60K Electric km in my VOLT
Today, after owning the Volt for just over 27 months, I hit the 60,000 electric kilometers mark out of a total 77,789 kilometers.
My out of pocket cost for that distance is around $850 in electricity or about $30 a month. Even if you would add an extra 40% cost since I charge for free at work, shopping centers, at friends and families houses and anywhere I can plug in, it would only be around $1,190 in electrons to travel 60,000 kilometers! Or about $0.02 cents per kilometer.
So, how much would travelling 60,000 kilometers in a regular gas car at lets say an average of $1.20/liter cost?
Avg. 15L/100km = $10,800 = $0.18 cents per kilometer
Avg. 10L/100km = $7,200 = $0.12 cents per kilometer
Avg. 6L/100km = $4,320 = $ 0.07 cents per kilometer
How much is your car averaging? What a manufacturer says a car can average is one thing and is usually in ideal conditions. Consider driving in winter with snow tires, poor road conditions, idling to warm up the cabin and the denser air your car must punch trough, and the manufacturer average can suddenly balloon to a much higher average.
I’ve been through 3 winters with the Volt, and routinely drive at 120km/h all highway on my commute, yet I’m averaging bellow 0.02 cents per kilometer. If I would have bought an equivalent gas powered car and would not change my driving style, I would probably be in the 8.0L/100km.
This goes to show that when buying a car, it is very important to consider the cost of operation, how much will the car cost on a daily basis and over many years.
What’s interesting with the Volt is that it can use two sources of energy, one from the battery and one from gasoline. Therefor I can clearly compare how much it cost to run on gas or electricity.
60,000 EV kilometer = $1,190
17,789 gas kilometers = $1,490
By the way, when I got the Volt, gas was hovering around $1.00 – $1.05 a liter, it went as high up as $1.40 two summers ago and is now hovering around $1.25 – $1.30. Do you think we will see gas at under a dollar again? I don’t think so.
If these numbers don’t make a case for electric propulsion, I don’t know what does.
These numbers prove once again that the Chevrolet Volt is an amazing car. And also the most reliable vehicle in its category 🙂
How much $ have you spent on maintenance and repair costs?
I’ve had one oil change done on the gas generator over a year ago for whatever the going rate for an oil change is and a couple of bottles of windshield washer fluid. I’ve had some minor warranty work done, like a sticky chargeport door and a piece of the little lighting on the Volt emblem broke off. Over all it’s had a very low cost of operation and maintenance, as expected.
Nice work, Paul.
Also on maintenance, my first 12 month check is coming up. It’s the oil change in the generator. Dealership will be doing it for free as part of a promo when I bought the car. I asked about the next scheduled service and was told it’s 24 months later (36 months of ownership) with a cost of $90 for the scheduled service. Such a departure from every other car I’ve owned with 8000km service intervals.
congrats Paul… 30000 electric km a year is pretty impressive. I think that being able to charge at work helps a lot.
Did you take that picture?
Yes charging at work sure does help, otherwise I wouldn’t have bought the car as I would be spending to much on gas and it would not meet my strict budget.
I did take that picture at some nature trail in Limoges.
Typo therefor = therefore