel the vehicle
The vehicle operates up to 87 km until the battery has reached a low state
of charge
Once the stored electrical energy is reduced, the vehicle automatically
enters extended-range mode
The petrol engine drives the generator which produces electricity for
vehicle propulsion

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Battery and Electrical Technology

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High and Low Voltage Systems

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There are two separate electrical systems, low voltage and high voltage
The low voltage system is similar to a conventional vehicle
The high voltage electrical system distributes 360 Volts Direct Current
(DC) between the high voltage components, and 3-phase Alternating
Current (AC) to the transmission.
The high voltage cables are orange in colour to easily identify the
potential existence of high voltage
High voltage cables that are routed through non-orange conduit are
identified with high voltage warning labels

Component Overview

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High and Low Voltage Batteries

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The High Voltage Battery, also known as the Drive Motor Battery, is a
system of many components that operate together to provide the energy
required for vehicle propulsion
High voltage contactors turn on and off to control the output of the high
voltage battery
The battery is enclosed in a dust sealed container

High Voltage Battery

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Battery with Casing Removed

MSD
Port

Protective Shield

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Battery Components

A battery section comprises of multiple cell groups

Each group is connected together using coolant plates, separator
plates and a frame
Coolant plates allow for coolant to flow between the cells
Each coolant plate and frame has impregnated seals, that when
clamped together, form an inlet and outlet manifold for coolant to flow
through
There are inlet and outlet coolant hose connections on each end of
the battery section
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Battery Cell
Each battery cell contains a carbon
anode (negative electrode), manganesebased cathode (positive electrode), and
a safety reinforced separator
Safety reinforced separator provides the
medium to transfer electrical charge ions
between the anode and the cathode
inside of the battery cell
There are 288 lithium ion battery cells
Tabs at top of each cell are welded
together in parallel groups of three
96 cell groups
Each group is rated at 3.7 volts
Connected in series to form three
sections, totaling 355 nominal volts

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Low Voltage Battery

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The Volts low voltage system (12V) utilises an AGM lead acid battery
The battery is located in the rear compartment underneath the load floor
The low voltage energy is utilised by vehicle modules to control the high
voltage battery contactors
Severing the low voltage cables is designed to cause the high voltage
battery contactors to open
The low voltage (12V) positive cable cut location is found behind the left
rear closeout panel in the rear compartment of the vehicle

Power Inverter Module (PIM)

The Power Inverter Module (PIM) is located on the passengers side of the
engine compartment and is mounted on top of the transmission
The module changes the high voltage direct current into 3 phase
alternating current
This 3-phase electrical energy is provided to the motors within the
transmission for vehicle propulsion

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Accessory Power Module (APM)

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The Accessory Power Module (APM) is located in the rear compartment

beneath the load floor
The APM replaces the belt-driven generator common to conventional
vehicles
The module converts high voltage DC electrical energy into low voltage
DC electrical energy to provide the energy needed for the vehicle systems

Charging System
The Holden Volt features an onboard high voltage charging system that
recharges the high voltage battery
The system utilises a SAE J1772 receptacle. This receptacle is used by
many manufacturers.
The high voltage charger is located behind the driver side headlamp
assembly and bumper fascia

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Charging System
The high voltage charger converts household
AC into DC voltage to charge the onboard
battery
In the event that a Volt is involved in an
incident while the Volt is plugged in for
charging, disconnect the charge cord using
the charge cord handle at the charge port
If the charge cord cannot be disconnected,
the electrical power to the charge cord
should be terminated at the source

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Charging System
High Voltage Charger shown with bumper removed

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Volt Air Bags

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The Volt is equipped with eight air bags to protect the occupant in front,
rear, side and rollover crashes
The Volt is one of the few vehicles with knee air bags, which help reduce
injuries to the front occupants legs
There are dual pretensioner seatbelts that work together with the air bag
system to protect the occupant in the event of a crash

Air Bag Deployment

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The contactors within the high voltage battery are commanded open
whenever one or more airbags deploy. This interrupts the 360 volt
electrical system and discontinues current flow through the high voltage
cables.
The Volt is equipped with dual-stage air bags
Depending on the severity of the accident one or two stages of the airbag
deployment may occur. Be aware that if stage one has deployed stage two
may still be live.
Disabling the 12 volt power is essential to ensure personal safety even if
the airbags in the vehicle appear to have been deployed
After disabling the 12 volt power, wait 1 minute to allow any un-deployed
air bag reserve energy to dissipate

High Strength Steel

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The Volt has been designed to protect the occupant(s) during a collision
The body structure is nearly 80% high strength steel

High Strength Steel

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High Voltage Labels

The emergency / service
personnel warning labels
affixed at the front of the
engine compartment
provide specific
procedures for
emergency personnel.

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High Voltage Labels

HV cables under the vehicle are protected by a metal sheath with
orange HV labels attached.

HV
Cables

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Battery Protective Plate

Labels in Rear Load Compartment Area Under Load

Floor
Accessory Power Module

12V Battery
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Cooling Fan

First Responder Labels

The cable cut tag is yellow and wraps around the low voltage positive cable
to indicate where emergency personnel must cut the cable
Important: Cut through the low voltage cable on each side of the tag to
remove a section of the cable to ensure the cables cannot inadvertently
reconnect

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Emergency Operations

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First Responder Scenarios

On arrival, emergency responders should follow their standard operating
procedures for vehicle incidents.

Standard Operating Procedures :

Size-Up, Approach, Immobilize, Extinguish
Vehicle on Fire
NO increased risk
to first responders

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Vehicle in Water
NO increased risk
of shock hazard

Personal Protective Equipment Class 0 Gloves

Follow Emergency Service Standard Operating procedures.

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Leather outer glove

Rubber inner glove

Personal Protective Equipment

Eye protection when within 50 feet

of vehicle

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Rubber soled shoes create grounding

barrier

Safety Precautions

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Remove jewellery and watches

Remove metal objects from clothing

Approaching the Vehicle Additional Information

SAFETY
Anticipate that the vehicle may well be turned on and/or be in
Run mode
No audible electrical or mechanical noise does not indicate that
the vehicle is switched off
If the bonnet is open or is opened while the vehicle is in Run
mode this will start the petrol run generator engine - This is a
safety feature as you should expect to hear a running generator
engine

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To Disable Volt if Airbags have NOT Deployed

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

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Assess accident situation for hazards such as spilt fuel or unstable vehicle
Identify vehicle as Holden Volt by checking its badging
Immobilise Chock the wheels, engage Emergency Brake and place
vehicle in Park
Press the Start button on the centre instrument panel to turn OFF the
ignition
Confirm that both LCD displays are not illuminated
If the airbags have NOT deployed then pressing the Power button is all
that is required to turn the Volt off

To Disable Volt if Airbags HAVE deployed

1.
2.
3.

4.
5.
6.

Assess accident situation for hazards such as spilt fuel or unstable vehicle
Identify vehicle as Holden Volt by checking its badging
Immobilise Chock the wheels, engage Emergency Brake and place
vehicle in Park.
Note: When airbags are deployed the hazard lights may be flashing and a
Service Vehicle Soon message will be displayed on the Driver Instrument
Centre
Ensure that the ignition is OFF by confirming that both LCD displays are
not illuminated
If the ignition is ON press the Start button on the centre instrument panel to
turn OFF the ignition
Cut the12V positive battery cable at the yellow tag cut position
a.
b.

The cable is identified by the yellow First Responder tag

The tag is located behind the left rear closeout panel in the rear compartment of the vehicle

Note: After disabling 12V power, wait 1 minute to allow any

un-deployed air bag reserve energy to dissipate.
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To Disable 12V System (continued)

If you can not access the 12 Volt cable in
the rear compartment area.
o Locate the fuse box in the dash by
the front passengers door
o Pull all fuses in the fuse box
o The airbags will now be disabled

Dash Left Hand Fuse

Box

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To Disable 12V System (continued)

If you can not access the 12 volt cable in
the rear compartment area or the fuse
box, there is also a secondary cut zone to
access the 12 volt cable.
The secondary cut zone is located
between the B and C post in the rocker
panel on the passenger side.
o The cable is coloured RED but is
surrounded by a black sheath
o Always remove interior trim before
cutting cables

Passenger
Rear Seat Door
Sill

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Disabling the High Voltage System

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In the event of an Airbag deployment, the Volt Safety System is designed

to disable the high voltage contactors in the battery pack.
If Emergency Responders are still concerned that the contactors were not
disabled during airbag deployment, the Manual Service Disconnect (MSD)
may be removed.

Accessing the Manual Service Disconnect (MSD)

Step 1 Remove the centre console

trim (clicks in place)

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Step 2 The MSD is located under

a white protective pad

Step 3 Remove the MSD

Removing the Manual Service Disconnect (MSD)

The MSD has a two stage removal process.

MSD in place

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Step 1
Depress the holding
clip while pulling the
MSD up until it stops

Step 2
Press the clip in for a
second time to fully
release the MSD

High Voltage Cables - DO NOT CUT ZONES

The high voltage cables in the Volt are highly protected and should not
interfere with any extraction procedures. Performing the disabling procedure
prior to starting any work (to isolate the 360V battery), eliminates the electrical
current flow through the 12 volt system and disables the high voltage
electrical system. No further action is required.

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High Voltage Cables - DO NOT CUT ZONES

DO NOT CUT ANY UNDERBONNET ORANGE CABLES

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Vehicle - DO NOT CUT ZONES

Do NOT cut the:
Centre tunnel area or the area under the rear seats. The 360 volt battery is
installed in this area.
Roof rails near the lift gate hinge. Side curtain air bag inflators and lift gate
hold open struts are located in this area.
Front seat back on the outboard area as this area contains the side air bags.
B pillar near the rocker as this area contains the seat belt retractor
pretensioner.
Note: The outboard area of the front seat lower frame, houses an additional
seat belt pretensioner.

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Vehicle - DO NOT CUT ZONES

Do not cut in either the centre tunnel area or below the rear seat as the HV
battery is located in this area.
WARNING: Do NOT cut into the vehicle until the 12V electrical system has
been disabled. Cutting into the vehicle prior to disconnecting and
isolating the 12V electrical energy sources may cause air bag deployment
resulting in serious injury.

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Vehicle CUT ZONES

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Vehicle CUT ZONES

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Vehicle CUT ZONES

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First Responder Considerations

Approaching a vehicle that is plugged in
Upon arriving at a location with the Volt plugged in for charging, you
should first unplug the vehicle.
If access to unplug the vehicle is unavailable turn the power off to the
charge station.

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First Responder Considerations

Fire
Fire will not cause the battery to explode
If battery cells reach high enough temperature, they will vent and release
electrolyte
Battery electrolyte is flammable
Gas being vented directly from battery vents may be flammable, however
unlikely to combust as once mixed with the surrounding atmosphere the
concentration level is too low

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First Responder Considerations

Use copious amounts of water to cool the battery and extinguish the fire.
Do not attempt to disconnect the battery if there is a fire
Use of water to cool the battery will avoid further thermal runaway
Extinguish the flame first First Priority
Once fire is extinguished, battery can be disconnected if safe to do so
Standard operating procedures must be followed
Extremely low risk of electrocution due to battery being isolated from
chassis
ABC dry chemical extinguisher will not extinguish a battery fire.

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First Responder Considerations

Water
The high voltage battery is isolated from the vehicle chassis. If the vehicle
is immersed in water, you will not be electrocuted by touching the vehicle.
Locate and review the Lithium-Ion Battery Chemistry Material Safety Data
Sheet for more information.

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Volt Emergency Response Quick Reference Guides

Volt Emergency Response quick reference guides will also be
available to download and are available in A4 and A5 size
The guides can be used utilised by responders should they
encounter a vehicle and can be carried in response vehicles for easy
future reference.
Downloadable PDFs will be made
available in the members only, Vehicle
Emergency Response Guides Library at
www.arro.org.au

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Perceived Volt Issues

Concern:
High voltage batteries will leak dangerous amounts of fluid if damaged.
Reality:
HV Batteries are not lead acid
Li-Ion are dry cell batteries
Electrolyte is absorbed in a medium
A few drops of electrolyte may be produced if cell is crushed

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Perceived Volt Issues

Concern:
Do I risk electrocution by touching a Volt involved in a crash or if it is
submerged?
Reality:
High voltage system is completely isolated from chassis
Integrated safety systems and basic electrical theory protect
occupants and responders

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Perceived Volt Issues

Concern:
The Volt may roll away down hill while
connected to a high voltage charger.
Reality:
To turn the Volt off the vehicle must be
placed in PARK
To charge the Volt the vehicle must be
placed in PARK
The Volt is designed not to roll away
while set in the PARK setting

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Perceived Volt Issues

Concern:
It will be difficult to disable the HV electrical system.
Reality:
Automatically integrates shutdown procedures of the HV electrical
system in the event of a crash
Shutting off the vehicles ignition will shut down the high voltage
system
12V battery disconnection automatically disconnects the HV
electrical system

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Perceived Volt Issues

Concern:
Extrications will be hampered by HV wiring
Reality:
HV wiring is placed in areas not typically considered cut points
Concern:
Special equipment is needed for vehicle fires
Reality:
Fires are extinguished with standard firefighting procedures

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Further Information ARRO Website ( www.arro.org.au ) will host the following Volt
Emergency Responder reference material :
Volt Emergency Responder presentation ( At the completion
of Volt Training in mid December 2012 )
Volt Emergency Response Quick Reference Guides
MSDS for Volt lithium battery
Further vehicle information on Volt can be found on
www.holden.com.au

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Conclusion

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Holden is committed to making your job as safe as possible

We are confident the information contained in this guide will prove useful
as you prepare to assist those involved in an emergency event

Questions

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