2012 Chevrolet Volt Racks Up 250,000 Miles, One-Third Electric, Rest At 39 MPG

The article was sourcing InsideEVs, who also reported on this Volt when it hit the 150k and 200k mile mark.

They are both public access on the internet where anybody can stumble upon them, and not low circulation print magazines.

With people getting new cars every 3 to 5 years at an average 15k miles a year, any car going 250k mile in the low end of that time period is note worthy.

 

There are a lot of BTU lost from 39 MPG.

 

And even more from 25mpg.

 

Yes, the travesty and shame of driving a Toyota Camry hybrid on the highway at an EPA estimated 39 mpg vs. the EPA estimated 40 mpg in this guy's Volt.

 

hey! there's no cause to go picking' on my wives car.

 

He could drive Malibu hybrid and get 45 MPG on highway. The same class as Camry and one higher than Volt.

Talk about penalty of a big battery pack and EREV to keep ICE off.

 

Actually Camry Hybrid would do better in gas mode; Compare Side-by-Side

Popular Mechanics Finds Chevrolet Volt Gets 32 MPG City and 36 MPG Highway in Extended Range Mode - GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site GM-VOLT : Chevy Volt Electric Car Site

 

BUT, be thank this is not the Volts' Ice mpg.

DBCassidy

 

Where would he have gotten a Malibu hybrid in 2012, assuming you aren't talking about the eAssist?
He can't even get the Voltec based one now.

Here are the 2012 hybrids and plug in hybrids: Fuel Economy
No BEV there since only the Tesla would work for him. The Prius PHV isn't sold in Ohio or neighboring states, so ignore it.
Considering that the individual in question is a GM employee, and gets a decent discount on a GM car, he would need a very compelling reason beyond pure efficiency to pick a non-GM hybrid over a GM ICE in the event that the Volt wasn't available or an option.

 

Easy, he likes it.

 

This guy's commute in his Volt is almost entirely on the highway so the EPA combined estimate which is weighed with 55% city driving is not the relevant comparison.

The Popular Mechanics article was based on their own quirky test drive which included a highway segment at 78 mph (at least in their EV range results). I didn't find a similar PM drive article for the current generation Camry hybrid but Car and Driver had one from 2012 in which they reported getting only 30 mpg overall on the Camry hybrid XLE which is EPA rated as 40 city and 38 highway.

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid Test – Review – Car and Driver

These magazine reviews are well-known for reporting low mpg numbers as they thrash the car during their test drives.

The relevant standards-based comparison on this guy's commute is 39 mpg EPA highway in the base model 2012 Camry hybrid vs. 40 mpg EPA highway in the 2012 Volt.

 

Since he choose a Volt, and then a second one, I think we know what he likes.
Kinda wish to know what car the Volt replaced.

 

If the new Malibu is available, he may not choose another Volt.

But then, if work place is giving out free electricity, he would pick another Volt -- unless his work gives him free gasoline as well.

The point is, Volt consumes a lot of energy, free or not. There is emission associated with the energy. It may make sense for him but does it make sense for society? Is there enough social benefit for letting him exploit it?

 

Is there social benefit to letting a private(ish) company exploit unmarred Alberta woodland? The more gasoline that society burns, the larger the percentage of it will be made from tar sands and oil shale, the more upstream GHG a gasoline car emits.

Coal is a dirty source for electric, but our nation's policy is more away from it. Going forward, the GHG emissions for EV miles will go down while those of gas miles will go up.

The Volt does not consume a lot of energy. You are still looking at this with Prius tinted glasses. You can not discount the cars that the majority are buying. At best, including diesels and high efficiency gas ICEs, 10% of the public is buying a high efficiency, low GHG emitting vehicle. You had to use a car that isn't at dealerships yet as a possible for what this man may buy that is better. That leaves what the other 90% are buying. The average new vehicle is 25mpg, and emits 480g/mile of CO2 upstream. That is what they are buying, and likely what this man may have ended up with if the Volt wasn't available.

 

His emission from:

Electricity - 25,152 kg
Gas - 37,044 kg
Total - 62,196 kg

That's as clean and energy efficient as a 35.4 MPG gas car.

How do you justify $7,500 fed tax credit (plus state incentives) when you could achieve the same with a non-hybrid compact?

All he did was shifting 1/3 of his miles from gasoline to coal and natural gas mostly. Does it make sense for tax payer to foot $7,500 bill to shift from one fossil fuel to another? I don't think so.

Considering how you guys are outraged that hydrogen is mostly produced from natural gas, you should do the same of Volt.

 

Well said!

 

Toyota Prius Taxi Running Strong With 600,000 Miles And Original Battery - HybridCars.com

Here's a real feat. 250k miles, schmiles. Try 1 million kilometers!

 

I read that the fellow is on Volt #2. Did Volt #1 die ?

 

What year is it?
MREGED

No, he bought another one.

 

Did he put volt #1 out to pasture/retirement, or did he just have use for a 2nd car ?