The American taxpayer owned General Motors recently announced that its 2011 Chevrolet Volt will get 230 miles per gallon. While the Obama administration has repeatedly claimed it has “no interest” in running GM, from literally its first day as majority owner of the car maker the White House has been bragging about its ability to direct GM to make smaller cars in idled union factories.
But now along comes Consumer Reports to throw some cold water on GM’s latest eco-friendly claims:
In the end, 230 mpg might be the exaggeration of the “century.” If you are a cyclist like I am, you may have heard about doing a “century,” riding 100 miles. But imagine that after you rode that distance, you found out that some agency has devised a way to calculate your ride as 230 miles based on the ratio of your front sprocket to wheel diameter, wind resistance, and the solar load on your front forks. Would you tell everyone that you rode 100 miles? Or would you say that you rode 230 miles based on a “draft” measurement that you can’t really talk about?
New Geography‘s Wendell Cox adds:
Now there is nothing to be ashamed about 60 miles per gallon, unless, that is, you have claimed 230 miles per gallon. Regrettably, General Motors, which could have claimed a great environmental advance, has diminished it by failing to “level” with the public. This kind of public relations will not help a company whose performance has cost it market share for well over a generation.
GM has excellent engineering capacity if left alone by the CFO's , CEO's and politicians. The Chevy Volt is a gutsy move and demonstrates the best of American innovation. GM should be applauded for its efforts. Instead politics will hinder the development process of this exciting vehicle.
Remember that most people statistically drive less than 40 miles per day. Many Volt owners may rarely use any gasoline. Remember, gasoline vehicles put 15% of their fuel energy to the wheels; electric vehicles put 80% to the wheels.
First of all: any claims of 230 miles to the gallon on this electric car are bold face lies. Just as the previous commenter’s is wrong with their assertion the car can be driven for 40 miles without using any gasoline. Gasoline is a fuel, as are oil, coal, and diesel. Electricity is “energy” that is derived from fuel. The electricity from the outlet where the car is charge was generated by burning a verity of fuels; coal, oil, atomic energy, and diesel. So fuel was consumed to charge the batteries that propel the car.
To properly determine the cars fuel efficiency, the amount of electric energy required to carry the car 40 miles should be measured. That energy can be converted into gallons of diesel from statistics maintained by the local electric company. (i.e. how much diesel fuel would the power company need to burn to generate that much electricity) That fuel consumption should be used in determining the cars fuel mileage.