Volt MSRP runs north of $50k.
How many charges will the batteries last?
Replacement cost of batteries will give you a sticker shock.
I have heard $8000+. My best estimate is 5 year battery life if
driven daily.
Now compare a similar size gasoline only car. Many are available around $20k yielding 28 mpg.
For a 10 year period, and 100,000 miles of driving,
the Volt will use 100,000/130mpg=768 gallons of fuel.
The gas car will use 100,000/28=3571 gallons of fuel.
Cost of Volt = 50,000+8000+768x4.0=$61,072
Cost of gas car= 20,000+3571x4=$34,284
Then consider the inconvenience of never driving over 50 miles per trip to maintain that 130 mpg average.
The Volt is NOT a green car because it uses electricity generated by burning coal/oil/nat gas/nuclear
Wait until it burns their house down. then they will be screaming why did I byuy this?
I can do better - 4 door Suzuki SX4 gets well north of 30mpg in actual driving (a buddy with one just told me about getting 39mpg out of his), and an out-the-door MSRP under 17K. I'm actually looking at something like this as my next car. Except my current car is running great and I don't have a spare 17K laying around. ;-)
You're right though. Your numbers or mine - just goes to show the Volt makes no sense whatsoever from a practical standpoint.
From an environmental perspective, I still like electrics where there is fossil fuel generation because it is generated at a level much more efficient than a car engine. There's some loss over transmission, and then the electric motors are 90+ percent efficient, still much better than a gasoline engine. Plus, pollution from the power generation doesn't end up at street level in the city.
I'm a perfect candidate for a Nissan Leaf with my short commute. I might even think of getting one after the second generation (not going to buy first). For the financials, it's not only that gas is effectively cheaper, remember for a pure electric there are also no oil changes, transmission fluid changes, clutches, etc., and brake changes will be few and far between with the regenerative braking. Nice and simple setup with a pure electric, little maintenance should be required.
But hybrids? No thanks. That much added weight and complexity for a little fuel savings doesn't look like a good idea.