Chevy Volt Mileage: No, It Doesn't Get Less Complicated Than This
Published: December 22nd, 2010
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Good on Chevy for making this video covering the Volt’s (relatively) complex efficiency calculus. Presenting the Volt’s mileage in a fair and accurate yet easy-to-understand manner has been a challenge for Chevy’s marketing (and its fellow travelers). It’s not as short or sexy as any of the Volt’s actual advertisements, but this video is Chevy’s best attempt to date at giving consumers a brief but accurate picture of the Volt’s real-world efficiency. For more accuracy (and inevitable complexity) check out Consumer Reports’ latest findings on living with the Volt in the real world.
More by Edward Niedermeyer
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This first generation will probably pave the way for other versions for other driving styles - A microturbine and supercapacitors could make the Volt have much more electric range, with the ability to charge "on the fly" as required, or to self-charge (highly efficiently) at a rest stop. I'd be willing to bet that there are start-ups in the U.S. that can't wait to use the Volt as a platform for further innovations in efficiency that will find their way into future models.
In the end we will all have to do math to figure out if electric/hybrids are economical. Of course that means the most folks will get confused and end up buying cars like they always do, based on some ethereal idea.
CR did a test without testing the Volt. Read their report, the temps averaged 50 degrees during the testing. An unqualified battery range will go down warning was in there. I want to know just how much range will suffer during real world rather than ideal conditions. What about those of us who live where temperatures are can run to the extreme one way or both ways? Those numbers will make or break the Volt when it gets into the hands of real drivers, not the testers and greenies that are the first drivers.
I find it interesting that almost all of the talk about hybrid cars is the amount of money you can save, what is the "return on investment." I am not aware that there is "return on investment" on cars, they are worth less as as you use them, unlike, hopefully, your stock portfolio. What, for instance is the return on investment of the sport package on a BMW? Thats a ridiculous question. In the case of cars, the propulsion unit is of some interest to me, but only as a part of the total driving package. I have heard that this car is very quite and very torquey I like quiet and torquey. I hear that it handles quite well for a small car. I like that too. So the car cost $32,000,... a current BMW 3 can easily cost twice that, it's also quiet and torguey, and handles well. So here we might have a bargan price beemer, at 45mpg to boot, but what do i hear? Endless articles like this one, published because apparantly there are some people who can't figure out the electricity cost stuff. I suppose we are really not doing a very good job at schools after all. Can I please hear from someone with access to this car if it is any fun to drive? I would love it if it were treated as a ... car.