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ORIGINAL: DomKen

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ORIGINAL: Smith117
However I recently stumbled upon the Chevy Volt. This is an interesting machine. It can go about 640 miles on one 12-gallon tank. Or, if you don't drive more than 40 miles in a stretch - no gas at all. It runs on an electric motor. The gas 'generator' is only there for charging the battery if it drops below 30%. So, if your commute is less than 40 miles round trip, you never actually use the gas. You just plug it in at night and you're good. I'm watching this one with great interest as it gets closer to it's 2010 (fall of '09) release date.

First thing I did after I got my Prius was to have a plug in conversion installed. Driving to work and doing short distance errands the engine never comes out of idle unless I accelerate hard for some reason. I fill up about once every two months and it works out to about 100mpg (102 and 97 my last two fillups).

Be aware that on long distance trips your mileage drops off substantially especially if you're unable to plug in at night. I drove back and forth to Indianapolis last summer and got about 50mpg for the trip.

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ORIGINAL: rubberpet

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ORIGINAL: Hippiekinkster

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ORIGINAL: rubberpet

I have an '06 Volvo S60 R and I love it.  Volvos are not only the safest cars on the road, mine is particularly cool.  A 345 HP inline-5 with a K&N air filter and I'm getting close to 30 mpg on the interstate at 70 mph!  I can hit over 35 mpg on regular highways.

I wouldn't trade this car for any other car or truck on the road.  It's official...I'm a Volvo guy!

Frankly, I feel safer in my Benz than my Volvo. Solid. About 4000 pounds.

Well, my Volvo might not be 4000 pounds, but with a dozen airbags in it, if I ever get hit, I'll be inside a giant inflatable marshmallow!  LOL  I actually passed up buying a Benz to buy my Volvo because I felt it was not only safer to drive since I have a long commute to work, but it had more horsepower, a smoother ride, better styling, and was still cheaper than the Benz I was looking at.  Now that I'm getting really great gas mileage, I'm happy I bought the Volvo.  But hey, that's why people have choices.

No matter what you drive, I hope any car you drive keeps you safe in a time of need.  Auto accidents suck.

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ORIGINAL: Smith117

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ORIGINAL: DomKen

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ORIGINAL: Smith117
However I recently stumbled upon the Chevy Volt. This is an interesting machine. It can go about 640 miles on one 12-gallon tank. Or, if you don't drive more than 40 miles in a stretch - no gas at all. It runs on an electric motor. The gas 'generator' is only there for charging the battery if it drops below 30%. So, if your commute is less than 40 miles round trip, you never actually use the gas. You just plug it in at night and you're good. I'm watching this one with great interest as it gets closer to it's 2010 (fall of '09) release date.

First thing I did after I got my Prius was to have a plug in conversion installed. Driving to work and doing short distance errands the engine never comes out of idle unless I accelerate hard for some reason. I fill up about once every two months and it works out to about 100mpg (102 and 97 my last two fillups).

Be aware that on long distance trips your mileage drops off substantially especially if you're unable to plug in at night. I drove back and forth to Indianapolis last summer and got about 50mpg for the trip.

The Prius and the Volt aren't even in the same category. The Volt doesn't even have an actualy "car engine" in it. Just a generator. It's not even connected to the wheels. I don't even think it starts up until the battery's charge gets below 30%. Mileage doesn't really apply to the Volt since it's not actually using the gas to power the drivetrain.

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ORIGINAL: DomKen

They're differences for sure but what I said above holds. You're going to get great mileage in stop and go short distance travel and do much worse in long distance hauls where you can't plug in at night.

One thing I didn't see in a quick look at the Volt's website is does it use regenerative breaking? I assume it does but if it doesn't you best hope someone comes out with an aftermarket kit.

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ORIGINAL: Aneirin

If I ever get a car again, I am after a vw synchro, yeah, it might be diesel, but a hell of a lot better than my old  aircooled type two, and hey, the heater might be better in this one.

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ORIGINAL: BlackPhx

Hybrid trucks are coming out, with all the same pulling power but better gas mileage. Might be worth taking a look at.

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ORIGINAL: Smith117

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ORIGINAL: DomKen

They're differences for sure but what I said above holds. You're going to get great mileage in stop and go short distance travel and do much worse in long distance hauls where you can't plug in at night.

One thing I didn't see in a quick look at the Volt's website is does it use regenerative breaking? I assume it does but if it doesn't you best hope someone comes out with an aftermarket kit.

It doesn't need it. You're missing the point of the car. It's fully electric. The milage, as it pertains to gas usage, doesn't suffer from traffic conditions. Whether you stop and go or drive constantly for 40 miles, they're saying you get 40 miles off of one charge and the generator will charge it automatically at 30%. The generator would then run at a constant speed regardless of how you were driving. So, if you drove only 40 miles or less a day, you would use no gas whatsoever, much like the Tesla Roadster. Only I don't think the Tesla has a fuel-burning motor at all.

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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

       What is this actually doing to the electric bill, though?  I'd really be curious to see how the power use of recharging an electric car compares to household appliances.  I know what it adds to the bill to plug in a space heater every night during the cold months.  Am I just going to be sending the same amount of money to a different monopolistic corporation every month?

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ORIGINAL: DomKen

I think you misunderstand.

Regenerative braking, using the electric motor to brake the vehicle and generate current in the process, is a major advantage cars using any sort of electric drivetrain should employ. It greatly reduces total energy expenditure in stop and go traffic.

And as a plug in machine you're going to get the best gas mileage when you plug the vehicle in at night and recharge the battery from the grid. If you drive long distance and can't plug in afterwards you have to run the gas engine much more frequently to keep the car moving which means more frequent fillups.

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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

       What is this actually doing to the electric bill, though?  I'd really be curious to see how the power use of recharging an electric car compares to household appliances.  I know what it adds to the bill to plug in a space heater every night during the cold months.  Am I just going to be sending the same amount of money to a different monopolistic corporation every month?

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ORIGINAL: Smith117

Where I live, this would be irrelevant due to the garages being centrally located in the complex and on a different 'grid' than what we pay for in the complex. I could charge the Volt nightly and never see it on my bill as the outlet it would use is not connected to my apartment.

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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic
And with a seperate utility bill, the added draw of the car isn't going to affect the tiered billing system on a single residential meter.  I feel like the question is being dodged.  What does a recharging car equate to?  A TV set?  Electric range?  Window mounted AC?

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ORIGINAL: TheHeretic

         Hehehe.  Only until the landlord notices.  And with a seperate utility bill, the added draw of the car isn't going to affect the tiered billing system on a single residential meter.  I feel like the question is being dodged.  What does a recharging car equate to?  A TV set?  Electric range?  Window mounted AC?