Maddow: Chevy Volt Will Get 200 Plus MPG!

230 MPG - yeah, sure: if you use bad math and/or mislead people.

Bottom line is, even the 'air conditioning condition' the guest mentioned aside, as usual the dishonest promotional marketing people have pulled an unrealistic number out of their asses. Sure, under very specific circumstances the car could do 200+ MPG, but in the real world setting that would never happen, really.

The ball is also in Rachel's court, though, because she's supposed to (and as far as I know usually does) check her sources like a proper journalist and then be a skeptic and ask the 'hard questions'. Why she didn't this time, beats me.

P.S. That's not to say the mileage on the car isn't great - just that the number is exaggerated by a factor of ~5.

demon_ix

says...

I want to add to Lies channel for the assertion that this is a zero emissions car, but he did correct himself, so I won't. This car is quite absolutely not a zero emissions car.

As EDD linked and mentioned, yes. The car is RATED at 230 mpg, but that's only assuming you rarely pass the distance your battery allows you to travel and doesn't actually take into account the coal/gas/petrol/uranium used to generate the electricity you'll be using.

The problem with the Volt, is the Battery. It lasts for 40 miles or so. After that you go on your normal engine, which only charges the battery, but is still converting gas into electricity in an inefficient car motor.

But batteries have a nature of being less and less effective over time. So your Volt battery might have the capacity to go only 30 miles after a year of use. And 20 or so after two.
DISCLAIMER: The numbers I just quoted are wholly made up. I have no idea how the Volt's battery will behave after a year of use. I just know it can only go down.

How much does a battery cost? Where can you get it replaced? Is it a simple process, requiring only one mechanic, a spare battery and 15 minutes of work? Or is it a complex procedure involving taking apart some of the outer casing of the car to get to where the battery is stored? How often are you expected to replace the battery?

Your car is an asset, whether you treat it as one or not. A car that is supposed to use an electric motor for 40 miles, but runs out of juice after 20 will depreciate significantly. How are you ever going to get rid of it?

There were a few sifts about Better Place and their whole business model regarding electric cars and replaceable batteries, which I feel is a much better solution than the plug-in hybrids. Time will tell however.