Chevy Volt Rated at 93 MPG (on Battery)
Chevy Volt Rated at 93 MPG (on Battery)
Posted 11/26/2010 at 10:01am
| by Paul Lilly
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If you would have told us 10 years ago that cars would be capable of 93 miles per gallon within the next decade, we wouldn't have believed it. And if you told us today there's a car that can do exactly that, we still wouldn't believe it.
Yet that's exactly what Chevrolet is claiming. Stated in big, bold letters right there on the sticker, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the Chevy Volt gets 93 MPG. So why don't we believe it? For the simple fact that the rating represents the Volt's battery-only mode when fully charged and for the first 35 miles only. 0_o
Once the battery is used up, unleaded gas will keep the Volt chugging along for another 344 miles at 37 MPG. Combine the two and the Volt gets 60 MPG, which isn't too bad, even if it isn't 93 MPG.
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bart3385
November 30, 2010 at 11:06am
Must be the leaking gas tank.
Special built-in feature. The gas tank leaks 0.01075 gal per mile (or 43 ml per mile) for the first 35 miles. Which translates to a whopping 93 miles per gallon of leaked fuel! Not bad. Very not bad.
ermpc
November 29, 2010 at 1:55pm
If on battery alone (all electric), then there is zero gallons used, therefore will be infinite MPGs
AndyYankee17
November 29, 2010 at 4:12pm
you could take the tesla and put a 50 CC engine with a 1 ounce fuel cell in it and get probably a couple thousand miles to the gallon. it's all pretty deceptive math
sniggler
November 29, 2010 at 10:33am
This is GM's way of holding on to every last drop of gas until it's gone. Electric / hybrid vehicles have been around since the late 70's. They have been continuously and purposely stifled by big auto and oil companies, who are in bed with each other.
This product is too late to be revolutionary. Rather, this is Chevy's way of 'dipping their toes' into the electric market, via a hybrid vehicle which Toyota has already had on the market for the past 5 years (Prius Hybrid).
They will continue to milk gas and oil until it's completely gone. It's just that consumers are now more aware than ever of depleting fuel resources, so we are going to see more and more of these 'hybrid electric' vehicles in between gas-powered and full-electric / other vehicles in the future. Think of it as a step in between.
bart3385
November 30, 2010 at 11:17am
Actually, it should be a combined rate of 39.18 mpg.
First leg of the trip of 35 miles, at 93 miles per gal, translates to 0.3763 gals consumed. (Theoretically. I don't know how a battery-only trip can even consume gasoline!)
Second leg of the trip of 344 miles, at 37 mpg, translates to 9.2973 gals consumed.
Add them up. You get 381 miles trip, using 9.6736 gals of gasoline. So that's gonna be around 39.38 mpg. Or approximately 39.18 mpg, if you don't round off all the values.
i wonder how the "60 mpg" was derived.
AndyYankee17
November 27, 2010 at 12:01pm
the gasoline engine is a 74 hp 1.4 l L4 that runs on premium fuel. Why wouldn't they use diesel? isn't that recognized as being a lot more fuel efficient? plus it makes more torque and turns slower so there's less wear and tear. must be something about weight? turbos are too heavy?
zodi
November 27, 2010 at 2:25pm
Diesel isn't seen as a a green alternative over here. The other thing is an L4 getting 37MPG that ain't all that great.
Mighty BOB!
November 26, 2010 at 2:48pm
Wired gets a bit more into the numbers:
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/11/chevy-volt-gets-equivalent-of-93-mpg-but/
tacobell1
November 26, 2010 at 2:26pm
How dare you give us this great information. Why is everyone complaining. I would like one of these cars. How Much?
brick586
November 26, 2010 at 1:38pm
The gas engine is not to run the car but to charge the battery. The battery is still propelling the car not the engine.
vistageek
November 26, 2010 at 1:01pm
Would you guys mind explaining that weighted average math to us?
Trooper_One
November 26, 2010 at 12:56pm
I always read these postings of gas mileage with a grain of salt - they always overstate their efficiencies and the actual mileage is significantly lower.
There should be some regulations that oversee these advertisings (just like overstating the capabilities of a LCD monitors).
AndyYankee17
November 27, 2010 at 12:02pm
EPA does the does the testing and they supposedly have no bias. I personally think the way they test them emphasizes regen braking more than regular driving actually does.
I think this might prove interesting, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKTOyiKLARk
nmanguy
November 26, 2010 at 2:53pm
How did you get 60 MPG? The most I could could muster up is 41 MPG using that 37 mpg for 344, and 0 mpg for 35.
Oops, nevermind, I forgot about the regen brakes.
AndyYankee17
November 26, 2010 at 11:23am
MPG equivalent is quite deceptive, for one thing how is it measure? cost? 1 gallon of gasoline get's you 25 miles and costs $3, 1 kwh of electricity gets you x miles and costs so much? knowing the epa it's probably carbon equivalents and even that can vary based on where you live. If live in WV that's going to release more CO2 than living in las vegas (WV would most likely be coal fired, nevada would be hydro).
stradric
November 26, 2010 at 11:18am
The total range is farther than my Accord and the gas-only fuel economy is better as well. So either way you look at it, it's a win. Provided I could plug the car in while at work, I would never need to use the gas recharge since my commute is only 24 miles. The question is, how long does it take to recharge from 120v?
ak
November 26, 2010 at 11:57am
What are you driving an accord from the 70s? If you can't even get 350 miles out of your accord, with your driving, you are never going to get the EPA listed 37 MPG. And you are for sure not going to get 35 miles on the battery with hard acceleration and high speeds. I have an accord and get more than 400 miles and the newer versions have larger tanks and can get past 500 miles.
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