The official fuel economy numbers for GM's long-awaited Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid are in. Given that the Volt uses two energy sources, electricity from the grid, and gasoline from the pump, with the mix depending on how far you drive and how often you charge the battery, the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) released three mileage ratings.
When driven in pure electric mode, the Volt has an MPG equivalent (MPGe) equivalent of 93 miles per gallon [equal to 2.5 lt/100km]. The EPA determined this figure by using a standardized formula that converts kilowatt-hours of electricity to gallons of gas.According to the EPA, with a fully charged battery, the Volt has a driving range of 35 miles, which is less than the 40 mile range GM had previously announced.
Once the battery is drained and the 1.4-liter gasoline fueled engine / generator kicks in to motivate the Volt, the car is rated at 37 miles per gallon [6.4 lt/100km]. Finally, the government agency determined that when using both its batteries and gasoline engine, the Volt will get 60 miles per gallon [3.92 lt/100km].
