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Re-activateThe EPA has just released the official fuel economy estimates for the semi-electric Chevrolet Volt and its energy equivalent in terms of electricity use. The official Volt window sticker lists 93 MPGe (MPG equivalent) when operating on just electricity and 37 mpg on all gasoline. To create this means of comparison, the agency uses a formula that equates 33.7 kWh to one gallon of fuel in terms of energy density. This announcement follows the release of the all-electric Nissan Leaf window sticker.
The Volt sticker also contains a sample table with different trip length with energy cost per mile. As we said about the Toyota Prius Plug-In, fuel consumption for plug-in hybrids is a function of the trip length.
It's nice to see that despite the complexity of the information on the sticker, there is no sticker shock in terms of some unrealistic MPGe number, and on the face of it, the figures seem reasonable. We will know more once we purchase a Volt and complete our own fuel economy testing. And we're ready for it, with our new Level 2 charging stations.
In the meantime, we will soon share our experience with a recently borrowed Volt that we lived with for a week.
See our guide to fuel economy for advice on saving gasoline. Learn about future technologies in our guide to alternative fuels.
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