Article - Which Saves More Gasoline,Toyota Prius or Chevy Volt ?
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Good comparo, but it should be comparing EREV's: Volt to Prime.
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How to get me to buy a gen 2:
Take away my gen 1 and make all other cars a prius.
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DAMN that thing is ugly!
Take away my gen 1 and make all other cars a prius.
DAMN that thing is ugly!
NO disputing that.How to get me to buy a gen 2:
Take away my gen 1 and make all other cars a prius.
![]()
DAMN that thing is ugly!
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363 Posts
Assuming you have always wanted to pay twice as much for a Honda look-a-like!
The biggest difference between the Volt and Prius Prime is not even listed.
There is a fundamental engineering difference. The Prime is designed around the gasoline engine being the powerplant, with an electric assist. The Volt is designed around the electric motor, with the gas engine used to extend the range when the battery runs out.
If you drive assertively, you will always use gas in the Prime. The electric motor is not big, so you need gasoline to help you along.
You can drive the Volt like you just stole it, and the gas engine stays off until the battery runs out.
And in there lies why EV powertrains are superior. The Prime SHOULD be as quick as a Volt based on specs. It's not even close though. EV powertrains have both instant response and more 'area under the curve' which gives the Volt the edge.
There is a fundamental engineering difference. The Prime is designed around the gasoline engine being the powerplant, with an electric assist. The Volt is designed around the electric motor, with the gas engine used to extend the range when the battery runs out.
If you drive assertively, you will always use gas in the Prime. The electric motor is not big, so you need gasoline to help you along.
You can drive the Volt like you just stole it, and the gas engine stays off until the battery runs out.
And in there lies why EV powertrains are superior. The Prime SHOULD be as quick as a Volt based on specs. It's not even close though. EV powertrains have both instant response and more 'area under the curve' which gives the Volt the edge.
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Although many of us here agree Volt is better, I have a sneaky suspicion that the Prime may upend the Volt on sales this year. Simple brand recognition--with an improved (if deficient) plug-in offering.
One of my workmates bought a Prime. He moved "up" from a regular older Prius. We plug-in owners (there are four of us), shook our collective heads. We have 2 Gen 2 owners, 1 Gen 1 (me), a Tesla, and now a Prime. We all drive a LOT for work, but the Volts still smoke the Prime on lifetime MPG (and of course the Tesla smokes us all--but sometimes he breaks out his VW due to range anxiety, so could be more of a wash). After looking at the Prime's interior, I was shocked at how "Gen 1" it is. White ceramic accents, 4 seats, channeling the "gee wiz" tech factor (with form sacrificed).
In the end, the more with plugs the better. I don't mind a little healthy competition on "who gets the best" MPG. Maybe someday Prime owners will step UP to a *Gen 1* Volt after getting annoyed at such little EV range.
One of my workmates bought a Prime. He moved "up" from a regular older Prius. We plug-in owners (there are four of us), shook our collective heads. We have 2 Gen 2 owners, 1 Gen 1 (me), a Tesla, and now a Prime. We all drive a LOT for work, but the Volts still smoke the Prime on lifetime MPG (and of course the Tesla smokes us all--but sometimes he breaks out his VW due to range anxiety, so could be more of a wash). After looking at the Prime's interior, I was shocked at how "Gen 1" it is. White ceramic accents, 4 seats, channeling the "gee wiz" tech factor (with form sacrificed).
In the end, the more with plugs the better. I don't mind a little healthy competition on "who gets the best" MPG. Maybe someday Prime owners will step UP to a *Gen 1* Volt after getting annoyed at such little EV range.
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I did the "close the door with gusto" test on the 2016 Prius and the 2016 Volt, for giggles, when I was shopping with my son for his car. I recall that GM had spent engineering time long ago to perfect the solid sound of closing a hefty door and has followed through all these years with that effect. Toyota didn't copy THAT! You have to ask yourself, do I want to drive a tin can or do I want to drive a tank?
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Since I purchased my Volt about three weeks ago, I have driven slightly over 600 miles after I got it home. I have used 00.17 gallons of gas. NICE...
With my old Volt under the same conditions I would have gotten low 40s on the battery---with the 2016 Volt I am getting high 60s under the same circumstances. I have not used the engine enough ( 00.17 ) gallons to have any real idea what it will get on gas only; however, based on what my 2012 Volt got, I would expect high 40s to low 50s.
With my old Volt under the same conditions I would have gotten low 40s on the battery---with the 2016 Volt I am getting high 60s under the same circumstances. I have not used the engine enough ( 00.17 ) gallons to have any real idea what it will get on gas only; however, based on what my 2012 Volt got, I would expect high 40s to low 50s.
It's such an easy question to answer. http://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/prius?engineconfig_id=&bodytype_id=&submodel_id= versus Monthly MPG tab of https://www.voltstats.net/ and done. The Prius fleet does about 48 MPG. The Volt does about 120 (100 in winter, low 140s in summer). (Can't use Fuelly's numbers for Volt because they're just noise, and self-reported to boot. VoltStats comes right off the telemetry and it's REALLY HARD to cheat it.)
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Unfortunately Voltstats doesn't breakout Gen 1 vs Gen 2, would be nice if they did.
Won't matter until the Prius somehow manages to start pulling 100 MPG out of its tailpipe. And frankly, I don't think anything but the Prime ever will, and that only by working more like the Volt.
Overall it's a fascinating angle but it's just statistics...
I could claim, "The F150 has saved more gasoline than any other vehicle!" How'd I get there, statistics...The F150 has the been the top selling vehicle of all time and it continually improves its fuel economy...
I could claim, "The F150 has saved more gasoline than any other vehicle!" How'd I get there, statistics...The F150 has the been the top selling vehicle of all time and it continually improves its fuel economy...
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