Gas and Electric Cost the same for the Chevrolet Volt
The cost of electric and gas is virtually the same. If you look at PG&E in Northern California, the tier 2 rate is .17 cents per kwh, using the formula of 16 amps x 240 volts = 3,840/1000 = 3.84 kwh x 4.5 hours = giving you 17.28 total kwh x .17 cent rate = of $2.93 for 50 miles. That works out to .0588 cents per mile. At gas here at 2.59 per gallon at 42 miles a gallon, the cost is .0617. So there's little benefit now.
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Yep our on peak is over $0.17 yet we only paid a grand total of about $550 last YEAR for electric. That includes three 3ton AC units in AZ, a swimming pool, 2 Chevy Volts, electric clothes dryer ...
The Solar paid for our out of pocket investment in about 3.5 years, and now the power produced is virtually free. Probably the best $18K I ever spent.
I think the only thing I would change is to put the pool on solar DC direct drive pumping. That damn thing burns at least 10 kWh a day.
The Solar paid for our out of pocket investment in about 3.5 years, and now the power produced is virtually free. Probably the best $18K I ever spent.
I think the only thing I would change is to put the pool on solar DC direct drive pumping. That damn thing burns at least 10 kWh a day.
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Please, not another thread about how much electricity cost in your area.
VIN # B0985
VIN # B0985
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I think instant torque, silent drive, less pollution, dual fuel sources and less maintenance are big benefits.
I calculated the breakeven number at around $1.61 for highway use and $1.26 for combined use, using the actual rate per kwh off my electric bill:
0.115 / kwh * 14 kwh usable battery = $1.61 for a full electric charge. Driving strictly highway speeds, it translates to 40 - 45 miles of range, which is roughly what you would get out of a gallon of gas at highway speeds.
If you use the EPA 53 (combined avg) mile range, the number drops lower:
$1.61 for 53 miles of range =0.03/mile. 0.03 * 42 miles (gas combined EPA range per gallon) = $1.26 to travel on electricity, the same distance you could travel on 1 gallon of gas.
If you look city only driving getting 60+ miles of range per charge, the breakeven point hovers at just over $1.06.
0.115 / kwh * 14 kwh usable battery = $1.61 for a full electric charge. Driving strictly highway speeds, it translates to 40 - 45 miles of range, which is roughly what you would get out of a gallon of gas at highway speeds.
If you use the EPA 53 (combined avg) mile range, the number drops lower:
$1.61 for 53 miles of range =0.03/mile. 0.03 * 42 miles (gas combined EPA range per gallon) = $1.26 to travel on electricity, the same distance you could travel on 1 gallon of gas.
If you look city only driving getting 60+ miles of range per charge, the breakeven point hovers at just over $1.06.
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Your Volt takes 17.28kWh to go 50 miles? That's less than 3miles/kWh. You have 4 variables. Your electric rate, your gas cost your electric mileage and your gas mileage, so you're saying your electric mileage is less than 3miles/kWh, very low, but your gas mileage is 42mpg, very high? That doesn't seem right. They're usually both low or both high.
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In the winter gas is a lot cheaper, in the summer gas an electric are about equal. I pay 21.4 cents/KWh, assuming 90% charging efficiency that's 23.73 cents/KWh. I paid 2.49 per gallon today, I bought 2.5 gallons for my snow blower and 2 gallons for the Volt. My MPGe today (25 degrees) was 84 or about 2.49 miles/KWh. In summer I get about 4 miles/KWh. Yesterday I went to Boston and used gas so I have a figure for winter, 40 MPG, in summer I get around 45 MPG (the difference is attributable to snow tires vs OEM tires). So the figures are,
Summer
Electric 23.77/4 = 5.94 cents/mile
Gas 249/40 = 5.53 cents/mile
Winter
Electric 23.77/2.49 = 9.54 cents/mile (no heat except for the seat warmers because it's really expensive in electric mode)
Gas 249/40 = 6.22 cents/mile (includes heat because it's free when running the ICE)
Unless you live in a cheap electricity state that doesn't have winter running costs don't justify buying an EV. Performance is the reason, the Volt has good acceleration, no transmission jerks (because it doesn't have a transmission), and its silent when it's operating as an EV. Try driving the Volt's ICE brother the Cruze, it's a horrible experience after driving a Volt. The Cruze is sluggish, loud and the transmission is always hunting for a gear, none of those things apply to the Volt.
Here in Texas I pay 8 cents per kwh, flat rate, no tiers, no time of use limits so yeah... it's dirt cheap here to run on electric.
Even with our gas prices averaging $1.95 to $2.00 a gallon, it's still cheaper doing all the EV mode you can.
yay Texas!
Even with our gas prices averaging $1.95 to $2.00 a gallon, it's still cheaper doing all the EV mode you can.
yay Texas!
The OP seems to be estimating a 50 ev mile AER using a Gen 2's 14 kWh of useable power (= 3.57 miles / kWh). He then estimates grid power need to refill the battery based on time needed for L2 charging (4.5 hours x hourly draw = 17.28 kWh = 2.89 miles / kWh). Seems wrong to me to base Volt per mile electric costs on a rough estimate of time needed to recharge the battery.
Also, charging losses cannot be influenced by driving efficiency, so, philosophically speaking, shouldn’t the electric costs per mile be based on consumption of grid power kWh from the battery, rather than on consumption of grid power kWh drawn from the wall plug (i.e., don’t include the charging losses when calculating per mile costs for the same reason you don’t include taxes and fees when calculating per kWh price)?
I also suspect the OP actually uses Tier 1 power to recharge the car early in the morning, which then pushes a similar quantity of power (air conditioning, perhaps?) into Tier 2 rates later in the day. For some, this justifies the use of the Tier 2 rate as the rate it costs you to charge your Volt... Others don’t understand why turning off your home air conditioning in the afternoon would make it cheaper to drive your car...
Where I am gas is $3.79 a gallon and if you have an electric vehicle you can get off peak pricing. Not really that close, with electric driving being less expensive. But yes, you will always be able to find a situation here and there where gas will be cheaper than electricity. However, currently gas prices are low. Over the years I've owned the Volt gas has been at or above $5 a gallon for extended periods of time.
I think we have the highest gas prices in CA in the SF Bay Area. However, I don't recall gas at or above $5 a gallon for extended periods of time. Maybe my memory is fading since I have driven a LEAF since 2011 and didn't pay attention to gas prices.
Oh yes. Prices in 2011-2013 were brutal. Gas prices may actually be higher is SoCal, at least where I am. Same high land costs -- gas is cheaper inland and south -- as where you are. Plus there are very few independent stations, which is one reason I've seen cited as to why the prices are so high.
Funny you should mention not really knowing. That's certainly true for me. The gas station where I get off the freeway is closed for renovation and the sign at that station is my only real only clue as to gas prices. I start with its prices and subtract. When it reopens, which should happen shortly, my guess is the price will be north of $4/gallon for regular.
Sorry meant to tag this...I'm with you no going back for me
San Diego gasoline for whatever reason is crazy expensive. Gas is cheaper in the middle of the damn Mojave. Seriously. Frisco is pricey, but not as bad as San Diego.
To equalize, these are Costco prices today for 87 octane, at SD, SF, and Sacramento
2.83 San Diego
2.75 San Francisco
2.47 Sacramento
Middle of Mojave has no Costco, so Arco is 2.79 in Barstow.
To equalize, these are Costco prices today for 87 octane, at SD, SF, and Sacramento
2.83 San Diego
2.75 San Francisco
2.47 Sacramento
Middle of Mojave has no Costco, so Arco is 2.79 in Barstow.
Here in Oregon our electric rate is still reasonably low at .117 KWH, that is 100% delivered cost with all taxes, fees, included in that calculation. Our last trip to Portland, Oregon, with our 2016 Volt, total 170 miles, we went 46 miles on electric, 16 KWH @ .117 = $1.87 total cost, and 124 miles on gas at 50.8 mpg. total cost on gas, $ 5.81.
Gas here at Costco is $2.379 / gallon, so somewhere around .15 / kwh would be near the break even point between gas and electric, at least on this trip.
Gas here at Costco is $2.379 / gallon, so somewhere around .15 / kwh would be near the break even point between gas and electric, at least on this trip.
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Where in Australia are you paying $10/gallon? I just Googled the gas price in Melbourne, it was $1.24/Liter. Multiply by 4 to get gallons and then multiply by .76 for the exchange rate and you get $3.76 a gallon. That's not bad, it's a buck more than the US but it's not 3-4X.
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