Comparison Test: 2011 Chevrolet Volt vs. 2010 Toyota Prius PHV

The issue the Leaf appears to be having is poor software. Their range estimation is poor, leading to drivers needing to build in additional safety margins.

Now, I hate some of GMs past (distant and recent) behaviors. However, they did do a number of things I very much appreciate with the Volt.
A huge issue that needs to be addressed by EVs if they are going to be widely adopted is consumer education. Just as the Prius was hugely educational with its live mpg display allowing people to connect with the link between their driving behavior and efficiency.
An example of the next step of this is the Volt's climate display. When on, it will show you the xpected impact it will have on your EV range. As you change the setting ('fan only', 'Eco' or 'comfort') the percentage changes.

Yes, most people on this board know what will and won't impact EV range. But it is not so well known in general. That immediate feedback should be very helpful. I hope the PiP has this level of feedback (or better) as well.

 

Greater ev range.
Battery is made by americans.
Car is put together by americans.
Better powertrain waranty.
No rattle, sqeaks ect ect.
Higher quailty inside the car.
Automatic headlights.

 

And;
Higher Price
Sitting for 4
Compact size
37 mpg in HV

Toyota Prius: Still the greatest car on the planet - Hybrid Cars and Plug-in Vehicles - Hybridcarblog

 

BALONEY!!!!!!!! They are taking the $7500tax credit and then selling the car. There are DEALERS who have pulled the same stunt.

 

Untill a prius phv gets up to 40 miles on ev, you can't say higher price cause their different. Are you saying a volt thats cheaper than a pruis phv that only has a 5 mile ev range is better than a pruis phv cause it's cheaper?

Yes the prius has that extra seat. But i think alot of people including me have never had three in the back. But for some it will be a deal breaker.

Compact size? Volt is one inch longer than prius, over an inch wider than a prius, and the prius is over a inch taller. Same size in my mind.

Also toyota charges over 9 grand over a prius for 15 miles of ev range so thats 600bucks per mile, so to get 40 mile ev range it would cost 24 grand more than a reg pruis. So at that price point it would cost 44grand to get a prius phv with up to a 40 mile range??? Sounds close to a volt to me....

And yes i understand that a pruis phv still spanks the volt in gas only mode. I just thought someone needs to stick up for them a little. I have read ten years of prius owners bash gm, now that gm has starting making cars that may compete with toyota it's still not good in everyones minds. I will give them some credit. The volt, cruze, malibu, and sonic, ect ect are going in the right direction. Good little cars that compete with Toyota, Honda ect.

 

I have a 12.2 round trip commute and not interested in buying more battery than I need until prices come down. I calculated the extra features in the Plug-in vs. Prius II and was posted in another thread.

http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-h...le-range-87-mpge-32-000-a-18.html#post1390344

 

After tax the PHV is much less than $9k more than regular prius.

Volt gets better EV range, Prius gets better on gas. Is it a wash? Not sure, but at the cost differential the Prius PHV is the better car as far as I'm concerned.

The volt is rated as a compact and the Prius a midsize, btw.

 

2 inches more legroom in back for Prius could very much be a dealer breaker... clearly not the same size.
.

 

The answer to that question will vary from person to person depending upon their driving behavior. For some the Prius will be better, for others, the Volt will be more efficient.
While the Volt is more expensive, the added 'fit and finish' and technology (over the Gen III Prius) makes the Volt the better car as far as I'm concerned.

I am looking forward to seeing the PiP when it hits the market though. And I LOVE seeing more and more competition

 

If the Volt/Ampera have 5 seats I'd get one. It hasn't so I won't.

The PHEV is way way over priced here in the UK (£31,000/$49,200)

 

There's a TV ad out right now on the Volt which implies they are unwelcome at gas stations. If you have a Volt and have to go, you better stop at McDonalds.

What is GM trying to say with this ad? I get mixed signals. Is that the intention?

 

It's a stupid ad:

The "take gas to go further" I know they are talking about how no range anxiety but the way I read it is the EV is so short you need gas to go anywhere *shrug*

 

Yes, it is a very stupid ad.
Likewise, the new Prius ad is very creepy.
I am hoping they both get changed very soon.

 

Coal imports are part of the overall picture of the coal industry in the U.S. but they represent a small portion of the domestic coal consumption, averaging about 3 percent of total U.S. coal consumption in a year. (3% of 1,000 million is 30 million)

Exports. Total U.S. coal exports for 2009 were 59.1 million short tons (equal to almost 6 percent of consumption)

Consumption: Total U.S. coal consumption was 1,000.4 million short tons

So while we may actually import some small amount of coal we export about twice what we import and we use way way way more than we export or import.

Also about 93% of the coal used in the US was for electricity generation.

and close to half of the electric power in the US is from coal.

Source for all this content on this page or linked from this page U.S. Coal Supply and Demand


however given all that I'd still be happy to drive an EV or PHEV as it'd still be lower cost than gas only (as my Gen II Prius and Saturn SL2 currently burn).

 

For me my last network admin job was less than 2 miles each way commute.

For my girlfriend her commute is 16 miles each way and she often does it twice a day. However when she is home between trips she could charge for 1-3 hours and when she is home for the night it could charge 12 hours if needed. Who cares how long it charges for if I'm asleep when it's happening? We could probably use it as our sole vehicle and charge it every 2nd day. Charging it daily is more than we need, charging it at lunch and at night is doubly overkill. Bothering to charge it at work isn't worth the effort for us. Don't care, don't need the range.

I could easily use the Leaf if the 80% charge gets me 40 miles let alone the 80 it'll get if you air up the tires and drive it like you would a Prius to get 60 MPG (which is what I get with the Gen II that is making that 16 mile commute now).

No reason at all why in a multicar household you can't have one PHEV or EV and use it for the shorter trips and use the regular hybrid for longer trips.

Prius C looks like it might be good for the non EV role, but if not then a regular Prius or a Prius V (station wagon) would be fine.

If they made the Leaf in a 80 mile range version and 120 mile range version I'd take the 80 mile version every time. Cheaper, lighter.