In Defense of the Chevy Volt

Reader Comments
Back to blog

Anthony,
The gas price vs electricity price as it relates to EVs (or EREVs like the Volt) is a good discussion to have. Electricity rates vary greatly across the country but the average is about 11 cents per kwh. The Volt takes about 13 kwh worth of electricity to go anywhere from about 25 to 50 miles per charge. I've had my Volt for about 14 months now and I usually average in the low to mid 40's in EV range. So for about $1.40 I can go anywhere from 25 miles to 50 miles but I average about 42 miles.
Take your current car. With gas somewhere between $3.50 and $4.00 how far can you go on $1.40? I'm guessing it's significantly below 42 miles even if you have the much hyped Prius.
But realize that your local electricity rates may not be the national average. Some people charge at off peak times and get rates as low as 5 or 6 cents. Others have to pay rates as high as 35 cents per kwh. Finally, I would make the argument that gas prices are far more likely to go up than electricity prices. Domestic supplies of fuels for electricity generation are fairly plentiful and not at risk from global politics. I would expect gas prices to increase significantly over the coming years in comparison to electricity prices so I'm expecting my cost "savings" to increase over the coming years.

Koop of VA 7:53AM May 10, 2012

@Ned Reid,
Tax payers aren't paying for the tax "subsidy". You pay for it in terms of lose revenue to the IRS. When you buy one of these cars they don't give you a check for $7,500. It's a tax credit which means you need to owe more than $7500 in taxes to get it. If you have a tax liability of $500, then you'll only see $500 of the potential $7500.
This is not a tax refund.

theflew of OH 7:44AM May 10, 2012

Nice article, Rick. Glad to see somebody in the media get the details right. As a Republican and a Volt owner I'm not too happy with the misinformation coming from "my" side.
Fun to drive. Check.
American designed and built. Check.
Fueled primarily by American fuel sources. Check.
Helps the US economy. Check.
Chock full of technology. Check.
Reduces pollution (yes, even Republicans like clean water and clean air). Check.
Keeps more money in the US and sends less money to OPEC and other unfriendly oil producers. Check.
Cuts my gasoline comsumption by 90 percent. Check.
Allows me to travel as far as I want/need to go due to the gas engine backup. Check.
I'm personally getting over 330 MPG and saving about $2,000 in operating costs compared to the 30 MPG car that I drove before I got the Volt.
Oh, and as for the post by a commenter that said we could have gas for $1 or $2 a gallon if we produced our own oil....please stop and think about this for a moment. Oil is a global commodity. In order for the US to be de-coupled from the global market we would have to cut off free trade of oil with the rest of the world and have the government mandate that any oil drilled in the US would be for domestic use only. We would also have to significantly reduce consumption because we can't magically increase production by 50 percent (which is roughly, IIRC, what we would need to do to produce all the oil that we consume).
In short, it's not a free market solution, it empowers the government, it wouldn't work, and, in no way, is it a "conservative" proposal.

Koop of VA 7:38AM May 10, 2012

The car is pricey, yet saves on gasoline. How about the cost of electricity to get the car charged? If electric rates soar and gas prices soar, how will this car be affordable to the average person?

Anthony Fotia of NC 7:34AM May 10, 2012

Great article! EREV's and BEV's aren't where they need to be, either on range for the BEV's or on price for both, but they are weaning America off foreign oil and the Volt is a ton of fun to drive! It is cool to see an American firm leading the way on technology!
I would like to buy a Volt and get the 'George W. Bush: The Father of the American Electric Car!' bumper sticker.
This conservative loves the idea of using domestic electricity to get me around town, and I don't want to be stuck on a bus or train to do it.

Ziv of VA 7:23AM May 10, 2012

Did Steve Jobs and Thomas Edison get government bailouts to stay afloat, or did their products receive taxpayer-funded subsidies in the form of rebates to consumers?
Admittedly, new technology sometimes falls short of the mark on the first try, but electric autos have been around for over 100 years, and despite the tech advances, their performance hasn't changed. The cars are only more nicely appointed. And that isn't to say that a battery that will hold a charge for 200 miles won't be developed, but even at that point, when everyone is wheeling around in their Volts, will the windmills spin fast enough to keep them all on the road? Just asking.

Ned Reid of FL 6:06AM May 10, 2012

Yeah and if we produced our own oil we could reduce the price of gas to $1 to $2. Those solar panels are really selling well too. After a billion dollar infusion Solyndra lasted one year.

sodakhic of SD 4:59AM May 10, 2012

glenn fareley, you are the most wasteful, most selfish person I've ever seen.
gary blume, you are a bulls##t because the Volt is an idea whose time HAS TOTALLY PERMANENTLY COME!
JAE, you are a stupid beast, so think about it.
and everyone, you are all BULLS33T because the Volt is the most innovative, least controversial EV on the face of the new planet, and most of all a car that costs $40,000 before tax credit is perfect for me. I must know that everyone should be banned from every social website for the assault and slander against the Volt and as a Filipino, the Volt and other EVs should be treated equally and every US republican representative who will bash the Volt will be bashed back by me, and DISSAPOINTED,YOU ARE A NO-BRAINED SUPER TROLL ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH!!! And I assure you, stupidheads, that one Volt had caught fire, the comments from Romney, Issa, et al are nothing but useless, idiotic, unfair, annoying, piles of trash! And as a supporter for the Volt, YOU WILL ALL DIE!!! that is all.

Richard Joash 4:03AM May 10, 2012

Bottom line is this.......
If the government has to subsidize the cost of a Volt in the form of a rebate to the customer, the cars are now worth the price paid. Why not make these people, who supposedly average $170,000 salary annually, pay for the full price? I make $40,000 and have to pay additional taxes so rich people can say they drive a Volt. hat makes no sense at all.

Pojodog of AR 2:46AM May 10, 2012