I drove a Volt today.

It has regen in D. Put it in N while slowing, then switch back to D and you'll feel it.

Word from a volt advisor who checked with engineering is that the friction brakes start blending in right about when the leaves disappear from the green ball. That's a healthy amount of braking. About 0.3G I've been told.

however, I suspect it may blend in REAR brakes in D to keep the chassis attitude consistent. I have no reference to support this except that I've noticed warm (barely) rear brakes when my fronts were at ambient.

 

With regards to the volt not being a road trip car, I think you have to look at the Mileage you get during the lifetime of the car. With an electric range of 35 Miles (at 95 MPGe accounts for electricity charges), with the MPG when using gas being 37 MGPG and assuming that you charge every night, the effective mileage you get if you drove X miles (in the Volt) in a day is given by

MPG = [ (35 * 95 + (X-35) * 37 ]/X

Based on this formula, if you travelled 120 miles in a day, your MPG will turn out to be about 54 MPG (which is about that of the prius). With the average american travelling 12K miles a year, on an average we typically drive far less than 120 miles on most days of the year (12000/365 = 33 miles. ofcourse not on the days of the road trip).

So if you work the numbers you will see that on average the Volt will prove to be more fuel saving than the prius. On regular days the Volt will beat Prius hands down. The Prius will be more efficient only when doing longer than 120 miles a day. However over a period of few months or years you will consume more fuel using the Prius.

The argument that the Volt is not a long distance car is a view not based on over all considerations. After all it doesn't matter how much gas you used in a particular trip. What matters is how much you used during the time you owned and drove the car. For people who can own two cars, it might make sense to own both the Prius and Volt. If you were to choose between one or the other, the math indicates that the Volt is better on Gas.

However, reliability, price etc are other considerations that might tip the scale differently.

 

I see one wrong assumption in your post and that is that you are restricted to a single charge per day. I often drive more than 35 EV miles a day, by using L2 public charging stations.

Your 120 miles in a day should be changed to 120 miles per trip, and even that I would want to correct to be 200 miles using your formula above. EPA 38 miles EV range and 40 MPG highway for the Volt.

MPG = (38 * 95) + ((X - 38) * 40)/X
50.45 = (3610 + 6480) / 200

If I understand your formula.

 

Agree with you. I was trying to work the numbers for the worst case scenario... only one charging per day and charging at home, 35 EV Range (EPS 38) and Average gas 37 MPG. For some people the outlook could be significantly better like you point out. For me, even my worst case scenario seems better than Prius. However, vehicle MSRP might render it unviable for some. Price should come down in a few years though.

 

People have taken Volt's home for less than $30K after claiming the $7500 federal tax credit.

I lease one for $350/month, or $12/day which is less than what I used to spend on gasoline per day.

If you want to use worst case scenarios, use something closer to 43mpg for the Prius.

 

lol, 43 mpg is the normal scenario for my prius. My worst case was 17mpg, very hot day traffic jam with air conditioning in eco.

I'm just posting to correct the math.
Going with the EPA crossover per plugged in trip of X miles

volt mpge = X/(38miles/98mpge +(X-38)/37mpg) = 50 mpg prius, yes we really need to know city highway split, but we don't.

Solving for X we get 90 miles for the crossover of miles per trip.
Ignoring the electricity then this works out to be 146 miles per recharge

For dollars volt electricity will be cheaper, but its premium gasoline will be more expensive than prius regular gasoline.

For ghg it all depends on where you plug in

 

one thing not mentioned here is that volt is smaller than prius.

 

or that the Volt is much faster than the Prius

 

exactly. so just trying to compare lifetime mpg's doesn't really work. like comparing a vette and a minivan. who chooses between those two based on mpg's?

 

Very true. Choosing between a 140mpg vette and a 50mpg minivan is difficult for many. I would rather pile the family into two vettes.

 

would have to be a nuclear family.

 

I'll take one 140mpg 'vette, please.

 

I think the porsche 918 is close to that if you plug it in, unfortunately its limited production and costs $700K euros.

 

Your math is wrong.

For mpg you have to use an harmonic mean.

trip mpg = distance / gallons consumed
= distance / sum(segment consumptions)
= distance / sum(segment_distance/segment_mpge)
= X / [ 35 / 95 + (X-35) / 37 ]

MPG = X / [ ( 35 / 95 + (X-35) / 37 ] = 120 / [ 35 / 95 + 85 / 37 ] = 45.02 mpg

 

Just for clarity the Leaf is a true EV it has no ICE. The Volt and he PIP are similar and in respect to hybrids which can operate in EV mode and use ICE when needed or commanded.

 

Just for clarity, , the Volt is a true EV with a range extender. It can, and does, operate in pure EV mode to full speed, something a PiP can not accomplish without using gasoline.

 

Both have ICE under the hood, Leaf has no ICE and is true to the cause. All 3 are remarkable cars.

 

I realize it's just semantics but I think it is a misconception that the Volt is a hybrid like the PiP. The PiP can't operate on only electricity while the Volt can. Even in the EPA test cycle, the PiP used some gasoline within the first 13 miles of "EV" range.

 

That's not clarity, its a particular point of view. A narrow view.

The Volt has full performance as an EV -- its a true EV. The Volt is a true EV, with a built in range extender. Leaf may be a pure EV, most of the owners have a range extender in the garage or in a rental. There are plenty of volt owners with month or use over 1000's of miles and with no gas. If I owned a leaf I would have used more gas than my Volt -- because my long trips would have been in the other family car, a CUV.

The PiP is a hybrid with moderate EV ability.

If you tink the Volt and PiP are similar, I don't think you drove one today.

 

I know you mentioned that. My typical daily commute is 36 miles. The volt range almost guarantees a electric only commute and the biggest bank for the mile dollar. If I drove a PIP I would get 10 miles on EV and the rest on gas at 50 MPG. the volt is the more economical deal.

Both cars cost about 30 cents off peak to charge up.

If I take a long drive say 350 miles from Sd to LV the PIP is better hang volt ecause once the EV expires the volt gets 35 MPG and the PIP gets 50.

Th Leaf is the most efficient if you can locate the network of charging stations within your travels. Cities like LA offer plenty.