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GM says Volt to get 230 miles per gallon in city
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Corp. said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car should get 230 miles per gallon of gasoline in city driving, more than four times the mileage of the current champion, the Toyota Prius.
GM came up with the figure in early tests using draft guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for calculating the mileage of extended range electric vehicles, said Tony Posawatz, GM's vehicle line director for the Volt.
If the figure is confirmed by the EPA, which does the tests for the mileage posted on new car door stickers, the Volt would be the first car to exceed triple-digit gas mileage, Posawatz said.
The Volt is powered by an electric motor and a battery pack with a 40-mile range. After that, a small internal combustion engine kicks in to generate electricity for a total range of 300 miles. The battery pack can be recharged from a standard home outlet.
Most automakers are working similar plug-in designs, but GM could be the leader with the Volt, which is due in showrooms late in 2010.
Toyota's Prius, the most efficient car now sold in the U.S., gets 48 miles per gallon of gas. It is a gas-electric hybrid that runs on a small internal combustion engine assisted by a battery-powered electric motor to save gasoline.
The first-generation Volt is expected to cost near $40,000, making it cost-prohibitive to many people even if gasoline returns to $4 per gallon. The price is expected to drop with future generations of the Volt, but GM has said government tax credits and the savings on fuel could make it cost-effective, especially at 230 miles per gallon.
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Comments
who in the heck got 40k in the bank to buy this car? another way gm can try to get rich . oh wait if they would have gave all of us 100k and told us to paid off our bills and buy a car with it we wouldnt have bail any one out
thats if you drive the car around 50 miles with the first 40 using electric nd the last ten using the gas generator
Very coherent post, bjr.
This shows how absolutely out of touch with reality they still are. How many people can afford a $40k vehicle right now? And what they don't tell you is that the batteries have to be replaced every 5 or so years at around $5k.
All while Prius is starting at $22k. So who in their right mind would spend nearly double that for a 1st generation GM hybrid?
Give me a break people and quit whining. This is a step towards reduction on foreign oil dependency which will in turn make the gas prices drop in the long run, considering that there are a lot of people that would pay that price for a car. Once the technology is out there, you know every single car company is going to copy it, and there will be 10 different models at half the price.
Think about how many people you see driving the trendy new cars even around here, then think globally how many people would jump at this opportunity. I think this is a wonderful demonstration that American engineering and industry can, and will make a comeback. So buck up, and enjoy the success for a change. I'm just happy to see that our taxpayer dollars are actually making them put their nose to the grindstone, and that the headline didn't read "breaking news in Japan"
Another POS from Obamamotors.
GM should be introducing it's fourth generation Volt right now instead of the first. If management had any foresight whatsoever as business people they could be leading the way in hybrid vehicles right now. Instead they are at the bottom of the curve.
In any event this is the first model released and if that vehicle does get 230 miles per gallon without large costs and maintenance, it will be revolutionary.
Since we are talking about GM though, I will believe it when I see it and I hope they are right.
Does anyone actually know what the range of this vehicle is?
I could see this being useful on short trips but for long trips it might be a stretch.
$40k is completely insane, Ford has the fusion hybrid I would get that at around $22-24k or there is also the prius or insight.
I know you have to pay a premium for new technology but I was under the impression this thing was to be around $28-$30k at the auto show. The thing also looked like nothing more than a glorified cobalt.
I also question the reliability of these new hybrids with the batteries and motors. I really have fears about even purchasing regular cars from Government motors.
If I were looking for a car like this I would get the Ford fusion hybrid and take the money I saved by not buying the volt and use it for one heck of a vacation. I saw the new 2010 model the other day it was absolutely beautifully designed. I think Ford has really outdone themselves lately with the Escape and Fusion.
I've been seeing those 230 ads everywhere, I had no idea what it meant... not a very good ad campaign in my opinion.
Ok does this make sense to anyone
40 miles a day average daily drive
My current car gets abut 25MPG
thats 1.6 gallons of gas a day to drive my car 40 miles it would cost me $4.80 in gas to drive Obamamotors is building the car for around 40k so should it should sticker for atleast 45k I got my car for 15k so Im 30k ahead. I could drive my car for 17.123 years for just the price difference right now. Excluding the 5k in batteries replaced in the volt every 5 years. I understand the get away from foreign oil but at the same time get away from my wallet I can't afford this type of car
I'm a believer in CNG, you don't even have to get a new car... all you need is a converter kit. We have tons of natural gas, why in the world aren't we using it?
LOL SICK BOY at your post....Even if we take less oil and gm sells a ton of these cars, OPEC will just cut production to keep prices high...OPEC is a cartel that will make thier money regardless..The whole idea of the next generation car should be no oil whatsoever.
Sick boy it has nothing to do with fuel efficiency. It has to do with GM having their head in the sand for so long. Now they finally come out with a hybrid and they want close to double what the other car companies want... for a "beta" car, while the other companies are several generations in.
In other words, they want you to pay the premium for their garbage business practices...
So go dump $40k on it and let us know how that works out.
Look at the mileage on those other cars you short-sighted fools. None of them even approach 230 miles per gallon. You can drive from here to Detroit on ONE gallon of gas. A prius, civic, and focus can't even compete with that.
When gas prices begin to rise again, (and they will...we'll see $10 a gallon in a decade or so,) $40K is going to look pretty reasonable.
Also, it's the first generation in the series. The price will drop later, just like the iPhone, etc.
What about the battery longevity on such a trip? Will we have to stop and recharge? Has the 230 MPG been verifed by anyone but GM yet? Will the car still cost 40k in a decade to coincide with your theory? Do you believe the competition has not forecasted and planned for the future themselves with their own product? Do you believe in the cost-benefit analysis of fiscal planning? Can you predict a perfect product from GM with their admittedly first generation attempt that costs considerably more than the competition's second generation model? Does it really cost 5k to replace the battery every 5 years or so?
I am sorry for asking logical questions.
Sincerely,
One helluva short-sighted fool
"The Mahoning Valley". Where the locals show utter contempt for the most innovative cutting edge auto in mass production, and sheer joy for the homecoming of a convicted felon.
Any other community in the world would be proud to say they are building that car but the locals are upset that the government even helped keep a plant open that infuses almost a half billion into the local economy.
On the bright side the local past time of crying and complaining is as strong as ever. Have fun at the coming home party.History you can share with your grandchildren to bring up another generation of losers.
Since when is $40k for a car considered overpriced? Did BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and other car companies go out of business when I wasn't looking?
It's not like GM has a reputation to preserve anymore, the underdog always has to be more aggressive and risk taking. The media is just making a big deal about the Volt to show some mercy for GM.
It'll only be a short time before other companies steal the idea or develop something better, it's the nature of business.
One thing I've learned is to never buy the first year of the new generation of a car. They always have bugs no matter who makes them.
Even with $10 a gallon @ 12000 miles per year your still better off buying the prius at those prices. Considering the 8 year 100,000 mile warranty on the prius battery, little sign of degradation after 150,000 miles and no failures after 2004 model year and few from prior years you're better off with the prius at this point.
OK now if it costs 40k to make thats not what they are selling it for. Also look at how they figured out 230 MPG thats a 50 mile trip with the first 40 on electric only. Long distance it averages closer to 60MPG
Yeah I figured that 230 was calculated by some strange means. I think it should be calculated as average economy divided by average range of vehicles without a recharge or fill up. I they should also be have to say average distance on charge and average city and highway while off charge. This car makes efficiency difficult to measure.
Well from what I understand about the vehicle it is the first electric car. Using gas in it does not make the car actually go it just powers a generator that recharges the batteries. Another thing I dont understand about the vehicle is how does the heat and AC work. Running an electric heater draws alot of power does that effect the mileage?