General Motors confirmed today the meaning of the 230 ad blitz seen during the last few weeks: The 2011 Chevrolet Volt, which will hit showrooms in just over a year, is expected to receive at least a 230 mpg city rating when it is officially tested by the EPA.
“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 CEO Fritz Henderson in a prepared statement. “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.”
GM says the Volt will be capable of driving at least 40 miles on electric charge alone, though GM will recommend that buyers plug the vehicle in every night. Plugging in the Volt would require about 25 kilowatt hours for every 100 miles of city driving, which works out to about $2.75 worth of electricity, or about 3 cents per mile.
“The 230 city mpg number is a great indication of the capabilities of the Volt’s electric propulsion system and its ability to displace gasoline,” said Frank Weber, global vehicle line executive for the Volt, in the statement. “Actual testing with production vehicles will occur next year closer to vehicle launch. However, we are very encouraged by this development, and we also think that it is important to continue to share our findings in real time, as we have with other aspects of the Volt’s development.”
At a media event this morning, Henderson announced that the Volt will cost about $0.40 to charge for 40 miles’ worth of driving. The automaker is building Volt prototypes at a rate of about 10 vehicles per week.
