[Steverino]

The Volt is changing consumer perception of electric cars, describing the car as “fun to drive” in direct opposition with Mazda’s campaign to paint electric vehicles as the ultimate buzzkill. 90% of Volt owners are new to GM, many trading in a Toyota Prius.

http://gas2.org/2011/05/04/gms-chevy-volt-exceeding-expectations-luring-in-prius-owners/

Mazda (coming out with an EV) has an anti-EV campaign? Odd but true.
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/04/20/mazdas-message-new-york-not-electric-not-hybrid/

So much in one article. Volt's "fun to drive" differentiator, Prius owners switching, Mazda suffering VES and bashing itself.

 

[Noel Park]

My mother always says, "Consider the source." I mean, who really cares what Mazda says?

With apologies to Forrest Gump, irrelevant is as irrelevant does.

 

[N Riley]

A big +1 for you, Noel.

 

[Noel Park]

A big +1 for you, Noel.

Thanks pardner! Same to you.

 

[Lowa]

A friend sent me this article about the economics of driving a Volt: http://autos.yahoo.com/news/volt-goes-1-000-miles-between-fill-ups--says-gm.html

However, I have been getting much better results than the article talks about. For example, my last tank of gas lasted me 1600 miles, and the only reason it didn't go further was because I took a small road trip, using mostly gas. Before that trip, my lifetime fuel economy was 133 mpg; now it's at 118 mpg. I must say, without babying it at all (I accelerate quickly, use A/C and drive at highway speeds 65+ mph), my Volt is outperforming most expectations set by Chevy and critics. I've gotten up to 44.1 miles on one charge during my daily commute.

 

[tfford]

A friend sent me this article about the economics of driving a Volt: http://autos.yahoo.com/news/volt-goes-1-000-miles-between-fill-ups--says-gm.html

However, I have been getting much better results than the article talks about. For example, my last tank of gas lasted me 1600 miles, and the only reason it didn't go further was because I took a small road trip, using mostly gas. Before that trip, my lifetime fuel economy was 133 mpg; now it's at 118 mpg. I must say, without babying it at all (I accelerate quickly, use A/C and drive at highway speeds 65+ mph), my Volt is outperforming most expectations set by Chevy and critics. I've gotten up to 44.1 miles on one charge during my daily commute.

Unfortunately for me, I'll never be one of the Volt owners getting 250+ MPG as my daily commute is 66 miles so I obviously burn gas every day.

However, with that being said, I daily get 45 - 48 miles on a charge, literally! My daily MPG average is typically a low of about 112 and a high of about 128, depends on "how" I drive. The morning commute is early (5:00am) so it's easy to keep the speed down to 55 - 60 (battery likes the lower speeds) and I drive all the way in on electric. On the way home, the moment I hit the beltway I switch to Mountain Mode, kick the speed up to 70 - 75 and drive that way until I'm about 16 miles from the house where I switch back to normal drive mode and slow down to 60 - 65 until I get off the freeway and speed is then 35 - 50 rest of the way.

I do get 900+ miles between fill-ups and my gas cost has dropped from ~$300/mo. to ~$60/mo while my electric bill has increased ~$36/mo. Do the math.

Granted this won't "pay" for the car for many years (if ever in my case) but the car is FUN to drive on top of everything else and when you're driving 66+ miles/day, economy ain't everything and I doubt a Prius is FUN to drive, simply economical.

 

[TexRiguez]

Wow! You sir are a SuperGenuis! I have yet to learn what this car can do as I only commute 16 miles, but I know how to go out of town now! RollOut!

 

[voltage692]

Unfortunately for me, I'll never be one of the Volt owners getting 250+ MPG as my daily commute is 66 miles so I obviously burn gas every day.

At least until you figure out a way to get a charger installed at work.

 

[tfford]

At least until you figure out a way to get a charger installed at work.

I am lucky enough to have covered parking but the garage I park in doesn't have a single outlet anywhere, trust me, I've looked. And although I've not asked, I suspect building management isn't willing to install a 110 outlet for me to use let alone a level 2 charger.

Would be nice though.