Three or four times now, I’ve read head-to-head comparisons between the Chevrolet Volt and the Chevrolet Cruze Eco in various media publications. Frankly, this bugs me.
I understand the purpose of the story: so consumers know which one will provide the most efficiency compared to its purchase price. But to me, it’s like comparing a Nissan Versa to a Nissan LEAF pulling a trailer, hauling a gas-powered generator at the end of an extension cord.
The main concern in most of these articles comes down to the fact that vehicles like the Volt and LEAF have limited distances on which they can run as fully electric vehicles – it is their Achilles’ heel.
Bottom line: If you’re really, really concerned about the Volt’s fuel consumption, chances are it’s not for you.
The Chevrolet Volt was designed with the daily commutes in mind. Seventy-eight percent of the U.S. population drives 64km or less every day. If you plan on travelling more than that, you might want to shop for something else.
Don’t get me wrong, as an extended-range vehicle the Volt can go as far as you want it to go. Once you’ve depleted all the juice in the battery pack, the 1.4L engine fires up and produces energy that’s sent to the batteries in order to keep the electric motor going. If there isn’t a charging station nearby, just fill it up with gas.
Very roughly put, the inclusion of the gas engine in the Volt is a little like carrying your charging station around with you. Driving the Volt with the gas engine spinning will net you between 6 and 7 L/100 km; only when you factor in the distance driven on electric power alone will your fuel consumption be competitive with the Cruze Eco, a typical compact hybrid, or any fuel-efficient subcompact.
The real story here should be that if you drive under 64 km a day, the Volt will only cost you a few dimes a day, whereas you'll need to dish out $5 to pay for gas for the same distance travelled in the Cruze Eco.
I understand the purpose of the story: so consumers know which one will provide the most efficiency compared to its purchase price. But to me, it’s like comparing a Nissan Versa to a Nissan LEAF pulling a trailer, hauling a gas-powered generator at the end of an extension cord.
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| Photo: Michel Deslauriers/Auto123.com |
The main concern in most of these articles comes down to the fact that vehicles like the Volt and LEAF have limited distances on which they can run as fully electric vehicles – it is their Achilles’ heel.
Bottom line: If you’re really, really concerned about the Volt’s fuel consumption, chances are it’s not for you.
The Chevrolet Volt was designed with the daily commutes in mind. Seventy-eight percent of the U.S. population drives 64km or less every day. If you plan on travelling more than that, you might want to shop for something else.
Don’t get me wrong, as an extended-range vehicle the Volt can go as far as you want it to go. Once you’ve depleted all the juice in the battery pack, the 1.4L engine fires up and produces energy that’s sent to the batteries in order to keep the electric motor going. If there isn’t a charging station nearby, just fill it up with gas.
Very roughly put, the inclusion of the gas engine in the Volt is a little like carrying your charging station around with you. Driving the Volt with the gas engine spinning will net you between 6 and 7 L/100 km; only when you factor in the distance driven on electric power alone will your fuel consumption be competitive with the Cruze Eco, a typical compact hybrid, or any fuel-efficient subcompact.
The real story here should be that if you drive under 64 km a day, the Volt will only cost you a few dimes a day, whereas you'll need to dish out $5 to pay for gas for the same distance travelled in the Cruze Eco.
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| Photo: Michel Deslauriers/Auto123.com |