Chevy Volt Won't Get 230mpg, GM Admits

In brief: General Motors engineers admit that the hype about 230 miles per gallon was just that: hype.

Vehicle in the news

Make/Model: Volt
Manufacturer: Chevrolet

The word

Engineering at General Motors working on the 2011 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid have told reporters that the Volt will not be certified as Zero-Emissions by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and that it will not get 230mpg.

Engineers said that the 230 number was based on preliminary estimates based on last summer's EPA standards and probably won't be as high this time around.

GM won't release new numbers on the Volt and engineers wouldn't either, but guesses from what's known about the car show it to be roughly on-par with the Toyota Prius, given the Volt's heavier weight and larger size.

And so ...

The Volt is capable of up to 40 miles all-electric while the Prius is capable of 27.

Photo credits: General Motors