230 miles per gallon

Last updated on: August 12, 2009 at 5:30 am by Gene Veith

GM says that the Volt, its new electric car, will get 230 mpg in city driving.

General Motors said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt electric car could get 230 mpg in city driving, making it the first American vehicle to achieve triple-digit fuel economy if that figure is confirmed by federal regulators.

But when the four-door family sedan hits showrooms late next year, its efficiency will come with a steep sticker price: $40,000.

Still, the Volt’s fuel efficiency would be four times more than the popular Toyota Prius hybrid, the most efficient car now sold in the U.S. . . .

Unlike the Prius and other traditional hybrids, the Volt is powered by an electric motor and a battery pack with a 40-mile range. After that, a small internal combustion engine kicks in to generate electricity for a total range of 300 miles. The battery pack can be recharged from a standard home outlet.

In city driving? If you can go less than 40 miles without using any gasoline at all, however they calculate it would give city driving a big advantage. For once, highway driving would give you poor mileage. (Again, the Volt is an all-electric car that uses its small gasoline engine to recharge its battery after a point.) Still this is pretty impressive. Do you want one?

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