Henry Imler January 7th, 2007

Electricity building - Domestics make a run at high-mileage leaders by combining batteries with no-gas fuel sources

DETROIT — If the Chevrolet Volt works as advertised, you could travel for weeks, if not months, without a drop of gasoline.

You can expect from 50 to 525 m.p.g., so get ready to thumb your nose at the gas pumps–at any price.

General Motors unveiled the high-mileage concept at a media preview
of the Detroit Auto Show. The electric, powered by lithium ion
batteries, is designed to go up to 40 miles before the need to recharge
6 to 6.5 hours in any 110-volt outlet.

After 40 miles, a 1-liter, turbo 3-cylinder gas engine fuels a
generator to recharge the batteries. It also goes 600 miles before
having to refill the 12-gallon gas tank.

That’s 640 miles of driving range and better than 50 m.p.g. in fuel
economy with regular unleaded or up to 525 m.p.g. with the E85 ethanol
blend, GM estimates.

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