Using the algorithm developed by the United States Department of Energy, Nissan says that its upcoming Leaf electric vehicle would be rated at 367 mpg – and that’s without using any fuel since the car is 100 percent electric.
While we’re still having a hard time grappling with how electric vehicles receive any sort of mile per gallon rating, Nissan’s comment, posted on the company’s Twitter page, is obviously in jest to General Motors’ assertion that the Chevrolet Volt will receive at least a 230 mpg city fuel economy rating by the EPA.
The GM rating, from what we’ve been able to ascertain, comes from a 51 mile urban cycle, 40 miles of which depletes the battery and 11 miles of which uses the gasoline engine. Theoretically, the Volt is only using 11 miles’ worth of fuel despite adding 51 miles to its odometer, which would work out to a 230 mpg average.
How Nissan was able to ascertain its average is entirely unclear, however, since the Leaf’s fuel economy figure should not be based on using fuel.
