A friend sent me one of those right wing attack emails regarding the Chevy volt saying how it was such a big rip off etc. So I googled and tried to figure out the "truth" about its operating costs.

I found hard information a bit difficult to come by. Taking information from a Car and Driver road test I belive the following is fairly close to reality:

1. The range on battery only is from 25 to 60 miles. The cost to charge overnight on average is $1.60. Here I believe it would be closer to $1 using our rates. So if you happen to drive around town only a lot and figure average range on electric only of 25 miles that yeilds a cost per mile of $.06/ mile. Fuel only.

2. The steady state mpg highway using gasoline only they found to be about 35 mpg. Using a cost of 3.65/ gal this yields a cost of about .11/ mile fuel only.

3. Cost to purchase is listed at about $40,000 suggested list with a rebate of $7500 from the government. The net then to a consumer is 32,500. I saw a cost to the average taxpayer for this rebate of $.01. I imagine the list price will go down eventually as they sell more of them and the rebate expires. I have no idea what the actual negotiated cost people can get with them.

3. Special hardware is $0 because you can plug into an ordinary three prong outlet. If you want to use 220 and don't have a plug that might cost extra. Supposedly charging with 220 is a little more effecient but not significantly so.


The following is my thoughts based on information gleaned here and there:

Average operating costs:

For my self, I probably drive a lot more on the highway than most people. I suspect between all my vehicles, mb diesels, dodge diesel and Miata I probably drive on average 30,000 miles. I estimate that 20,000 of that is highway and of the highway probably over half is in the dodge.

Chevy volt:

I believe an average of 15,000 miles a year is considered average. Lets say it is half highway.

7500 higway at .11/ mile = $825/ year

7500 city at .06/ mile = $450

83 mercedes:

My most fuel efficient car is my 83 300d with 307 diff and five speed overdrive, that would use:

7500 highway at 35 mpg = $4.00/35 = .11/ mile x 7500 = $825

7500 city at 22 mpg = $4/22 = .18/ mile x 7500 = $1,350

I have about $3000 or so invested in my old car. The volt would be about $32,500 so if you borrowed it all the interest at 6% over five years would be about $925/ yr. so the cost of running the volt if you put in interest is $2150.
The cost of running my old benzo for fuel only is $2,175 assuming no interest cost and no repairs.

Actually the volt does not look too bad on overall cost. I cannot imagine a more frugal sedan to compare it to than my old benzo.

Thoughts Gentlemen and Ladies?




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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.