Comments on: EPA Closer to Giving the Chevy Volt at Least a 100 mpg Rating http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/13/epa-closer-to-giving-the-chevy-volt-at-least-a-100-mpg-rating/ Real-time news, information, and discussion about the Chevrolet Volt. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:49:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Top 10 Electric Cars Coming to the US in 2009/2010 : Gas 2.0 http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/13/epa-closer-to-giving-the-chevy-volt-at-least-a-100-mpg-rating/#comment-90822 Top 10 Electric Cars Coming to the US in 2009/2010 : Gas 2.0 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:32:46 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1329#comment-90822 [...] Far: 40 Miles on battery power alone, something like 50 MPG after [...] [...] Far: 40 Miles on battery power alone, something like 50 MPG after [...]

]]> By: Randy B. http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/13/epa-closer-to-giving-the-chevy-volt-at-least-a-100-mpg-rating/#comment-74124 Randy B. Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:22:26 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1329#comment-74124 A standard unit of measure for energy input is needed to make a comparison understandable to the public. The energy content (btu) of various fuels is confusing to most: diesel-as much as 140,000 per gal.(is that U.S. or Imperial?) gasoline- maybe 120,000 per gal.? propane-91,500 gal. or 2500 per cu. ft. at 11" w.c. pressure. natural gas- 1050 or so per cu. ft. at 7" w.c. . hydrogen- I don't have a clue. electric- 3413 per kW (could be off on this one) If there was a comparison of how many miles a certain vehicle got under a standard set of conditions with an input of (lets say) 100,000 btu (one THERM), the comparative efficiency of a particular vehicle would become clear, and the operational expense would be easier to compute for different regions of the world. A hybrid would show some type of sliding scale so that a person could see what the mileage would be for the planned volt; electric only, on board generator running full time (you started trip with 30% charge), or a mix of the two (lets say a 200 mile trip started with a full charge). A "therm" is a unit of measure equal to 100,000 btu. I believe natural gas is usually sold in this unit of measure. A standard unit of measure for energy input is needed to make a comparison understandable to the public. The energy content (btu) of various fuels is confusing to most:
diesel-as much as 140,000 per gal.(is that U.S. or Imperial?)
gasoline- maybe 120,000 per gal.?
propane-91,500 gal. or 2500 per cu. ft. at 11″ w.c. pressure.
natural gas- 1050 or so per cu. ft. at 7″ w.c. .
hydrogen- I don’t have a clue.
electric- 3413 per kW (could be off on this one)

If there was a comparison of how many miles a certain vehicle got under a standard set of conditions with an input of (lets say) 100,000 btu (one THERM), the comparative efficiency of a particular vehicle would become clear, and the operational expense would be easier to compute for different regions of the world. A hybrid would show some type of sliding scale so that a person could see what the mileage would be for the planned volt; electric only, on board generator running full time (you started trip with 30% charge), or a mix of the two (lets say a 200 mile trip started with a full charge).

A “therm” is a unit of measure equal to 100,000 btu. I believe natural gas is usually sold in this unit of measure.

]]> By: statik http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/13/epa-closer-to-giving-the-chevy-volt-at-least-a-100-mpg-rating/#comment-74089 statik Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:04:16 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1329#comment-74089 Ok, this thread is a little long in the tooth, but autoblog has a update on it...thought I'd pass it along: "Update: GM Spokesman Rob Peterson has just let us know that the Seattle Times report is based on an earlier erroneous, Bloomberg report. GM is still talking to the EPA and nothing has changed in the last two weeks." http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/14/has-epa-approved-test-procedure-that-would-give-volt-100-mpg-rat/ Ok, this thread is a little long in the tooth, but autoblog has a update on it…thought I’d pass it along:

“Update: GM Spokesman Rob Peterson has just let us know that the Seattle Times report is based on an earlier erroneous, Bloomberg report. GM is still talking to the EPA and nothing has changed in the last two weeks.”

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/14/has-epa-approved-test-procedure-that-would-give-volt-100-mpg-rat/

]]> By: Arty http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/13/epa-closer-to-giving-the-chevy-volt-at-least-a-100-mpg-rating/#comment-74083 Arty Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:57:18 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1329#comment-74083 People buying the Volt will do so because they value the AER. That means they understand that to "fill" the battery with 8kWh of energy at an average of $.14/kWh = $1.12 for 40 miles range. Compare that to something around $5 for 40 miles with an average gas engine and it begins to sink in. While overall vehicle cost is higher than a plain ICE - the Volt will cost you 80% less than driving a typical gasoline powered vehicle. The EPA figures are a measurement of the past. Of course if you're like the guy in San Diego with PV on the roof and no electric bills for the last seven years - energy costs for your Volt is zero. Or if you live in the Northwest and pay around $.07/kWh - your 40 miles costs you $.56 cents. Sounds damned attractive. People buying the Volt will do so because they value the AER. That means they understand that to “fill” the battery with 8kWh of energy at an average of $.14/kWh = $1.12 for 40 miles range. Compare that to something around $5 for 40 miles with an average gas engine and it begins to sink in. While overall vehicle cost is higher than a plain ICE – the Volt will cost you 80% less than driving a typical gasoline powered vehicle. The EPA figures are a measurement of the past.

Of course if you’re like the guy in San Diego with PV on the roof and no electric bills for the last seven years – energy costs for your Volt is zero. Or if you live in the Northwest and pay around $.07/kWh – your 40 miles costs you $.56 cents. Sounds damned attractive.

]]> By: Steveland Harris http://gm-volt.com/2008/10/13/epa-closer-to-giving-the-chevy-volt-at-least-a-100-mpg-rating/#comment-74017 Steveland Harris Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:05:38 +0000 http://gm-volt.com/?p=1329#comment-74017 What's the deal with the posted graphic above? It has 2.5 and 3.1 which if multiplied by 16kWh gives us a 40 miles of all electric range (AER), but we all know that the Volt will use only 8kWh of its whole 16kWh. So the Volt is really more efficient than this chart implies, or am I getting worked up over a chart that's no remotely based on reality? The way I see it: when the we have E-Flex with a Volt body driving on real streets then we will know what the fuel/battery economy are. What’s the deal with the posted graphic above? It has 2.5 and 3.1 which if multiplied by 16kWh gives us a 40 miles of all electric range (AER), but we all know that the Volt will use only 8kWh of its whole 16kWh. So the Volt is really more efficient than this chart implies, or am I getting worked up over a chart that’s no remotely based on reality? The way I see it: when the we have E-Flex with a Volt body driving on real streets then we will know what the fuel/battery economy are.

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