EPA test dooms Volt to 48 mpg rating!

[HoosierRon]

Could the EPA cripple the Chevy Volt?

Now, here's the rub: Reports suggest the Volt can make it through the EPA test cycle -- which from 2008 includes high speed running, air conditioning load, and cold start tests in addition to the city and highway cycles -- with the internal combustion engine running about 15 percent of the time.

The straightforward calculation gives the Volt an EPA fuel consumption rating somewhere north of 100mpg. But the EPA apparently wants to certify the Volt differently, insisting it finishes the test with the batteries close to full charge. That drops the calculated fuel consumption to just under 48mpg, because the internal combustion engine would have to be run essentially all the time to keep the batteries near full charge.

Who killed the electric car? The EPA, that's who!!!

[ronald mcretard]

way to miss the point EPA. why don't you go back to what you are good at - letting huge factories dump toxic crap into my drinking water.

[kuns83]

That's Terrible! The point of the new EPA testing is to help the public by providing more REALISTIC fuel economy numbers. How does this possibly help the consumer? If I were to buy a volt, I'm certainly going to run the battery as much as possible. Lets hope they change their minds before the volt is certified.

[Wolfman01]

Just one more fine example of why I keep calling our government misfits criminally inept.

[rcracedriver]

more importantly, how does this figure into CAFE? Since NHTSA administers CAFE, don't they use a different set of assumptions?

[eaton53]

The comments are actually pro-GM... that's different.
The Volt should be tested like any other car.

[Minnesota Nice]

If this happens, the Volt, and GM, may as well be dead.

It would decimate Volt sales, I think. It's going to be very expensive, and not get any more economy than a Civic Hybrid or a Prius, or...heaven forbid, Honda's Insight priced at under $20K?

The only benefit at that opint would be its plug-in.

I pray for GM's sake this isn't true.

[rcracedriver]

But the EPA apparently wants to certify the Volt differently, insisting it finishes the test with the batteries close to full charge.

Allow me to use the word 'energy' in place of 'gas'. 'Fuel' should also be thought of in the same terms as 'electricity' stored in batteries:

I don't see the point, they should run the test until the batteries have been drained out completely, since fuel on board is part of the energy consumed, therefore they must drain all the energy from the car until it stops, just like a normal car would when it runs out its energy.

[eaton53]

Originally Posted by Minnesota Nice

The only benefit at that point would be its plug-in.

The only benefit of the Volt IS the plug in, although 48 mpg ain't too shabby.

The problem is that the EPA doesn't think it matters.
It also means the EPA numbers will be off by over 50% compared to the real world.

I actually wouldn't mind if they put mpg on the sticker... it's something people would like to know. But they should add an MPC (miles per charge) rating for plug ins.

[FXjohn]

how much per month will it cost to keep a volt charged?

[blkwrxsti]

Originally Posted by rcracedriver

Allow me to use the word 'energy' in place of 'gas'. 'Fuel' should also be thought of in the same terms as 'electricity' stored in batteries:

I don't see the point, they should run the test until the batteries have been drained out completely, since fuel on board is part of the energy consumed, therefore they must drain all the energy from the car until it stops, just like a normal car would when it runs out its energy.

Not only that - but with all the political and economic issues with the price of crude - the energy in the batteries is cheaper than the energy in the gasoline.

The phrase "shortsighted bureaucracy" comes to mind...

[Xenon]

The straightforward calculation gives the Volt an EPA fuel consumption rating somewhere north of 100mpg. But the EPA apparently wants to certify the Volt differently, insisting it finishes the test with the batteries close to full charge. That drops the calculated fuel consumption to just under 48mpg, because the internal combustion engine would have to be run essentially all the time to keep the batteries near full charge.

Really, who the hell is going to drive like that on a daily basis? In all honesty, the EPA needs a new way to test hybrids like this and diesels, First they were way off the mark with the Prius(too high) and Jetta TDI(too low), and now this?

[Ambalanche]

I agree eaton53, if this is the case, GM will have to make an "addendum" type sticker to put right next to the moroney sticker that says how far they can go with NO GAS!! I would hope some GM or American Auto Alliance lobbyists would be all up Congress' butts to get this changed in time for launch though!

[DMD]

Just another example of tha fact that Government really wants to see the demise of the US auto industry. God, it makes me so angry!

[squat]

I can imagine that the Volt would be a tough car to certify. On one side of the fence most people will drive less than 40 miles per day thus using no gas at all. On the other side, it's a measure of miles per gallon. Electricity is not measured in gallons.

I think that most people will realise the advantage of the Volt and that this won't effect it much. The mpg rating should be for when the engine is being used anyways.