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Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?

By | August 11, 2009, 6:16 AM PDT

The electric Chevrolet Volt is expected to get at least 230 miles per gallon in city driving. That adds up to about $2.75 for electricity per 100 miles.

General Motors outlined the miles per gallon figures Tuesday. The Volt is expected to start production in late 2010 as a 2011 model. However, there are a few caveats:

  • The Volt can travel up to 40 miles on a single electricity charge;
  • Its overall range will be 300 miles with its fuel engine;
  • GM recommends that you plug in the Volt at least once a day;
  • Gas free mileage will depend on cargo, distance, air conditioning use and number of people in the car.

That latter point is huge. What happens when it’s summer, 90 degrees and humid and you have a car pool going? When the battery hits a minimum level, the Volt will switch to extended-range mode. In this mode, the Volt’s fuel engine produces electricity.

I can see the Volt sparking a lot of initial interest, but there are a few consumer hurdles to clear. Range will matter in day to day driving conditions too. And the price tag will matter most of all.

The Volt is expected to push the $40,000 mark, according to various press reports.

Here’s the full GM press conference:

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Larry Dignan

About Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan is editor-in-chief of SmartPlanet.

Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan

Editor-in-Chief

Larry Dignan is editor-in-chief of SmartPlanet and ZDNet. He is also editorial director of TechRepublic. Previously, he was an editor at eWeek, Baseline and CNET News. He has written for WallStreetWeek.com, Inter@ctive Week, New York Times and Financial Planning. He holds degrees from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Delaware. He is based in New York but resides in Pennsylvania.

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Larry Dignan

Larry Dignan
Larry Dignan does not hold any investments in the companies he covers.
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+1 Vote
+ -
RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Not a $40k or more a copy ....
Posted by John Dodge
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
I am ready. I put off a car purchase in order to wait for this. I do not like the normal engine/motor hybrids. I want all electric. The only thing I can think of for an improvement so far is to go bio diesel or ethanol for the generator engine. I just do not want to ever buy gasoline again.
The $40k price is a little hard to swallow, but worth it. I drive a Porsche Boxster now, so it's in the same wheelhouse. Hope it can get on the freeway okay.
Even my gardening equipment have been converted to rechargeable.
I AM CHARGED UP !!
Posted by russhouck
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
This is wonderful. I am not an extreme advocate of the erasure of all things oil (it's from the earth, it's natural!), but I do love new technology and the prospect of lower emissions and saving money.

Ah, there's the rub! The money. I have argued (and continue to) that the monster truck of a government is an infrastructure of it's own - a machine designed to consome. What will the monster do when it's not being fed as much because of these new innovations?

It'll go one of two directions. In one way, it will continue to grow like it's own conglomeration of power and consumption with a need for preservation equivelant to that of the Tyrannasaurus Rex. In the other, it will perform the survival tactic of cutting off branches of non-essential or lower priority programs.

Of the two, there are similar party labels, and since you know your party, you are very familiar of your defense of them, and know that the basic summaries are very close.

What do you want to happen when the world goes "green"? Should the Department of Ecology and Department of Environmental Protection remain as powerful, and will there be a need to have the green police at every corner and up every exhaust pipe or at every exchange of air? For how long? At what cost.

But, back to the car. I like the prospect, but I won't like the necessity to justify the new taxations because of it. I'd prefer they stay out of it, and let the brilliance of the innovative Americans find ways and create products that get the job done, make improvements and build business. Government just doesn't do that well, and it always does better when it backs it's monster muds of traction off of the backs of the people.

Can't wait to drive it!
Posted by JDSeattle
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Whoa... Lets be car-full here... and let's be honest. I can get 1,000,000 mpg on my golf cart because it has NO internal combustion engine. And I only have to plug it in once a day. The Volt sounds like it will be a very good car (especially for GM) but you have to compare it to one with similar comfort, handling, quality, usability, and reliability before gushing about its efficiency.

Do you think it will be as good as my new Acura TL, which cost thousands less? Hey, don't get me wrong. I hope this Chevy kicks EVERYONE'S butt for the money spent.

Stragger Knows!
Posted by Stragger
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
TO JDSeattle:

Excellent post. Thank you for being a sensible person. (How'd you ever settle in Seattle??)

Stragger Knows!
Posted by Stragger
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged u
Overpriced. Overengineered. Underperforming.

GM should have stuck to their original Electric Car.
Posted by vulpine@...
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
So what is the right price here? We looking for parity with other cars? A better approach appears to be with Nissan's effort---at least from a pricing perspective. You want to hit that city buggy niche and then expand out as you refine the technology.

And then there's the whole branding thing. Will anyone pay that much for a Chevy that's not a Corvette? Here's the Leaf post:

http://www.smartplanet.com/business/blog/smart-takes/nissan-shows-off-leaf-can-electric-cars-leapfrog-hybrids/104/
Posted by Larry Dignan
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
I would rather spend 25% more for a Telsa sedan to get a much nicer looking car with dramatically greater range and no gasoline engine.
Posted by hdkinney@...
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Make that a Tesla sedan. (Darned dyslexia!)
Posted by hdkinney@...
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged u
I personally wish that all of the big 3 had been allowed to fail, and that the
Feds had put their money into the electric car industry that is struggling.
Instead, we are going to have the same old crap that they begrudgingly
drag their feet at changing. Better to have started over, and saved the
economy by investing in green technology. The big 3 aren't going to be
any different after a couple of years.
Posted by cochraness
11th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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This will be really cool...
...as soon as electricity becomes free. Unfortunately, cap-n-tax will be
driving my electric bill in the other direction.
Posted by JohnMcGrew@...
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
hdkinney's got it right - at $50k for a completely electric vehicle the tesla sedan is the way to go... and if rumours of Tesla's plans for a sub $20k electric economy car are true... I might just wait...
Posted by distorto_666
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
The Chevy Volt only gets 230 mpg when considering gasoline consumption. The total energy consumption is far greater.

There is a downloadable spreadsheet at http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/elan-f15/updated-spreadsheets-t18445.html that allow the computation of equivalent mpg for IC engines, PHEV vehicles, and EV vehicles.

There are two fundamental things that determine energy consumption - vehicle weight and vehicle size. From this, vehicle energy requirements can be calculated, whether provided from gasoline or electricity.

While it is possible to get 230 mpg, it won't happen with a vehicle the size and weight of the Volt.
Posted by msd1107
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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40 miles? Try 300.
40 miles? That's practically nowhere!
I'm after the Tesla Model S. Probably more expensive, but this baby goes a heck of a lot farther on a single charge (300 miles on their best battery, 160 on their standard one).
Check out the Tesla here: http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php
By far the better choice, in my opinion
Posted by Caggles
12th Aug 2009
-1 Votes
+ -
cost
... now, having read the article a little more carefully, I realize that the Model S is in fact more expensive, but about $10,000
But still totally worth it, in my opinion. The Tesla is an ACTUAL CAR, rather than a commuter buggy.
Posted by Caggles
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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Do the math?
"The electric Chevrolet Volt is expected to get at least 230 miles per gallon in city driving. That adds up to about $2.75 for electricity per 100 miles. ... The Volt can travel up to 40 miles on a single electricity charge. ... Its overall range will be 300 miles with its fuel engine."

The quoted numbers do not lead to a "$2.75 for electricity per 100 miles" conclusion! We are not given the kWhrs necessary to recharge the batteries. We are not given an assumed $/kWhr price for electricity. What are the assumptions behind "230 miles per gallon"?

I a extremely skeptical that one gallon of gas, burned through the Volt's gas engine and turned into electricity, can drive the Volt's electric motors through 230 miles of commuter driving at 40 mph.

This whole article, because of the bogus math and unstated assumptions, is a dis-service to the whole "green" thing.

BTW: Where is the accounting for the non-green impact of generating the electricity, building the batteries, disposing the batteries, infrastructure for "charging stations", etc? It seems we are merely shifting the "non-green" burden away from the car -- effectively "hiding" the impact. The environmental impact is still there!
Posted by hnoyes
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Im not electrical minded the same as millions of people around the world , but if every vehicle is given the term
hybrid - that means very little to a person like me and the same around the world, if your going to make an engine
that runs mainly on electric with a petrol or diesel engine
to produce electricity when the battery runs down , why have the manufacturers not found something to replace the battery that produces electricity / all those NASA scientists are able to produce robots to do work for them
why not something use there resources to invent a new
power producer , there must be millions of scientists out
there with the inteligence and money to produce something
/ amixtur of hydrogen gas and methonol / special magnets
that once set in motion they dont stop / to power the vehicles of the future/ so far every vehicle is a test vehicle that has only a short life time with avery short future.
Posted by modification1
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
It still looks like a green washing to me - If it uses any fossil fuel (no matter the source). When you can charge the batteries just from re-newable energy then we will be getting somewhere.
Posted by Byterat
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
bogus math.. misleading claims.... if you really research this.. the facts are ... 230mpg using "prelimary federal mileage guidelines" which assume total of something like 50 miles / day ... with 40 mile/day being supplied by your overnight charging of the Volt.. leaving only 10miles a day being supplied by "gas"... if you drive 80 miles = 100MPG.... 100 miles / day = 80 MPG.. 300 miles/day= less than 65 MPG..
all of this is very misleading to the general public... I have a friend that gets nearly this performance with his VW diesel....and with twice the acceleration and half the price.. and it is nearly zero-emissions compliant.
Posted by jrlambert
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
A solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

Not interested in a Government Motors vehicle.

If I buy a new vehicle, it will probably be a Ford. And unless I decide to get a minivan, it will be a Ford built between 1949 and 1980. It will burn gasoline and get really crummy gas mileage, because I want to do my part to help reduce the threat of the oncoming ice age, you know, the one they tried to scare us with in the 1960s and 1970s. It will be large, have good handling and good suspension, with deeply cushioned seats for my comfort.

Just because the rest of the world went stupid is no reason I should have to.
http://www.xtimports.com/greenstupid/greenstupid.jpg
Posted by hiraghm@...
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
I love this nonsense about "renewable resources", as if people are unaware of the conservation of matter. "Fossil fuels" are a renewable resource, if they are, as used to be theorized, the processed remains of plants and animals which lived millions of years ago.

Just because we don't live millions of years doesn't mean it's not renewable. Just means we're in a hurry.

And if we're so desperately running out of fossil fuels, set NASA on a crash course to start sending tankers to Titan, a planet-sized moon awash in petrochemicals, probably including some chains we never imagined possible.

But I am not going live the kind of life that gives basement dwelling D&D freaks wet dreams.
Posted by hiraghm@...
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
hiraghm, I love the commentary. Oh how so true. I am old enough to remember the ice age we had to have and the disposable diaper/nappy debate until someone bothered to do the full calc then oops.. back to beads for the next worry of the week. Other such things; hole in the ozone layer, deforestation, phosphates, bio-diversity, carbon footprint, carcinogenic honey blah blah blah - heard about any of these lately. They no doubt are still issues but it just shows how the survival of the planet has been turned into a commodity.
The real problem is that there are just too many of us (humans that is) so issue 6.7 billion S&W's with one empty chamber in each to every one on the planet the at the appointed time all pull the trigger - problem solved. Then again it might spin the earth off its axis. Douglas Adams are you there?
Posted by Lampfishes
12th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Gimme a break! Laws of physics cannot be violated. It takes the same
amount of energy to move a mass (car) a given distance.The so called
fossil fuels are still the most efficient source of energy. Using them to
charge batteries introduces an in-efficiency in the conversion process.
It is still cheaper to buy gasoline than pay the part of the electric bill
used to charge these batteries.There is no free energy. Adding the miles
per gallon supplied by the batteries is wrong - it should be subtracted
since fossil fuels are used to generate this electricity.
Posted by dosguru
13th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Dosguru, the internal combustion engine in a serial hybrid like the Volt can run far more efficiently than one in a conventional car; it runs unthrottled and at its most efficient speed all the time since it only has to turn an electric generator or alternator. It doesn't have to produce low-speed torque for acceleration - the electric motor does that, drawing on energy stored in the battery - so it can be a very small engine. These factors more than make up for the inefficiency of converting the kinetic energy produced by the engine to electricity, then back to kinetic energy to move the car.

Electricity doesn't have to be produced by burning fossil fuels, where I live it's mostly from hydroelectric dams - and in the future, more and more of our power should be from renewables. Even when it is fossil fuel electricity, the energy conversion efficiency of electric generating plants is so much higher than that of conventional auto engines that there is still a net gain in efficiency.

The 230 MPG figure for the Volt is a gross oversimplification, and probably an exaggeration, but your statements portraying it as less efficient than a conventional car are wrong.
Posted by Greenknight_z
13th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
Costs of "green" electricity
The 230 mpg hype is largely a fake.

In calculating the usage of electricity, the costs in money and environmental impact of generating the electricity must be included in some "fair" way. Fair includes some assessment of total emissions. Further, realistic costs of electricity must be used. If green, electricity is going to cost more-- probably a lot more. The electricity we're producing now is mainly coal (terrible) with a mix of other marginal sources, and negligible "green" power.

The only hope I see for cheap green-ish electric power is if the nuclear industry gets its act together and the "green" folks will admit that nuclear is semi-green.
Posted by w_c_mead
13th Aug 2009
-1 Votes
+ -
Too Much
$40-50,000 for a car ? I'll wait until the price is less than half of that. I am assuming that the batteries will one day go bad. I normally keep my cars for longer periods of time. So what does it cost to replace the batteries ?

Let's see....my 1999 Altima gets 30 miles to the gallon (highway which is most of what I drive) so I will spend probably 3 times the $2.75 to travel 100 miles and I travel 300 miles a week. It will take a long time to make up the different in the upfront costs.

Besides I feel it is my duty to burn fuel to twart the Global Cooling we have been experiencing in recent years.

I wonder what is going to happen if people don't buy cars from Government Motors ? Are we going to keep bailing them out ? I am assuming that the unions that now run the GM and Chrysler will make good cars like Russia's car company that also is government owned......
Posted by pizzaman7
13th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
As long as we have nummnuts around like 'modification1' (post#17) there will be continuous advertising-manufacturing-selling of ridiculous products.

Stragger knows.
Posted by Stragger
13th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
If we all went electrical, who would make up the difference in road taxes? Or should we let the roads return to Mother Nature?
Posted by bhartmann
14th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged u
Ok just curious 300 mile range what happens on a 500 mile road trip do
you have to stop and plug it in or does the gas motor supply enough
power to keep going with just fill ups?????
Posted by jester41@...
14th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
I look forward to purchasing a Chevy Volt. The 230mpg mileage rating is arbitrary and depending on your driving profile could be irrelevent. It is all dependent upon if you drive beyond the battery capacity and if the engine engages. If you do not exceed the battery capacity the mpg is is infinite. My wife drives about 12,000 miles a year and rarely exceeds more than 20 miles in a round trip. I expect to keep the car plugged-in whenever it is in the garage. My commute is 34 miles each way and I have the luxury of being able to plug-in the car while at work. I expect about half of my commutes to be entirely on the battery. I am confident that Chevrolet will produce a good car in the Volt.

I am interested to find out more about the winter operation of the Volt and how the windshield deicer/defroster system works. I have read many "expert" opinions on the web, but nothing from a good reliable source. We will see how it handles a good Minnesota winter.

Since so many replies make exteraneous and derogatory comments about General Motors I feel compelled to comment also. Sure GM is not perfect and can stand a lot of improvement. I am sure they are struggling with a cultural shift with the changing global marketplace and economy. I am pleased to see what appears to be a persistence to get the technical aspects of the Chevy Volt right. General Motors did not cause this economic crisis and recession. If we want to make negative comments let's talk about AIG etc and the politicians/regulators that were asleep at the wheel.

I like my Chevy's and look forward to buying a Chevy Volt. que up the national anthem and apple pie.

MinnesotaMike
Posted by MinnesotaMike
14th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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Misleading stats
If I get this right, the stats assume a 50 mile trip where 40 miles is on battery. The stats also do not include the cost of the household electric to charge the batteries. So, the result is the gasoline usage is limited to driving 10 miles as a hybrid! Is the 100 miles actually two 50 mile trips and therefore 20 miles as a hybrid? This would then give $2.75 per 20 miles. I am currently paying about $2.45 per gallon. If they are paying the same price as me, this would indicate that the hybrid plant is less than efficient. This would be less than 20MPG as a hybrid, if I understand the math. My Prius is getting 53.9MPG as an overall number for city driving with stops and 57 on the highway at 68MPH at constant speed.
Posted by cholzwarth
14th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Based on your mileage assumptions and if the CARS program is extended into next year; should the law be changed so that the Volt qualifies for double (2x) or quadruple or (4x) rebates?

For example, a 4x rebate (4 x 4,500 = $18,000) would drop the price of a $40,000 Chevy Volt to $22,000.

Jim Callahan
Orlando, FL
Posted by Jim.Callahan
14th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
Green...isn't!
Name ONE green tech that's actually green. Just one! You can't. Know why? Because they aren't.

People claim electric cars are more efficient because generating electricity in bulk at power plants is more efficient. To a point, they are correct. Where their theories fall flat is what happens between the plant and the charging station, and before.

Even if you're in one of the relatively few areas that gets all its electricity from hydrogeneration, if you add all these new cars, and their charging stations into the mix, the hydro ain't gonna cut it no mo'. More gen plants mean more costs and impact. Coal? Gotta dig it, move it, store it, then dispose of the ash and toxic by products. Didn't think of the ash, did you? Ask east Tennessee about it. Real mess. Nuclear? Huge can o worms there. Oil? See coal. Solar? Great, if you live in the desert southwest. Wind? Reliable as a rubber crutch, unless you figure out how to do your generating between 300 and 1000 feet above ground level, where wind blows pretty much constantly. Tidal? Works ok, twice a day.

And, what about the creation and disposal of the extremely dangerous and toxic batteries? Oops. Not supposed to ask about that. It's a mechanical device, with moving parts, so it still needs lubrication. Oops. It uses oil based rubber tires. Oops. Oil based paint. Oops. Oil based upholstery foam and fabrics. Oops. Oil based plastics. Oops. Heavy metals. Oops.

The infrastructure to move the electricity around doesn't exist. More construction and environmental destruction. Oops. More cables, wrapped in oil based insulation. Oops. Cables made of metals, mined, transported, refined, transported, smelted, transported, formed, transported, sold, transported, warehoused, transported... Oops. Cables placed on towers, made of metals... Oops. Cables placed on poles, made from felled trees, with the scrap burned off. Oops. Poles treated with oil based chemicals. Oops. Electricity run through transformers filled with toxins. Oops.

I'm gonna quit now. I'm scaring myself.
Posted by A Non E-Moose
14th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
I take the bus
Electric is cheaper than fuel its not a level playing field fuel costs more per unit of energy used. As far as batteries go they are 100% recycled. As far as range goes it is best to choose lowest possible range that fits use not the highest that coves all possible usage. For my self I wont be buying any cars whatsoever or paying for insurance I plan to save the money. So I happy to oblige with can be the greening of America we no longer need insurance or cars they are to expensive for me. Electric charged hybrids are just a beginning a start. Wind power is a start a better start than some assume. For myself I ride the (natural gas powered clean fuel) bus and I don't worry about CO2 looking down the road where CO2 neutral or free solutions exist.
Posted by Altotus
15th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
No way
First of all the price tag is way too much. I can drive a year on gas for less than the payments that would be to drive this.

Second, GM ditched the concept design they got everyone excited about. WHY? and what did they do? they produced a turd that looks like their other carp.
Posted by kpohlgeers@...
18th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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Electricy Wars in Condos & Apts
I'd be all for purchasing an electric vehicle. However, those of us who live in condos and apartments face somewhat of an ownership issue: WHERE THE HECK DO WE PLUG IT IN TO RECHARGE IT? Somehow, I think the "powers that be" might frown on a bunch of us plugging into the exterior building outlets (i.e., "stealing" power from the condo association).

So, let's go to "Plan B". Fortunately, I live in a first floor condo, and my bedroom window faces right out on the parking lot. OK, I cut through my (association-owned) window screen (trust me, I'll get fined right out of the box for damaging association property by cutting the screen). Then, I plug an extension cord into my own outlet in the bedroom, run the cord out to my car, and plug it in. All good, right?

WRONG!@!@! My neighbor who lives on the third floor on the other side of the building isn't in quite a convenient position as I am. He's got no parking area on his side of the building, and his extension cord isn't long enough to reach out his third-floor window and snake all the way around the building to charge his car. So, pray tell, how does he charge HIS electric car? Why, it's soooooo simple a child could figure it out: He parks next to me, unplugs MY cord from MY car, and plugs it into HIS car to charge HIS vehicle.

Can you say, "ELECTRICITY WARS", boys and girls? I KNEW you could ...
Posted by LiLSuzQ32@...
18th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged u
That's at twenty miles or less per day. Those who drive more will most
likely drop considerably below a hundred mpg and possibly below fifty
mpg.

At present electric cars are most valuable for short range driving. We need
double the battery capacity for a start. Without a battery breakthrough
electric cars will not become mainstream.
Posted by shanedr
25th Aug 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Put a ele. panel on your roof for the re-charging. In Florida there is no sidewalks outside of down-town let alone timely transportation. Just give us a car that goes 65mph and 150 miles per charge.
Posted by mvgas
15th Sep 2009
+1 Vote
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RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
When you weigh the cost per month it makes it less desirable. $40,000 with 10% down leaves a 36k balance. With a 5 year loan at 6% the payment is 695.98. How many nice cars can you purchase for a payment of $300 a month and not pay an extra $400 a month in gas? I'm sure there are plenty. By the way you still have to pay for the electic bill to charge as well as the gas that it does take. I wonder what the maintenance would cost?

Another thing is Chevy, Ford, Dodge need a new emblem on their vehicles. They need to rebrand themselves with a quality look. Chrysler has the look but lacks the quality.

By the way have you ever seen that cool little TT looking Ford made in Europe. We need more of those nice looking vehicles brought over. Stop making the nice stuff for overseas and the **** here in the U.S.
Posted by kables@...
15th Sep 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
Cost of Electricity in dollars/mile
The national average for electricity is about $0.11/kw-H.

The Volt's batteries store about 16 kw-H. So refilling the battery
from 0 to full is $1.76 for electricity. It'll take you about 35-40
miles. Let's call it 35 just to give some slack.

This brings the cost per mile to $1.76/35 = $0.05 or so of of
electricity. When running off of gasoline, it gets about 36 mpg.

Now, my neighbor's Prius gets about 37 mpg in a stop and go city
driving regime.

One gallon of gas here is $2.64. $2.64/37 = 0.098 cents per mile
- we'll say it's 10 cents a mile for gasoline. Most of his driving
amounts to about 45 miles per day, but he could plug the car in
during the workday.

In round numbers, driving off of house current, assuming you can
do 40 miles per charging stop or less, is roughly equal to buying
gasoline at $1.32/gallon for a Prius.

If you've got a car that makes 22 mpg, rather than 37, the cost
per mile goes up by about 170%, or the equivalent cost per mile
on the average car on the road in city driving of paying 77 cents
per gallon of gasoline.

The place where this might really scale well is blowing a Chevy
Volt up to a mini-van or SUV-sized vehicle. The larger body plan
allows for more battery storage, though the heavier frame also
impedes mileage. Let's that for the same performance, an SUV
needs a 32 kw-H battery, and it only gets 30 miles of real world
range out of it. That's still going to be about 11 cents per
passenger mile, which is comparable to a 37 mpg SUV,
compared to the fleet average of 15 mpg. Assuming a larger
gasoline engine with 80% of the efficiency of a Chevy Volt, and
you're talking about 27 mpg when it's using the engine to charge
the batteries.

If the Volt doesn't tank, expect that there will be an SUV model in
2011 or 2012. Being able to sell a green SUV would be the most
amusingly ironic marketing move ever.



Posted by Ad Astra
29th Sep 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Lots of vague and misleading numbers from a company that deserves absolutely no slack. Plus, who is brave enough to buy such a new and untried technology from a company like GM? My VW diesel gets great mileage (43/48) from proven technology without the mathematical slight-of-hand. Oh yeah; and if push comes to shove I can make my own fuel. Volt drivers will be pushing their gasoline 'dream' machines as they wait in line.
Posted by vbnomad@...
26th Oct 2009
+1 Vote
+ -
RE: Chevy Volt: 230 mpg in city driving; $2.75 per 100 miles; You charged up yet?
Yeah i think this looks like just another case of what looks too good to be true usually is.
Somehow i just dont think the facts and figures will be as basic as they are making out, there is always things hidden away that make it much dfferent on the road.
I would love to see an actual road test of this car.

Alan
emu boots
Posted by alan buchanan
21st Dec 2009
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