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If you have a car that both plugs in and runs on a conventional engine, what's the mix of miles done on grid power versus gasoline?
You might think it's something like 50-50.
In the case of the Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, with an electric range of 6 to 15 miles, that's probably about right--especially in the kind of low-speed, stop-and-go urban driving where hybrids thrive.
But in the case of the Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric car, with an EPA-rated electric range of 35 miles (rising to 38 miles for 2013), it turns out that at least the first 18 months' worth of buyers are logging far more miles on electricity than on gasoline.
In Volt owner groups and forums, numerous owners boast about their triple-digit gas-mileage numbers and complain that the Volt's dashboard display won't show any fuel efficiency figure higher than 250 miles per gallon. (The MyVolt.com website maxes out at 1000 mpg.)
A recent Consumer Reports post highlights data from Volt owners on its own forums: One owner has covered 7,000 miles while using just 7.3 gallons of gas (less than a single tankful), while another logged 2,800 miles on electricity out of 3,200 miles total.
As noted ad nauseam during the Volt launch in 2010, fully 78 percent of U.S. cars cover less than 40 miles a day.
The Volt's battery pack was sized around that statistic, with the vision that many or most owners would recharge overnight and might go weeks without having to fill the tank--but with a gasoline range extender to relieve them of any range anxiety related to exceeding the pack's rated range.
The Chevy Volt website has a sort of "electric odometer" showing how many miles the accumulated pool of Volts has covered on electricity, as well as total miles covered (data is gathered from cars whose owners have given permission for them to upload operating data to GM via their built-in OnStar link).
Chevrolet Volt site ticker showing total miles covered and electric miles, July 11, 2012
Enlarge PhotoAs of this morning, the tickers show a total of 95,500,000 miles covered by Volts--of which roughly 60,000,000 (or 63 percent) were driven on electricity from the grid.
Not bad for a car that some insist should be called merely a plug-in hybrid, rather than a range-extended electric car as GM would have it.
Whatever it's called, it appears that the first 15,000 or so Chevrolet Volts are being used primarily as electric cars.
Which is what Volt engineers expected and hoped for all along.
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LEAF 100% electric miles (though might have to borrow a gas car)
Volt 63% electric miles
PiP ~30% electric miles.
But the Volt has the highest purchase price (not accounting for incentives).
Volt is the ONLY car that warranty battery capacity...
Volt is out selling both the Pip and Leaf..
Nuff said there.
If you look at long distance trips (longer than 50 miles) there were 2.6 billion long distance trips per year. 90% of trips is by car with average distance of 194 miles, which is equal to 0.4 trillion miles. Daily travel is 4 trillion miles per year. So about 10% of travel is long distance travel.
http://www.bts.gov/programs/national_household_travel_survey/long_distance.html
http://www.bts.gov/programs/national_household_travel_survey/daily_travel.html
It's a great transitional technology, IMO, until companies like Tesla & traditional OEMs & others have more offerings/volume for EVs and consumers learn and range and technology improve.
I'm at 160 MPG, one tank only, thus far, but as you noted, ICE + EV capability=plug-in hybrid/PHEV. Nothing wrong with that, we need different options for a while until the battery costs come down (great article on Automotive News site today) and technology improves.
-The Volt has no transmission. A direct drive electric motor powers the wheels. Hybrids typically sandwich the electric motor between the transmission and the ICE. Even when running on gas, the electric motor still powers the wheels.
Even at 100 mph, only the electric motor powers the wheels.
-The gas engine is not directly connected to the gas pedal.
-The heater/AC is all electric, designed to run without assistance from a motor or alternator.
These components are more like EV's than what you would find in hybrids, even the Prius PHEV.
Volt has 40 miles range Electric, then another 300 miles+ in hybrid mode.
That is the difference.
With that said, don't get wrong. I love the Leaf. I would buy one if few things get addressed in the upcoming revision of the car. I bought a Volt b/c Volt allows me more flexibilities. I will add a Leaf to the list if few small things get improved.
The Volt also drives better than the Leaf.
The only difference with the Volt is that they took that range extender off the trailer and put it under the hood....
Here's one example from 1993:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1044649_the-chevy-volts-japanese-ancestor-from-1993-from-daihatsu
and another from, ummmm, 1900:
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1055830_porsche-recreates-the-original-hybrid-car-111-years-later
The problem is that Volt is getting hate from both sides. The conservative nutjobs hate it b/c it is "green". The green and extreme EV nutjobs think it is a "fake" attempt at green washing by GM.
Despite all that hate, Volt is doing great b/c it is realistic and practical.
As far as price goes, I am tired doing simple math for most fools out there...
let me see - gm has
1)destroyed evs that their owners were begging them to keep.
2)they sold their battery technology and patents to a big oil company.
3)advertised to the public how a real ev would leave them stranded in the desert, so they should get a volt.
4)is producing a real ev as a compliance car.
3 strikes and gm is out. they have 4 strikes and counting.
the evidence is as clear as the nose on the proverbial face.
Well, you are just a hater.
1. Their EVs weren't making any money. It cost GM Billions to keep that program going. Owners were begging them to keep it. Yet, nobody was ready to pay $100k for it. Sure, GM could sell it, but there is liability and support need for it.
2. That battery technology was useless and outdated. NiMH battery is already being surpassed by Li-ion. Selling it to big oil is really no big deal.
3. There were plenty of public story where the EV1 was stranding people on the side of the hwy. Even the Leaf is doing some of that today. That is why Volt will get rid of that fear. Sure, you can run out of gas too. But AAA can come with a can of gas and you are ready to go in 5 mins.
i look at the evidence. you see what you want to see - that is the difference. and then call us haters when we dont put our heads in the sand, like you do.
it is one thing not to produce more. it is quite another not to allow the current owners the ability to keep their own cars that they had leased.
Did you NOT read the other article on Public Charging Rate? That is why Volt would make sense... Not to be Gouged by charging station owners.
The Evidence is that Prius are selling great and Leaf is NOT. The Volt is selling better than Any and ALL EVs out there. If you look at the numbers, Volt sold MORE THAN THE REST OF PLUG IN EVS combined YTD. Nuff said there.
As far as EV1 went. Those things were expensive. Let you keeping it means GM had to "support" it.
You are just a GM hater. Most of your hate are baseless and beyond any reasons...Volt is a transitional technlogy before we have a full charging network ready for the EVs. Before that, Volt is by far the best technology.
Let us ask you this, what engineering backgound do you have to judge Volt?
In the end, the company used only $1.4 billion of the funds--about one third less than the $2.1 billion you cite. For the record.
Why must you be so passionate over the Volt at the expense of other makes?
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1064021_electric-cars-dirtier-than-gasoline-equivalents-in-china
but not about the U.S. Several studies (a 1007 landmark effort by EPRI and NRDC, and one this year by the Union of Concerned Scientists) that 1 mile driven on grid power has lower emissions than a 25-mpg car even if it's from the dirtiest grids in the nation (ND and WV, I believe).
When you compare to a 50-mpg Prius, there are some edge cases in which the gasoline car is slightly better. Offsetting that are two points: First, the U.S. average mileage across the whole fleet is still in the low 20s, and second, the grid will gradually get greener over time.
Keep in mind that by charging at night, during off-peak periods, charging is about 70% cheaper than daytime, peak rates. I pay $.04/Kw at night so my 38 mile commute costs me about $.80/daily, as opposed to about $6.50/day for my old A4. Based on $4 gas for premium, that is.
I though most people dreaded dealing with their dealer because of the high labor and parts cost?
With my Volt, like most Volt drivers, any problem I'm likely to have will be covered by the warranty, so it's not an issue. So, I think your point is valid for some, but perhaps not as many as one would think. But just a guess...
European cars like the Audi, BMW, Benz are a marvel in engineering. But come time to insure them, fix them and maintain them is another story. Save for warranty repairs like you pointed out.
All three are trying to change that perception as we speak with factory perks.
The technology that worries everyone is usually warranted for eight years on the EVs and Hybrids. My eight year old Prius has never required anything other than ICE servicing ie oil and filters two tires and windscreen wiper blades thats it zilch.Eight years of cheap motoring at mid fifties to the gallon.
Many Volt owners, like us, have solar PV on their roofs. We have ZERO electric use costs for our house and charging both our Volt AND our Leaf. It is like having both an oil well and refinery right at one's house.
Have an opinion?Join the conversation!