Today marks the anniversary of acquiring my 2017 Chevy Volt. The screenshot below, is from the “MyChevrolet” app. Everything is proceeding, according to my expectations (which were based on my previous 2012 Volt lease).
A few high points:
- I bought gasoline on two occasions, March 4th (after a trip to Austin, Texas) and on August 10th. As you can see in the image below, I still have 50% of the 2nd tank of gas, in the gas tank!
- I have 50% remaining, in the oil life. As with my first Volt, I expect the first (and only) oil change to occur around the 2nd anniversary of acquisition, at approximately 28,000 miles.
- I am pleased to report that I am staying within my lease mileage limit of 15,000 miles per year. The current odometer reading is 14,314 miles.
- I am also pleased to see that I have run 95% of the miles traveled (13,612 miles) on electricity. My electricity provider, Green Mountain Energy is a provider of 100% renewable energy (wind and hydroelectric), so those miles are pollution-free.
- I average 3.3 miles per kWh. Driving 13,612 electric miles would have used 4,125 kWh. We pay 8.5 cents per kWh, so my electric cost (if I was paying for all the electricity for my Volt), would have been $350.61 for the year. I charge at work and at home and it’s free at work, so my actual cost is much lower, but for vehicle comparison purposes, we’ll pretend I paid for all the juice.
- The remaining 702 miles utilized gasoline. At 43 miles per gallon, I used 16.33 gallons. At a cost of $2.00 per gallon, those miles cost me $32.65.
- Total fuel cost (electricity and gasoline) was $383.26 for a year of driving! (and I always drive in Sport Mode and love hard acceleration…) My previous non-Volt vehicle was a 1999 Lexus ES300 that averaged 22 MPG. Driving the same distance would have cost $1,301.27, meaning I saved $918.01, compared to the ES (and enjoyed driving MUCH more!). I also didn’t have to go to the gas station every 5-7 days.
Super report on a super car. Thanks!
I wonder if the Volt would have been even more successful if it had been a small SUV, followed by a small pickup.
In Texas, without a doubt, it would have done better. I’m still hopeful that a Colorado plug-in hybrid I’ll be developed, using a battery layout the capacity of the Volt, in the form factor of the Bolt EV. Mary Barry stated, in the Wired interview, that the Bolt EV is a platform, around which other types of EVs will be developed. My wish list: Colorado, Equinox/Trax and a two seat convertible roadster. I believe a hybrid Stingray supercar is already in development and cannot wait for the impact that will have.