The Chevy Volt Electric Car is getting closer to release and more and mroe info is being leaked by Chevy. I personally have been waiting to buy the first plug in hybrid for several years but finally caved and bought a Prius gas and electric hybrid this summer since I could wait no longer.
Recently, a new less-muscular vision of the Volt was released. Apparently the original design was not as wind proof as needed.
The fact that the car will be marketed to the average buyer was also released. The Tesla electric car is going to be marketed to the (very) high end driver so this is a good move on Chevy's part IMO.
More info to be let out:
- The battery will weight 400 pounds
- The car will get 100 MPG estimated in the "all electric" mode and 50 MPG in the gas/electric mode (similar to the 40 MPG my Prius gets usually)
- It will run 40 miles on electricity from the charge and 400 miles on a tank of gas(same miles per tank as my Prius).
- The battery will be a lithium ion electric car battery
- the estimated retail cost will be $40,000
How much will the electric only part of the trip cost you in your new Chevy Volt? Tesla motors estimate it will only be a few cents a mile. Contrast that with $4 a gallon gas and a 15 MPG gas guzzler full sized SUV which uses 20 cetns per mile of gas and you will feel pretty good!
As far as green house emissions, the Chevy Volt will only do better in that arena with electric charging if the electricity is uses to charge up is from a "green" source such as wind or hydroelectricity.
Let's hope they release it soon! You can buy an electric car for sale right now though.. don't wait.