EPA uses 33.7 kWh of electricity for one gallon of gasoline. They assume generating electricity is 100% efficient. To fully charge the Volt, it takes 12.9 kWh of electricity. That's equivalent of 0.383 gallon of gas. 70 miles divided by 1.383 gallons = 50.61 MPGe.
...and in April auto issue CR reported Volt EV mode got 2 mile/KWhr in winter driving, which I equated to 3.5 lbs of coal burned per 1-lbs of gasoline burned in Prius to go same distance (46 miles). So this equates to as low as <15 MPG coal buring equivalents. Now of course, no one burns 100% coal, 50% is national average, but the point is lots of *electrification* juice needed to get that EV mileage. Further admittedly, many here on PC feel electrification is good direction for USA. I just have not yet fully embraced that thought. Yes electricity is very cheap right now, true. PS- Made wrong turn in Ohio yesterday and ended up at the GM Cruze plant, of all places. Nice looking plant. Fitting place for Cruze plant I guess, if I recall my EPA Elec Power Profile data for OH.
Or, to put it another way, for Volt: On electricity - 12.9kWh X $0.10/kWh = $1.29 to go 35 miles = 3.67 cents/mile. On gas - 1 gallon of gas @ $3.60/35 mpg = 10.3 cents/mile. Combined - $4.89/70 miles = 7 cents/mile. For Prius: $3.60/50 miles = 7.2 cents/mile.
Add $0.20 per gallon for the Volt since it must use Premium gas. Now for Volt it is 7.27 cents per mile.
Just returned from Gas station. Gas is really coming down, at least for now! Regular = $3.39; Premium = $3.67; Diesel - $3.79.
GM tried to not duplicate the Prius and ended up with a Plug-in Prius with longer range. They waited to the last minute to admit that the gas engine is actually going to power the front wheels above 70mph. The GM/Ovonics/Texaco/Chevron large format Nimh battery patent put a stop to plug-in prius until Lithium. These actions also put a stop to the RAV4 EV. If GM have problems with the Volt, it is self-created! Petropest Launchpad: NiMH Held Hostage by Chevron Texaco Until 2014 I think GM could have built a Volt with a smaller battery, an 8 kwh battery, a more efficient ICE since it actually drives the wheels, good for 20 miles EV and maybe 45mpg or more in HV mode, battery under console and behind rear seat, space for a 5th passenger, priced around $35,000 before tax credits.
Leaf vs. Volt! Nissan Leaf sales hit 1,708, Chevy Volt at 561 - June 2011 Electric Domination: Nissan Leaf sales hit 1,708, Chevy Volt at 561 in June — Autoblog Green
I have no issue with this cost calculation, but if you had CO2 associated with the electric use in this example it would be higher combined CO2 than the Prius in much of the US. In other words, I see the Volt as a nominal 35 MPG car in both modes, which is OK but not better. You may prefer Volt for personal reasons, fine.
If someone understands EVs and wants to buy an EV, he/she will not buy plug-in hybrid, especially if an EV(Nissan Leaf) is available. Marketing the Volt as an EV is like targeting potential Nissan Leaf customers with the wrong product. The Volt should go after the Prius. And what happened to initial rumors that Priuses were being traded for the Volt? We know it could not have been many based on the number of Volts sold.
