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Volt MPG Request

Discussion in 'Chevrolet Volt' started by Hank101, Feb 25, 2013.

  1. Hank101

    Hank101 Member

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    Volt owners, I am considering purchasing a Volt, and solicit your input on "expected" MPG for my daily commute (understanding numerous influences), below are the details:

    80 miles round-trip
    SC climate (average high 75F, average low 50F)
    500' elevation drop in the 40 mile morning commute (cooler temps)
    500' elevation climb in the 40 mile afternoon commute (warmer temps)
    Only 1 charge point, at night, 110, full charge.
    90% highway (65-70mph).

    Thanks,
     
  2. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    If you haven't already, I'd also post your query on gm-volt.com.
     
  3. John H

    John H Senior Member

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    Use this tool to confirm some EV estimates. See if you can figure out how many miles you will have remaining after exhausting the battery. Use 10.8 kWh for a 2013 model, NOT the 16kWh the tool defaults to.

    www.jurassictest.ch/GR/

    You should easily stay in EV mode on the 40 mile downhill morning commute. The 40 mile uphill commute without a fresh charge will kick in CS mode. Worst case you will use an entire gallon to go the 40 miles, but I'm guessing you will get as much as 15 miles of EV on the afternoon commute and then 25 miles of CS, at about 38 mpg, uphill, or 2/3 gallon. This is just a guess and you might do significantly better.

    If you use:
    2/3 gallon for 80 miles, thats about 120 mpg,
    1/2 gallon would be 160 mpg.

    If you can manage to find a place for charging during the day, it would be worthwhile. Consider locations that are walkable from your destination. I often plug in and walk as much as 10 minutes to destinations just to avoid using gasoline and getting some exercise.
     
  4. Hank101

    Hank101 Member

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    Waiting for my posting privilages (GM-volt.com)to be activated. Not sure why they havent been after registering 2 days ago???
     
  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The 2013 has the hold button to save EV charge, so you can optimize when using electric. Such has turning over to gas on the downhill highway stretch. Keeping it below 65, or better yet 60, then will surely beat the EPA 40mpg then.
     
  6. gwmort

    gwmort Active Member

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    Conservatively, I'd say to estimate one gallon a day. 500 feet over 40 miles isn't exactly what I would consider downhill, but you'll probably get there on electric and burn a gallon getting back.

    I've driven a Volt for 2 years and more than 30,000 miles.

    Should also add there are different schools of thought with regard to that one gallon over 80 miles, because it doesn't factor in the 10 some odd kwh's you'll also burn it is not accurate to describe your overall efficiency as 80 mpg. I'm too tired to do math right now but its about another 1/3 of a gallon of energy so I estimate efficiency equivalent around 60 mpge.
     
    John Hatchett likes this.
  7. Hank101

    Hank101 Member

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    If you were to complete a full charge, and then head out onto the highway driving 65mph, what would your mpg be after every 50 miles (including your electric use in the average)?
     
  8. Voltdriver

    Voltdriver Junior Member

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    After you learn to optimize your driving, you will likely have about 10 miles of range left when you get to work if it is downhill. But that will bleed off pretty quick on the way back. I think the estimates of using 1 gallon are pretty solid.
     
  9. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

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    A full charge of 13kwh is approx 1/3 gallon of gas (approx $1.43 at national avg of .11cent per kwh)
    NOTE: the following isn't the exact way mpge is calculated which can be found here: Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    If you get:

    35 miles EV=.3 gallon
    15 hwy miles gas at 40mpg=.375 gal
    50 miles/.675=74mpg(e)

    or
    38 miles EV=.3 gal
    12 hwy miles/40mpg=.3 gal
    50 miles/.6 gal=83mpg(e)

    40 miles EV=.3 gal
    10 hwy/40mpg=.25 gal
    50 mils/.55 gal=91mpg(e)

    YMMV
     
  10. John H

    John H Senior Member

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    maybe another approach to estimating a specific commuting scenario. use the tool but adjust the battery size to some number like 100kWh rather than 10.8kWh.

    www.jurassictest.ch/GR/

    get the total kWh consumption for the round trip commute.

    subtract 10.8 for the standard full charge
    for every additional 10.8 kWh consumed substitute 1 gallon of gasoline.

    example :

    80 miles, if tool says 18kWh needed.

    18 - 10.8 = 7.2

    7.2/10.8 = 0.67

    0.67 x 1 gallon = .67 gallons of fuel.
     
  11. gwmort

    gwmort Active Member

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    look at fotomoto's math above for the first 50 miles, to keep the math easy I'll use his third example of 40 miles EV and 40 mpg thereafter (about what I would expect in your climate).

    So for the first 50 miles you got 91 mpge
    50 miles later you will have burned another 1.25 gallons, so 100 miles on 1.8 gallons (or equivalent) or 55.6 mpge
    at 150 miles you're at 3.05 gallons or equivalent or about 49.2 mpge
    at 200 miles you're at 4.3 gallons or equivalent or about 46.5 mpge
    at 250 miles about 45.0 mpge
    at 300 miles about 44.1 mpge
    and so on approaching the lower limit of 40 mpge.

    edit:
    Knowing your personal use patterns is very important in deciding if a plug-in suits you, the more you can stay in the electric range the more benefit you will receive, there is no one best car for every possible driver. The Pip for instance is a good choice if you consistently drive longer distances where the more efficient gas engine becomes a bigger factor.
     
  12. Hank101

    Hank101 Member

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    Thanks to all for the excellent detail, this helps much.

    Having a long commute for many years has afforded me the opportunity to practice efficient driving techniques - and I do despise paying for gas.

    My past "high efficiency" vehicles include: 1) Gen 1 Honda Insight (awesome mileage, dangerous lack of power/protection), 09 Jetta TDI (good highway, bad city "tank"), Gen III Prius (current), and likely soon-to-be Volt - All very different cars.

    While the Prius is a fine car, and marvel of technology, I feel that the Volt would be a better fit for my commute, general weekly use, and personal taste (biggest factor). I have been "studying up" on the volt from great forums like this one and GM-volt, and see that that are many comparisons to the Prius, which is very helpful. However, I feel that the Prius is not really a 50 mpg car, more like 47 on average, based on numerous test/Scan gauge - additionally, they are know for reporting high numbers. I have also test driven the Volt, and agree, they are two VERY different machines.

    With regards to how I feel the Volt will perform in my scenario, assuming a single charge point (home) for the weekly 80 mile RT commute, and all electric weekends, I anticipate a significant boost in fuel conservation. My general estimate is all battery to work (40 x 5=200 miles), gas home (40 x 5=200 miles, 5 gal), all battery weekends (~100 Miles), and then back into the middle of following week commute (4 days) - so not just the commute, weekend use as well - perhaps a 700 mile tank. I have begun discussions with my employer regarding a charge point, but I suspect trepidation due to complications from other employees - this is rural SC.

    I grow excited regarding my "impending" purchase. There not cheap, but for some reason SC is one of the few states that offers a $2k hybrid tax credit, maybe, its difficult to decipher the lingo. Combined with the Federal credit make the purchase less painful.

    Again, thanks again for all of your input.