Originally Posted by klunick
Originally Posted by AndyF
Originally Posted by Remy-Z
I own a Volt, a 2017. Bought it used with 19,500 on the clock at "I stole it" price, currently just a tick over 50,000. Here's my take on it:

* Summer range: about 60 miles EV only. Winter range: about 48 miles EV only.
* Fuel mileage on "Hold" (engine only): 44 mpg average, with A/C on at typical Interstate speeds
* Issues to date: one set of tires at 45,000 miles, hood and roof painted surfaces are "crazing".
* My 6'3, 290lb backside fits just fine.
* For my everyday use (15 miles to work, 15 miles from work and one extra stop in town), I don't use the engine.
* Longest I've gone without refueling the car is 7 months.

We bought the Volt to replace the prior "economy car" in our fleet, a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco 6-spd. That car was a headache and a money suck. So far, besides the tires, the only things I've paid for with the Volt are the tags, the fuel and the car washes.



You did good. Grabbing a short range EV when they are cheap is a great way to pick up a second or third car for a household. I loved having a short range Leaf available for running short errands or driving kids to school and stuff like that. And as you pointed out, the maintenance costs on these things is close to zero.


Spot on. I've looked at my own usage and yes, we have 10 cars, but an EV would be great for my 15 mile work commute. I have the corolla so that works too. That said, the wife has a 65 mile commute to work/65 back with no charger available. Won't work for her. I did talk to a family friend that was an early adopter buying a model S years ago. They still have it and the wife loves it. They said for the first couple of years it had a 180 range. 5 years in it was down to about 130. Still works for her with a 15 mile commute though but remember the batterys do degrade with age and use.


Not doubting that. I'm watching the next 50K to see how bad they go down. But it's nice having that little 1.5L four at the ready...locking the car to gas engine only is great for longer roadtrips. The Volt has gone any and everywhere the Cruze did, like Texas, Cincinnati, Pigeon Forge, or anywhere else I feel like driving. Unless I'm going to be on the road for a week, leaving home with a full battery pack and staying engine-only is all the car will ever need. Frankly, if I could stuff the Volt's entire powertrain into something like a 1982 Cavalier Type-10, I'd be content.