Like, say, what if GM were to cram that into a small, two-seater and dial it back to getting “only” 160 MPG around town yet blast said sportscar to the end of a dragstrip in the low 10s? And then tuning that drive train more to the performance end of things. Thinking about things like stuffing that drivetrain in something like a now-defunct Pontiac Solstice. I don’t know, but if you can replicate 230+MPG in the real world, that’s going to shut a lot of people up. It’s that second one that really gets me though: ” … at LEAST 230 miles per gallon … “, so that means the Volt might turn in MORE than 230 MPG? I’d love to see that … maybe it’s because of the way the Volt is laid out, drivetrain-wise, it’s possibly to run it on nothing but batteries with little to no ICE as gen-set while tooling around town. I’m not saying that GM is playing fast and loose here, or cooking the books, just that if you compare 230 MPG to a Prius’s 45 or 50 around town, most people will think that the Volt has been worked over by Doc Brown and his Flux Capacitor. For example, I would like to see how a Toyota Prius rates under the same scheme.

So that MIGHT explain why the number seems so high. In the first place, that’s the new, and much talked about EPA measurements for fuel efficiency for hybrids. Two: ” … at LEAST 230 miles per gallon … ” (emphasis mine). One: ” … based on development testing using a draft EPA federal fuel economy methodology … ” – The Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle is expected to achieve city fuel economy of at least 230 miles per gallon, based on development testing using a draft EPA federal fuel economy methodology for labeling for plug-in electric vehicles.” The news from GM starts thus: ” WARREN, Mich. Chevrolet Volt Charged by First Buyers First Impressionsĭear God, is GM serious? 230 MPG for the upcoming Volt in city mileage? Yes, I know, figuring out the miles per “gallon” for a hybrid, especially in the hotly debated “city cycle” portion of its operating realm is tricky.Īnd it’s even trickier for the Volt, due to the drivetrain layout, but … shoot, even if GM is half right about this, the equivalent of 115 around town will be impressive enough … but 230? Talk about throwing down the gauntlet. The bridge and am I very pleased with my new Volt!īottom line- with fuel prices so low the prices of Volts. In retrospect, IF I had been willing to dicker more and/or travel to dealerships several hours away I probably may have been able to snag a similar Volt for under 14. Short version - found a 2012 one owner just off lease with 32,000 miles in like new condition listed for $18,500 ( sticker in glove box revealed new price at $46,000! ) which I EASILY negotiated down to $15,900! Salesman took offer so fast I wish I had offered far less! Time to dust off my Trump ' You Can Negotiate AnyThing ' book and get to work! I would need to save MASSIVE amounts of fuel costs to justify such a buy!įast forward to last quarter of 2015: Fuel costs at an all time low and the early Volt models coming off lease- time to look into a used vehicle in good condition!įiring up the good ole world wide web I discovered Volts for sale close by at SHOCKING low prices! When I first heard of the Volt I couldn't wait to buy one - until I discovered the PRICE!

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