OK, just visited the official GM Volt website, link at www.chevy-volt.net/chevrolet-volt-specs.htm.
The internal combustion portion of the drivetrain is a 1 litre, turbocharged 3 cylinder gasoline engine rated. The milage listed is as follows:
40 miles driven - not applicable
60 miles driven - 150 mpg
80 miles driven - 100 mpg
sustained driving (such as on a long trip) 50 mpg.
So there you go. The only way you get 230 mpg would be on trips of 45 miles or so.
However this all assumes that the batteries perform as advertised. As someone posted is the 40 miles on electric only with the A/C on, going up hill and carrying 4 adults with luggage? The other question no one seems to be asking relative to hybrids; how long do the batteries last and how much do the damn things cost to replace? Are we talking 5 grand or what.
All of this hybrid stuff is simply nonsense. Latest technology diesel (Audi TDI for example)can get 50 mpg in a similarly sized car for a whole bunch less initial investment. Why bother with batteries and all of the sophisticated (read expensive to repair)electronics that are required to make these hybrids work.
I too am skeptical of the intellectually dishonest 230 MPG claims. It assumes that the first 40 miles of energy is free, which it certainly isn’t no matter how the wall-plug energy is made. Especially after utility fees “necessarily skyrocket” as The Won claims.
By the way I have a Prius and the batteries are supposed to be good for the life of the car. I’ve never heard of anyone having to replace them due to wear and tear. The trick is, they never discharge below 40 percent, and never charge above 90 percent, so the life of the batteries is maximized.