General Motors Co. said today that its long-awaited Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid is expected to achieve fuel economy of 230 miles per gallon in city driving.
Wait, whaaa .. More on this after the jump….
The mileage for the electric-gas hybrid, due next year, would be the best by far of any car rated by the EPA.That would give the Volt, which is expected to arrive in showrooms late next year, by far the highest fuel efficiency rating of any car now rated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The current EPA mileage leader is the Toyota Prius hybrid, which is rated at 50 mpg in combined city-highway driving.
The Volt is designed to run on electric power only for about 40 miles, after which a small gasoline engine kicks in to re-charge the battery, giving it a total range of more than 300 miles. The battery can be recharged by plugging in to a home outlet.
GM’s estimated mileage rating for the Volt is based on city driving. Highway mileage likely would be lower because it would require more work from the gasoline engine.
“From the data we’ve seen, many Chevy Volt drivers may be able to be in pure electric mode on a daily basis without having to use any gas,” said GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson. “EPA labels are a yardstick for customers to compare the fuel efficiency of vehicles. So, a vehicle like the Volt that achieves a composite triple-digit fuel economy is a game-changer.”
Although GM has not released pricing information on the Volt, industry analysts estimate it will cost about $40,000, though the automaker says the car’s list price would likely be lowered by federal tax credits and other incentives. Peterson said Volt owners would be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit provided on electric vehicles.
Several other automakers, including Chrysler, Nissan, Ford and Toyota, are working on variations of plug-in hybrids or all-electric vehicles that are expected to reach the market over the next few years.
This seems a little bit fishy if you ask me and the mileage estimates still have to be verified by the EPA. If true I’m buying stock in GM like its going out of style!!!
