Articles

A couple of article links I want to hang onto:

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11323183/1/5200-miles-in-the-chevy-volt.html

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11354404/1/setting-it-straight-chevy-volt-vs-the-government.html

December OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics report

Got my monthly report a few days ago. Just now getting around to posting it.

OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics from your Chevrolet Volt as of 12/15/2011
Mileage at this report: 4708

Fuel Economy: 220 mpg
Electric Consumption: 33 kW-hr/100 miles


Electric Miles: 626
Gas Miles: 130
Total Miles: 756
Percentage on Electric: 83 %

Estimated Gallons of Fuel Saved: 26 gal
Estimated CO2 Avoided: 505 lbs

Road Trip 2

So made a second trip out to Redlands and this time I tried something different. I put it in Mountain mode most of the time I was on the freeway. Total drive was 163.7 miles so I did a bit more driving in Redlands than I did on the first trip. Used 3.34 gallons of gas and got 49.2 MPG for the total trip. Still had 11 miles left on the battery when I got home so I should have taken it out of Mountain mode somewhere between Pasadena and Eagle Rock instead of waiting longer. Would have helped my mileage a lot. Have now used 7.1 gallons of gas. About 74 miles of range left in gas.

Interestingly, the range for the gas varies between 68 and 74 miles, maybe due to temperature. We've been having some pretty cold weather (for us). Overnight lows are down in the 30s, days in the 50s and low 60s. Range has been affected by a few miles and running the heater also cuts range a bit. I'd guess I loose 5 to 7 miles off the electric range due to temperature and heater use.

Fires in the News

There's been a lot of activity lately about a crash test that was done and then 3 weeks later, when the batteries were never discharged as they should have been, there was a fire. GM has contacted me by email and even overnight FedEx giving me lots of options, up to and including turning my car back in to GM if I am afraid of it. I will be doing no such thing, of course, but it's been interesting to hear some news shows who have the story so screwed up that one crash test has turned into "several" that resulted in fires. Gotta love the local news writers. In any case, there is a nice article that someone on Facebook told me about, linked here, that kinds sums up the reality a little better. (Thanks Stefan!) It is pretty universally understood by anyone with any sense that if a car is involved in a crash, you remove all fuel as soon as possible, and get the car inspected. If it's not going to be repaired, you don't drop it off at the crusher with a tank of gas or whatever it uses for fuel, in this case a battery full of electrons. There are some things to get used to on cars that run primarily on electricity, and everyone from first responders to tow truck drivers need to learn some new rules. But really, it comes down to many of the same principles you would apply to any car. Hundreds of thousands of cars burn every year. a tank full of gas is highly explosive, as anyone who remembers the Ford Pinto can tell you. Come to think of it, I saw a late model Ford pickup that self ignited and was burning just a few houses away from ours a couple months ago. Not that Fords are the only cars that burn.

It's always good to review the facts (not the crap on the news) and be careful if something is questionable. If some new procedures and training come of this, then it's all good. No one has been harmed and hopefully we can keep it that way.

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