We have had substantial discussions about how the Volt’s 40 mile electric range is calculated. Since the car only exists in models, the 40 mile range isn’t real road conditions, but was arrived at using computer models.
People often question whether that 40 miles will be “downhill with a tailwind” and no AC or headlights, or whether it will be true in real-world driving situations.
As this number is very significant from a marketing and PR standpoint, I would think GM is likely being pretty conservative in this estimate, although some commenters suspect they might be putting their best foot forward.
I decided to ask those people at GM who are integral to the E-Flex program and here is their response:
GM-Volt: Is the 40 mile all-electric range a MAXIMUM, or is it based on one of the EPA driving profiles?
GM: The 40 mile range is modelled on the EPA city cycle (federal test procedure) – and the 40 miles is our target for battery END OF LIFE. The EPA city cycle includes a range of starts, stops and accelerations.
So it looks like they mean we should get 40 miles electric in real-world city drives folks, although from my prior GM discussions, they do mean with the A/C off.
