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230 mpg for Chevy Volt? Not always
Promo graphic for GM's Chevy Vault
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Kai Ryssdal: More on that announcement from GM yesterday about its new electric car, the Chevy Volt. Everybody -- including yours truly -- picked up on the amazing mileage number GM says the Volt will deliver: 230 mpg.
Well, I refer you now to the more mathematically literate bloggers over at Environmental Economics. They deciphered GM's numbers for the rest of us. Turns out you can only get that 230 mpg for a trip that lasts exactly 51.11 miles.
About the author
Kai Ryssdal is the host and senior editor of Marketplace, public radio’s program on business and the economy. Follow Kai on Twitter @kairyssdal.
TRUST AND VERIFY …
IF THIS CAR WILL BE IN USE, ALMOST AS AN ELECTRIC CAR:
The battery pack itself, rated at 16 kilowatts/hour, comprises more than 220 separate cells wired in series. That means the failure of any one cell disables the entire array, though some existing hybrid vehicles also have this flaw. The Volt pack is about six feet long and weighs a hefty 375 pounds.
Voltage: 320 – 350 V
100% recharge time:
110V outlet: 6 – 6.5 h
Electromotor: 45kW
GM also claims the 2011 Chevrolet Volt can run solely on electric power for 40 miles with a full battery charge. That’s in line with studies showing that most Americans drive only about 40 miles a day, so in theory at least, a Volt could go for weeks without using a drop of gas or spewing any CO2. But some analysts think the real-world electric range will be closer to 30 miles and probably less, depending on vehicle speed, ambient temperature (which affects battery performance), and whether trips include steep grades.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
http://www.edn.com/blog/1470000147/post/1030008103.html
THE BATTERY PACK NEEDS TO BE RECHARGED ALMOST EVERYDAY.
QUESTION #1
After how many recharge cycles (DAYS) the Battery Pack 16KW/H with 220 separate cells wired in series, weighting 375 pounds, HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH A BRAND NEW ONE?
QUESTION #2
HOW MUCH COST A NEW BATTERY SET TO BE REPLACED, (PARTS and labor) ??? !!!
QUESTION #3
If this car will be used as a normal hybrid car:
If the battery pack is fully charged overnight, the fuel tank filled with gasoline (gasoline pump shuts off) and the car is driven non stop 230 miles:
HOW MANY GALLONS OF GASOLINE DO A HAVE TO ADD, TO REFUEL THE FUEL TANK (till gasoline pump shuts off)?
QUESTION #4
IS ANY DIFFERENCE IF THIS TRIP HAPPEN DURING A WINTER NIGHT 40 Degree F, OR A SUMMER DAY 80 Degree F.
Going beyond Hybrid, GM and his rescuers are going down a cliff.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1010906587918
I drive a 2006 Chevy HHR and get 33 miles mpg.Why dosent GM make more of these type of vehicles? It would only make sense to develop cars with two,three,or four cylinders to get the gas mileage as some of the new hybreds on the market. Several years ago my sister drove a Dodge Colt that had a three cylinder motor and it got around forty miles to the gallon. So come you big auto makers get on the right track.
I wonder at what speed the EPA rates it at 4 miles / KwH.
One of the cute things about electric running is that as speed increases so does the power budget for a set range. Of course, so does power requirements, e.g. due to aerodynamic considerations. The question is which rises faster.
In this area 25 KwH sells for about $3.75, almost a gallon-and-a-half at today's price.
We all want to know what the Volt mileage would be on an extended trip.
Assume the condition of a second gas fill-up, when the batteries are low and the gas engine would be running full-time. What would be the effective milage just for the second tank of gas?
Not so good! Running on the gas engine alone the Volt would do well to achieve 30-35 mpg. Although this is an OK figure, it does not approach the perceived "fantastic" mileage anticipated from the general public.
But how many people will be taking extended, vacation-type road trips in the Volt, and if so how many times per year? Probably not many.
So the over-all mileage using periodic electrical charges are a larger factor, and should be the MAJOR consideration.
IE: In typical driving the first tank of gas (assuming near-empty fill-up) would be fantastically high for the average person. In fact gas tank fill-ups, with regular charging intervals, may only be needed on a monthly basis.
I would buy the Volt knowing it would satisfy my short duration trips, and would be willing to accept the concession of reduced mileage on my few extended trips.
I think GM has done their homework on establishing the 70 mile driving range, and that averaged on a yearly basis for mixed types of driving habits will be a great savings.
