IL Track Tested: 2011 Chevy Volt

Very interesting. Considering the generator can't produce as much power as the electric motor draws they've done a good job of engineering a system.

Wonder how long it can keep going like that?

As long as it kills a prius.

WEAK

Full test & vid coming soon, hopefully?

Weren't they promising this thing would at least drive decently (unlike the Prius)?

9 seconds is pretty decent. Way quicker than a Prius. Almost certainly quicker than the Leaf.

And it looks well composed in the slalom.

9 seconds is pretty decent. Way quicker than a Prius. Almost certainly quicker than the Leaf.

And it looks well composed in the slalom.

"brn says: ...smoke a Leaf at a stoplight"....classic!

Must... stay... awake.

Forget the acceleration (which is at least decent) - the braking and handling numbers aren't too shabby for a "green" machine.

I just love that exhaust sound...

thats a cool looking prius

It's actually quite sporty, compared to a V6 Challenger.

+1 lt1boy.

So, for $43,000 you get... Something like a prius, just a bit different. Sorry, but I'll take a BMW 328i instead.

$43K & no Xenons, power or handling prowess? It's not even that attractive (but better than other greenies' cars). Also you can't brag you drive a chevy like you can a Mercedes or BMW, which for above 40 grand you should be able to.

lt1boy, you are blindingly stupid if you think anyone in the known universe or in any hitherto undiscovered parallel dimension is cross shopping any BMW with a volt. how you could possibly miss the point of a 'green' vehicle by such a sizable margin is... concerning.

@ wrinklebump

"lt1boy, you are blindingly stupid if you think anyone in the known universe or in any hitherto undiscovered parallel dimension is cross shopping any BMW with a volt. how you could possibly miss the point of a 'green' vehicle by such a sizable margin is... concerning."

What's really concerning is how you're responding to a comment that I DIDN'T EVEN MAKE LOL.

Who's the blindingly stupid one now?

It1boy:

HAHAHAHA +1

oops

Is the Volt is clutching the engine to the drive wheel(s) at lower speeds than GM claims (70mph). How would you test something like that?

Definitely not bad numbers. I'd be content with performance like this.

I really hope they have everything nailed in place for production, and they prove reliable over time. I'd LOVE to pick up a used one at some point. Buying a new one is definitely out of reach right now. At least with the Volt, you don't have to spend a butt-load of money for the home charging station if you don't want one. I'm sure when the time comes, you'll find used ones floating around for sale on eBay. I'd get one and just have a certified electrician hook it up.

GM did say it would be about 9 seconds
I think Nissan says the Leaf can make it in 8 seconds
I'm sure the Leaf is much lighter, and that always helps
Rusty

Some say Leaf can rock it in 7 seconds!
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/22/unofficial-nissan-leaf-does-0-60-mph-in-7-seconds-tops-out-at/
Rusty

It performs decently for what it is. Who the hell races mainstream hybrids and EV's anyway? Flooring it all the time and street racing goes completely against what these cars are all about, which is efficiency, technology, and low pollution.

The only thing this test demonstrates is the Volt will handle itself reasonably well in an emergency maneuver situation, and it stops and accelerates adequately, while being at least somewhat (albeit slightly) fun to drive. Good to know. That's it. Saying the Volt will blow the doors of some other car, or the Volt will get smoked 0-60 by cars costing much less is irrelevant. Best in class acceleration and handling is not the point of the Volt. Neither is best bang for the buck for fun to drive vehicles. If you can't understand this, then move along, the Volt is not for you.

Whoever commented they could buy a BMW 328 for the same price is COMPLETELY idiotic, and totally missed the point of the Volt.

That is a lot of taxpayer dollars per mile.

A number of blogs show up bashing the PRIUS but GM has a tough road ahead with the very expensive volt. A good friend of mine just got his second PRIUS and his 05 had 178,000 trouble free miles on it. The brakes wen't 165,000,and no battery problems at all. He is a sales guy on the road all the time and says there is nothing out there that will give you the return of this product especially at $20,000. I drove the new one and agree with him they improved alot but I still like my economical Diesel especially in the ride ,handling over the PRIUS. I hope the VOLT does well but it is just way out there on price.

What?

I have a few issues with this car...

(1) Wheels... why in 2010, is GM still pimpin Chrome wheels. Please stop it already! Do you have to go through another spate of Bankruptcy before you get with the times. This car, for the purpose of what it is trying to acheive, should have light weight alloy wheels...I bet those things are 26lbs each...without the tires!

(2) Headlights... maybe my understanding of Xenon or LED lighting systems is incorrect. But wouldn't you be saving energy with these options... rather than sticking with the old tried and true Halogen lighting?

(3) Suspension... okay, I'm not gonna be too critical here. I'd take it as is...but I can't help but think they could have stiffen the springs just a tad bit more.

...Otherwise...I think they did a great job with this car and hope they continue improving it to the point where it can be the standard and not just another EV option.

Just for kicks, I'd love to see a comparo between this and the Fusion Hybrid.

Lets just step back for a moment. They're will ALWAYS be car competitions.

From a green car standpoint BOTH cars are great. I'm currently leaning more towards the pure EV thing...to help speed along battery growth/charging stations. That said, the gas/ev Volt has its merits too.

Best part: Both of these cars are just the first effort. Next Leaf....maybe 150-200 miles per charge. Next volt....bigger battery...longer EV range and the gas motor for driving long distances.

Key things I keep going back to:
1. Many folks have 2 cars, some have 3! The leaf will make a great commuter car, the volt could be an everyday car. I'm happy with either effort.
2. This is just the start of these cars. Competition from other makers will surely produce even better products.
3. I like simplicty. Think how crazy a current day ICE is. Sensors, intakes, exhaust, timing, wires. Its a mess. Not that EV motors and batteries will be 100% reliable, but there is so much less maint. No oil changes, no belts that squeak, radiators that leak/break. No Tranny! No tranny failures or fuild changes. LONG LASTING brakes! WOOHOO.
4. Point source emmisions. Plugging in means someone needs to produce electricty elsewhere. Its widely belived that even a "dirty" coal plant is better than a car. I'd rather try to control 100 power plants emmisions than millions of cars.

Sorry for any typos...its early. :)

Mike

@ speedrcr: Those wheels are not chromed, they're high-polish aluminum. A (silver) painted version of those same wheels comes standard, if you want to dial down the bling, but I would think the paint adds a few ounces.

My Volt is supposed to be built next week. Woo-hoo!

What happened to the car that was going to be 'so much sportier than the insight or prius'? Not bad numbers at all but well off the pace chevy was making it out to be. But they are getting good at not keeping promises. Over 40k for what equates to a more complicated hybrid with an extended ev mode. Nothing new and no value. At least it looks nice.

@speedrcr
Chrome wheels are here to stay at GM due to HUGE profit margins. I'm willing to bet those are cheap steel wheels underneather with a plasti-chrome 'skin' or cap on them.
MOST if not all GM and Chrysler cars including the SRT's chrome wheels IIRC are created this way.

Xenons and LEDs do consume less power but Xenon HID bulbs are expensive to replace when they do go out which is not often and LEDS will run really hot so you need to have sufficient cooling. Also, when LEDs do burn out you need to replace the ENTIRE light which is way expensive.

As a future owner, there's just one thing that I'm disappointed in from the results of this test, and that's the more than 6db difference in noise between EV and ICE modes at 70MPH. Other reviews indicated it was very difficult to tell the engine was running without shutting off the climate control and radio.

@jacton: see my post above; you're wrong about the wheels; these high-polish ALUMINUM wheels are a $595 option. Plus you make it sound like GM is the only manufacturer trying to make some profit on wheel upgrades, which is ridiculous. My suggestion, visit a Mercedes dealer if you want to find rip-off wheel prices.

@eldaino2 - agreed. I look at this thing and think - Golf TDI for 24k MSRP seems like a better deal all around.

blueguydotcom says:

07:41 AM, 11/ 3/10

@eldaino2 - agreed. I look at this thing and think - Golf TDI for 24k MSRP seems like a better deal all around.

YOU SAID IT! I cannot understand why in hell anyone would choose any of the hybrids or EVs over a VW Jetta or Golf TDI...I'm doing as much or MORE to save the planet, I don't have to worry about a charging stations (in the case of the Leaf or Volt), I will never be dumping batteries in the landfill AND I have a German road car that handles great, is relatively fast and is FUN to drive...The Euros already figured this out years ago...

Just a cool idea. You can drive all week on electric mode, then take a drive to the Coast/Mountains, etc. I like it.

I’m pretty confused about the test results. I thought that the gas engine was just a generator that recharged the batteries and that the only thing that ever powered the wheels was the electric engine. If this is the case, why is it slightly faster when the gas engine is running?

@jklossner

1) Americans don't like small cars.

2) Americans don't like hatchbacks.

3) Americans don't like diesel cars. Diesel trucks, sure. Diesel cars? No.

Add all of that together, and you get this : Americans don't like small hatchback diesel cars. Which is exactly what the Golf TDI is =P

I'm not saying you're wrong. You're completely right actually. Diesels are much more efficient than gasoline engines at burning fuel. They're much cheaper than electric vehicles. And they get better fuel economy than hybrids.

America is just obsessed with hybrids and the Prius because certain celebrities bought them in bulk. And now GM is hoping to cash in on the Prius's success with the Volt.

I actually had the chance to get a ride in a Volt yesterday. Some of the Chevy powertrain engineers came to my campus to explain the systems on the Volt. While we had a few assinine questions from the audience (one of whom believed there was a $20,000 EV with 5 seats that could go 250 miles on a charge...).

Anyway, here are some of the things they explained to us:
1: The engine does not have a variable ratio gearbox attaching it to the wheels. It can only clutch to the wheels at high speed and at a fixed ratio.

2: Even in generator mode in sustained cruising, the Volt holds a buffer charge on the batteries (obviously still between the 30% and 80% range) to allow for passing and hill climbs. If this is depleted, the batteries can reach deeper for a little while, but then the engine will increase output to both continue cruising and rebuild the buffer.

3: There is a mountain mode where the Volt maintains a much higher buffer in the batteries and is more aggressive about maintaining it with the engine.

4: The battery is far more complex than anyone here is making it out to be. It is completely thermally integrated to the car (they said a battery swap would take many hours) in that it is both heated and cooled. The heating occurs via resistance (currently it cannot be heated by the engine), and the cooling occurs via liquid. In extreme conditions, a heat pump (refrigerator) will cool the batteries. All of the heating and cooling can be controlled in sectors, if I read the diagram they presented correctly. It is a $10,000 battery for more reasons than the chemicals in it.

5: The GM engineers were very up front with us about the battery life. They said that the car would have about 65% charge capacity at 10 years (they suggested 20 miles range), and that the resale value at that stage would be very poor since they do not predict battery replacements getting cheaper for the Volt (this was a very interesting statement). Interestingly, letting the battery get too cold is a bigger problem for a sitting Volt, so plugging in the Volt, even when it doesn't need a charge, to allow it to heat the batteries actually extends life.

6: Opening the hood while the car is on will always turn on the engine. This is primarily for safety (no one will have the engine suddenly turn on when they have a hand on a belt) but also can be used to charge the battery in an unusual circumstance.

7: Amusingly, there is a jump lead in the trunk of the Volt that connects directly to the big battery. If your friends need a jump, you can provide. Presumably there are precautions against short circuiting...

As for riding in a Volt...

-It was quiet, but you can definitely hear the engine come on. The engine does not run when the car is stopped (usually).
-It is MUCH smaller than I thought it was. It is smaller than a Prius and the two seats in the back comfortably (but barely) fits two 5'10" guys. Hell, it's smaller than a Civic, thought that doesn't mean much anymore.
-It does not have the expected "woohoo" low speed acceleration I was hoping for, but perhaps my friend driving it was being a weenie.
-The two display screens are extremely slick and well done.

I think it's a fine piece of engineering and a fine car. I wouldn't have one except as a third car, but I'm an automotive enthusiast and thus a terrible judge of what normal people want.

moreau,

Thank you for your comments. Your point #5, in particular, was very interesting. Economy of ownership is one of the main value propositions for owning a Volt. And high depreciation, if true, will make the Volt be expensive to own.

I wish Inside Line had done fuel consumption (mpg), and range testings as well.

For what it is worth, you can analyze cost of ownership, breakeven, etc here:
http://www.befrugal.com/tools/electric-car-calculator

@moreau, That's alot of info, thanks for taking the time to share it with us.

I'll wait for the full test where we can see what to expect from real MPG figures. A long term test would be great - especially after reading the last part of point #5 in moreau's post...

"Wall of understeer" pretty much kills it for me. I sat in one outside AT&T Park in SF before game 1 of the World Series and the interior is nice but counter-intuitive - the non-moving "buttons" look good but that's it.

In theory I want to buy a Volt or a Leaf but I'd need an additional $50k of disposable income and 4 car garage to actually follow through. With the wife's car, a diesel truck, a trailer, a racecar, and a motorcycle, the next car I buy will be a fun sporty used item. After that it would be an EV.

Blueguy and jklossner: I own a gti so I can appreciate german driving virtues. And the golf tdi is a fantastic car, but its only cheap compared to the volt. When my wife got rid of her 2.5 beetle, we looked into a tdi golf but to get it equipped how we needed (4 door, dsg) it was almost a 27k ordeal. We have an insight now, and it gets just as good if not better mileage, quiet and pleasant enough to drive. And as much as I love my vw, (and u can appreciate this blueguy) we wanted a car that was not going to be expensive to maintain. The insight meets those requirements. I'm still considering a tdi as a future replacement for my gti, but its cause I'm a mileage junkie not because its the most economical choice.

With a $43000 pricetag I don't see why anyone would purchase this. Why not just go for the new Cruze instead? What exactly is this car offering me again??

ballathug69: use the search feature, it is an EV/plug in hybrid that can drive 40 miles on electricity alone (like the leaf), but can also function as a hybrid so you do not have to worry about range. It's expensive and does not make sense for everyone. However it is also a technological achievement, designed to meet the needs of green conscious buyers given the limits of our current battery technology and infrastructure.

A: The most important thing about the Volt wasn't mentioned: The Edmund's observed MPG.
B: Did you drain the batteries for the motor version of the test? I also hear a lot of people saying the motor is 'easy to tell when it comes on.' How often does this happen?
C: I can get a CR-Z for half the price. Please, someone tell me why I should get the Cruze Hybrid... er... Volt?

"It is a $10,000 battery for more reasons than the chemicals in it.

5: The GM engineers were very up front with us about the battery life. They said that the car would have about 65% charge capacity at 10 years (they suggested 20 miles range)"

So after 10 years of ownership, you're going to have to spend $10,000 to buy a new battery?

Ew.

This is exactly why you should not buy a Volt / EV.

The Volt is for somewhat "early adopters" who want the experience of owning an electric car, without having to worry about the need to always plug in to get where you're going or make it back home. For the average person on the average day, who plugged their car in overnight, the Volt is a true electric car, and to me and a bunch of other people, that's cool. I like the idea of travelling on electricity I can tap from my own home, and the ability to just whoosh up to speed with no gears or pistons churning or gas being burned is not something you're going to get in all the other cars people mentioned as "more sensible" alternatives. It also has a bunch of leading edge features and looks pretty nice.

It's also important to keep in mind that the Volt is the first volley in what will become a long line of increasingly efficient and cost-effective extended range electric vehicles, so pronouncements to make it sound dumb, DOA, impractical, etc., are simply short-sighted. It had to start somewhere. And many of the arguments against the Volt are pretty much the same as the arguments people made and still make against the Prius, and yet it's currently one of the best-selling vehicles in the world. GM made those same arguments back in the 90's, and then watched Toyota steal an entire market segment and all the green PR that came with it, while most of Joe Public started to see GM's Hummer as the poster car for destroying the planet and egos gone wild. Big mistake they do not intend to repeat.

Also, it's certain that the replacement cost for the battery won't be $10,000, which is why GM doesn't like to quote that figure. A very conservative estimate of halving the cost every 5 years (as technology improves and economies of scale work) would put the cost in 10 years at $2,500. If costs halve every 3 years, it will be less than $1300.

To me, a 3-year least on the Volt makes perfect sense. It's affordable for most people with good credit, GM assumes the resale value risk, and Volt 2.0 should be out or coming soon by end of lease, with greater range and probably lower cost.

So to answer the several people who ask, "why should I buy a Volt?" The clear answer is, you definitely should not, because you're obviously not the target audience. And before people think I'm some kind of greenie technogeek, I also am keeping my plain old gasoline powered C5 Corvette, my GMC XUV, and my BMW motorcycle. Hmm, maybe I am a geek, because the Volt has me more excited than I was about any of those others.

@jays83gsl: Fear not. Full fuel economy analysis coming soon, on gas and electricity.
Also, the second part of the test was conducted after the batteries were drained to the point where the engine must come on. While everyone at the track did other things, I personally went out on the freeway and drove the car until the indicated range went to 0 miles and the engine came on. It comes on like this whenever the indicated EV range goes to zero and it more or less stays on until the next recharge at home. This switchover is prominently displayed on the main gauge cluster, about an inch to the left of the digital speedometer. You can easily feel/hear it. It's impossible to miss.

The volt will be a great company/rental car, used for 3-5 years then sold off at auction. As other's have suspected we'll be seeing plenty of leased Volts.

actualsize:

I went to the Volt Unplugged in San Diego. We drove them on city streets and I disagree with you about the switchover. I never felt it at all. I asked quite a few of my fellow drivers and no one ever felt it. You are the first to state this, how interesting!!! Some may have heard the engine eventually, but no one ever felt the transition.

IL and Edmunds strike again.

"And they get better fuel economy than hybrids."

HUH??? On the freeway...maybe bot not in town.

Appears to be a decent extended range hybrid, but very expensive. I almost think I would have a tendancy to aim toward a Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, which offers great styling and warranty support for around $28K. I know, the fuel efficiency mileage range isn't even close to the Volt, but the $15K difference will buy an awful lot of fuel, even when prices go up. The Sonata Hybrid styling looks sporty and elegant, while this Chevy Volt is somewhat plain . . .

Soft numbers, but no better or worse than a Prius really. What surprises me is despite the $40K+ price you still get torsion beam rear suspension. Was that due to packaging constraints or just GM being cheap to offset the exorbitant cost of the powertrain?

@brn: Smoke a LEAF at a stoplight? The Leaf does 0-60 in 7 seconds, the Volt takes over 9. What are you smoking at the stoplight?

supra4:

With the amount you save on fuel with the Volt you would have to drive it for a least 15 years to compensate for the price difference over economy cars such as the Cruze, Civic etc. So basically owning a Volt is to show people that "hey everyone I'm green!" when in reality you're having NO effect on the environment. Do you not remember GM's first electric car?? Everyone in the world could be driving a full electric vehicle but there are other forces at play.

Bimmerjay: torsion beam rears are common in hybrids given the space they make for the battery

ballathug69:

I agree with you, however I think your points may be a bit simplistic. 1) Having green credentials is as important in some circles as german luxury is in others. Or Bentley's amongst the hip hop community. Price seems to go by the wayside under such considerations. 2) If you only drive 40 miles a day you will never (relatively speaking) have to pay for gas. I'm not sure if that will make up the price difference between the Volt and Prius, but volt buyers are probably less motivated by money than perceived (true or otherwise) eco-friendlyness. 3) Electric power sourced from your home is far from green but that is a regional problem which can not be solved by the individual car buyer. However the power grid problem may have a better chance of being solved if the electorate was driving a substantial number of EV's/ Pug-ins.

In my opinion the high price tag will actually help this car. I see it being a status symbol/fashion statement like the Prius was in it's early days. people bought it because they wanted to LOOK eco-friendly. and I really think that the Volt will appeal to the same crowd. price isnt a concern, but looking like you care about the environment is.

Why for the love of Pete would anyone do a sports car test on a cruiser like this? Perhaps to falsely claim again that 'we were lied to'?

Why for the love of Pete would anyone do a sports car test on a cruiser like this? Perhaps to falsely claim again that 'we were lied to'?

Correct me if im wrong but to date no one has tested the Leaf to get 0-60 times. And i would not be so cocky to assume its slower than the volt. If you know anything electric motors give you all its torque at 0 RPM. Something gas motors can never achieve. The Leaf also is not toting around a gas engine or a gas tank. So lets wait and hear. Besides you don't buy either of these cars to smoke the other. Go buy a vette.

"Why for the love of Pete would anyone do a sports car test on a cruiser like this? Perhaps to falsely claim again that 'we were lied to'?"

This is the same battery of tests run on EVERY car. It's not a "sports car" test.

Fusion or Camry Hybrid and 13k left over (I know, the tax incentive, giving me my money back) for gas seems like a pretty easy decision for me. I respect the technology the Volt possesses, but cannot shake the thought that we've crossed the "diminishing return" road. How many more Camry, Prius, Fusion or Escape Hybrids could be sold if that $7500 tax credit applied to them as well, and thus how much more fuel could be saved?

I'm still thinking this is the nail in GM's coffin.
I've seen arguments on both sides of the camp, and the Volt supporters are missing some very valid points.
You MUST keep filling up that car with gas. Gas has a shelf life of less than a year, and the last thing you want is your PREMIUM GAS GUZZLING HYBRID to wake up the gas motor due to necessity or electrical error (GM!), and suck down stale gas.
I don't see a number for the size of the tank, so I'll assume 10 gallons. I also read somewhere that for MOST people to charge a Volt, it'll be around $40 a charge.
$40 / 40 miles (optimally) = $1 / Mile.
10 Gallons x $3.00 = $30.00.
Average commuter miles = 13,000.
13,000 x $1 / mile = $13,000 + $30.00 = $13,030 /year.
The size of the tank could be anywhere from 5 to 15 gallons, but it won't change the results terribly. Also, figure for your region, I believe gas is still cheap as dirt here in NM.

Honda CR-Z:
30 observed MPG
10.6 gallon tank, driving range of 392.2 miles.
10.6 x $2.80 (No need for premium!) = 29.66 / 30 miles.
29.66 x 13,000 / 30 = $12,852

$13,030 - $12,852 = $178 / year cheaper than the Volt.
Base MSRP
$19,950 - $40,000 = -$20050.
To make up the cost of the Volt over the CR-Z you'd have to steal a CR-Z.
You can go ahead and substitute most Hybrids for the CR-Z, and most ultra compacts as well. Few of them cost as much as the Volt. The above math also relies on the assumption that you do ZERO driving on the motor, and only refill (and siphon, have fun with that!) your gas to keep it fresh.

So, to wrap up the napkin math, Volt = Ripoff = GM's usual antics,

@ jays83gsl

Nice math, except that you're completely wrong. The Volt does not take $40 to charge.

It comes with an 8.8 kw-hr usable battery, but takes closer to 16 kw-hr to fully charge it due to inefficiencies. I read it on Motor Trend somewhere, but I don't have the link.

Assuming an average of 12 cents per kw-hr, that's $1.92 to fully charge the Volt for 40 miles.

I admit my math could be wrong. I swear I saw in a GM announcement that it would be around $40 per charge. This was a quick google search of Cost to Charge Volt, so I believe the sources could be off. Especially since I'm pretty sure it was a GM site....
I'll note that sobriety has made my math for the CR-Z wrong as well. I forgot to divide by the MPG.

So, we're at $670 an average miles year for the Volt (I can do the entire math again if anyone wants, but I doubt it, just trust that's the number I got).

The CR-Z is down to $433.33.

Still doesn't math out, just in much lower numbers.

@ jays83gsl

I was looking over your other math, and you're clearly confused. Are you saying the CRZ would cost $12,852 in gas to drive 13,000 miles? If it costed that much to drive, we'd all be walking instead.

CRZ
30 mpg
13,000 miles over 1 year
13,000 / 30 = 433.33 gallons used
433.33 * $2.80 = $1213.24 used over 1 year, NOT $12,852.

In comparison a Volt:
$1.92 per 40 miles
13,000 miles over 1 year
13,000 / 40 = 325 full charges
325 * $1.92 = $624

Difference in economy?

1213.24 - 624 = 589.24

Minus your silly $30 for a full tank of gas that you'll have to siphon, and that equals $559.24 a year in fuel economy you'd be saving if you were driving a Volt instead of a CRZ.

Still a long ways to make up the $20,050 in base price, of course.

I am no Volt advocate, but at least use correct math if you're making an argument. You're making yourself look bad =P

I mostly corrected myself. It's the sobriety.
You DO need to refill that gas tank once per year, even if you NEVER use gas. Let a car sit a year without using any gas, then try starting it on that same gas. Gasoline, as explained before, has a relatively short shelf life due to the high refinement from crude.
This is assuming the ridiculous notion that you'd use not a drop of gasoline in the Volt, which is HIGHLY unlikely.
Remember, the Volt motor requires PREMIUM fuel, so degraded fuel is going to hurt it severely.
I really am not looking forward to seeing what happens if a highly electronic ****GM***** motor will do if it starts knocking and pinging on low grade gas. We have all seen GM electronics at work, and I severely doubt that a company that's billions in debt had the financial power to fully revamp their electronics division.

@jays83gsl

If you're not sober, don't even bother trying to make an argument. You're just going to sound like an incoherent drunken mess. Which is exactly what your math looked like.

No no no, I AM sober. Alcohol, btw, is for peasants.

jays83gsl: "I'll note that sobriety has made my math for the CR-Z wrong as well," "I mostly corrected myself. It's the sobriety," "No no no, I AM sober. Alcohol, btw, is for peasants."

Are you saying that sobriety is causing you to be poor at math or that you are high, but not on alcohol. FYI, stating that you use narcotics does not make anyone more inclined to listen to you or value your opinion. At any rate, your reasoning/math is all f****d up.

xeroblu: "And i would not be so cocky to assume its slower than the volt. If you know anything electric motors give you all its torque at 0 RPM."

Do you understand that the Volt is only powered by an electric engine for the first forty miles? That is exactly the same as the leaf. Thus your statement about the positive aspects of the Leaf's electric motor also applies to the Volt. The volt should be compared to the Leaf for the first 40 miles of pure electric power. After that you cannot compare the two because the Volt is working as a hybrid and the Leaf is going nowhere. Once the gasoline engine has fired up, it is similar to a Prius. The greatest value of the car is that it provides both.

Is anyone else amazed at how many people are unclear about the strengths and weaknesses of the Volt?

Also, once the gasoline engine fires up, it skews the results of the math, whether wrong or right, HORRIBLY against the Volt. Remember, my math, despite innacuracies, assumed ZERO gasoline usage other than taking out expired gas and replacing it with fresh gas.
Sobriety causes a person to do more poorly in math. Plenty of studies have been done that show that medical cannabis usage can enhance mathematical abilities in people.
In my case, it's because my back is all kinds of messed up thanks to an ignorant person cutting me off on the freeway while riding my Kawasaki. When I have to sit in a chair for extended periods of time without medication (Ibuprofen, Acetominos, and other pain killers have no effect on me, other than Percocet, and I'll take the non damaging Cannabis, thank you) makes it very difficult for me to concentrate properly on the math.
The fact is, this is STILL poorly manufactured, classic GM, complete with GM's traditional "Let's lie to the public" marketing. I clearly remember Ed Whitacre telling me that GM had repaid its debt in full, that Chevy trucks are the longest lasting, most reliable, most powerful trucks on the market, and that Chevys have the best warranty.
I also remember them telling me that the Volt would be an attractive 2 door EV, when it's really the Cruze Hybrid.

- jays83gsl trying to do math - "What's 2 + 2? I don't know, because my back hurts too much. Mayhaps I need some inspiration."

-jays83gsl smokes some weed- "I get it now! It costs $40 to fully charge the Volt! 2 + 2 = 22! And the CR-Z gets 30 mpg with a 10.6 gallon tank that gets 392.2 miles per tank!"

-jays83gsl takes another puff- "Hmm, it costs $670 a year to run the Volt. But it only costs $433 a year to run the CR-Z. Therefor, because you're spending more money to run the Volt, you need to buy a CR-Z to make up the price difference. OH WAIT I FORGOT SOMETHING!"

-jays83gsl goes to siphon out his gas tank- "Can't forget the $30 worth of gas! Premium gas actually makes your electronics ping! Classic GM error there, as always."

No, OLD gas makes the MOTOR ping, and the MOTOR is tied heavily to the ELECTRONICS.
Is that simple enough for you?

jays83gsl: "Sobriety causes a person to do more poorly in math. Plenty of studies have been done that show that medical cannabis usage can enhance mathematical abilities in people."

The award for the most absurd posting on Insideline goes to jays83sl. Congratulations.