Aug 12 2009
Today’s announcement that the Chevy Volt will achieve 230 miles per gallon is creating lots of buzz, but what does it really mean for people who are considering buying a Volt?
It is exciting to think that a Volt owner might only need 65 gallons of gas to drive 15,000 miles, but gas mileage entirely depends on driving style. Volt drivers who drive sensibly on unremarkable roads without hauling a carload of people or cargo - and who don't exceed 20 or 30 miles between charges - could avoid having to buy any gasoline, according to the complete analysis at Edmunds’ GreenCarAdvisor.com. Are you one of those drivers?
“For most people, it is not realistic to expect that kind of mileage in real world driving,” states Edmunds.com Senior Analyst Michelle Krebs. “That being said, the Volt should easily get more than 50 miles to the gallon, and that will make it an industry leader.”
That leadership position is the most valuable purpose of the car, according to Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl. “The Volt’s goal is to establish General Motors’ environmental credentials, making a statement of ‘green’ competence with the most environmentally friendly powertrain on the market. Just looking at this based on economics, GM would never build the car – and that was true for Toyota when launching the original Prius, too.”
GM has to hope that most buyers are not too focused on the numbers. Despite the Volt’s fuel efficiency, Edmunds.com analysts have determined that the car will be much more expensive to drive than the current hybrids on the market. The analysis was based on the Volt’s expected sale price of $40,000 and the anticipated federal tax credit of $7,500 for which Volt buyers will qualify.