Usage statistics for the Chevy Volt are accumulating. GM now says it has found that the average Volt owner travels more than 65% of the time in pure electric mode, not engaging the car's internal combustion engine. So collectively, it figures Volt owners have now driven something like 100 million miles in pure electric mode.
Other interesting statistics: Volt owners drive about 900 miles, or a month and a half, between fill-ups. GM says based on EPA estimates and compared to the average new vehicle sold in the U.S., Volt owners are saving about $1,370 a year that they would otherwise spend on fuel. That equates to about 5 million gallons of gas saved, says GM, equivalent to $21 million in gasoline costs averted overall based on $4/gallon of premium, or more than two supertankers of gas.
For the first 38 miles, the Volt can drive on the electricity stored in its 16.50-kW-hr lithium-ion battery. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator kicks in to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank.
Chevy Volt infographic: http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/chevrolet/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Dec/1205-volt.html
EE&T recorded a few videos during our test drive of the Volt:
http://eetweb.com/video/motors-drives/chevy-volt-drive-train-0106/
http://eetweb.com/video/applications/gm-volt-hydrocarbon-suspension-0203/
http://eetweb.com/video/applications/gm-volt-energy-monitor-0203/