GM announced today that the Chevrolet Volt, which will be sold as Opel Ampera in Europe, is expected to achieve city fuel economy of at least 230 miles per gallon, based on development testing using a draft EPA federal fuel economy methodology for labeling for plug-in electric vehicles.
THE FACTS
THE FACTS
- Volt is expected to travel up to 40 miles on electricity from a single battery charge
- It will be able to extend its overall range to more than 300 miles with its flex fuel-powered engine-generator
- The Volt uses grid electricity as its primary source of energy to propel the car
- There are two modes of operation: Electric and Extended-Range.
- In electric mode, the Volt is powered by electrical energy stored in its 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack
- When the battery reaches a minimum state of charge, the Volt automatically switches to Extended-Range mode
- In this secondary mode of operation, an engine-generator produces electricity to power the vehicle. The energy stored in the battery supplements the engine-generator when additional power is needed during heavy accelerations or on steep inclines
