Chevy Volt Drivers Tally More than 40 Million Electric Miles

Electric Vehicle Has Saved Owners a Combined $8 Million in Gas Costs

ANDOVER, MASS. (05/31/2012)(readMedia)-- The jury may still be out on whether electric vehicles can save the world, but Chevy Volt owners have now logged enough all-electric miles to circle the planet more than 1,600 times. Since they started rolling into dealerships in late 2010, Chevy Volts have collectively traveled more than 40 million electric miles and saved owners more than $8 million at the pump. That adds up to more than 2 million gallons of gas conserved, enough to fill a supertanker.

Providing plenty of ways for visitors to visualize the Volt's impact, Chevy has placed a rolling ticker on its website that pulls data directly from OnStar feeds to calculate how much the vehicle is saving drivers. So far, the Volts on the road have made the electric-only equivalent of more than 16,000 cross-country trips from New York to Los Angeles, which is roughly the same as traveling to the moon 167 times.

"Chevrolet does an excellent job of getting the message out about exactly how much the Volt benefits drivers," said Bill DeLuca III, president of Bill DeLuca's Woodworth Chevrolet Cadillac, a Chevy dealership in Massachusetts. "As impressive as the collective mileage numbers are though, existing Volt owners don't need proof of the car's value because they see it day in and day out. A lot of them hardly ever have to stop at a gas station."

Chevy's data shows that Volt owners spend about 60 percent of their time driving in electric mode, which is exactly how the car was designed to operate, according to the automaker. The Chevy Volt has an EPA-estimated all-electric range of 35 miles, long enough for many drivers' daily commutes. Once its 16-kwh lithium-ion battery pack runs out of juice, the Volt seamlessly switches to an onboard gas generator that produces enough power to travel an additional 340 miles on a full tank. Thanks to the car's charging capability, however, Chevrolet says that drivers go an average of 900 miles between fill-ups.

The Volt's flexible efficiency has helped bring new buyers to Chevrolet, with nearly seven out of 10 Volt buyers being new to the brand. A top competitor, the Toyota Prius hybrid, is the vehicle most turned in by customers when they buy a Volt, while the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and BMW 3 Series follow behind in that order.

In addition to its day-to-day cost savings, part of the Chevrolet Volt's ability to pull in new buyers comes from the outside perks that the car brings. The Volt's fuel efficiency qualifies it for federal and state tax incentives, and California Volt drivers can even ride solo in the state's carpool lanes with the vehicle. A year after its U.S. release, the Volt topped an owner-satisfaction survey in which 93 percent of its owners said they would buy the electric Chevy again.

"The Volt has much more going for it than just its efficient mileage, and that shows in the kind of buyers it is bringing in," added Deluca. "They come not only from direct competitors like the Prius, but from other top-selling mass-market vehicles and luxury sedans as well. The Volt is proving that it has a wide market appeal, as well as the staying power to keep buyers satisfied."

About Bill DeLuca's Woodworth Chevrolet Cadillac:

Located on Main Street in Andover, Massachusetts, Bill DeLuca's Woodworth Chevrolet Cadillac is a premier new and used Chevrolet and Cadillac dealer. They offer a wide variety of Chevrolet cars, trucks and SUVs, as well as the entire line of luxury Cadillac vehicles, and their expert service staff can diagnose and quickly repair any issue their customers have. Interested buyers can browse their current Chevrolet and Cadillac inventory online at www.woodworthmotors.com, stop by their dealership at 339 N. Main Street in Andover, or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WoodworthMotors. Their friendly staff can also be reached by phone at 978-296-4145 to answer any questions.