Hybrids are smart, cool and the Chevy Volt will one in 2010

Chevy Volt on test track in Michigan

Who would think they could go to Toronto and back on 4 tanks of gas? We did with a Hybrid from Toyota.

Soon GM will be shipping the Chevy Volt. They say 2010 with no pricing set. It will no doubt be competitive or it won’t sell.

Toyota sells the base Prius for $28,000 and the loaded one for $33,000. There are often government incentives that can cut the cost by $3,000 to $5,000.

When we went looking this spring it was with a mid-sized car in mind. Then the dealer had a Prius which drove well and looked like fun. A taxi driver said they get a million miles in Vancouver with Prius cabs.

Why not? We took the plunge from forty years of gas cars including several 12 mpg gas guzzlers to a 100 mpg hyrid.

Not only do we look smarter, we feel smarter.

The New York Times has a story by auto reporter Lindsay Brooke that answers the question For the Volt, How’s Life After 40 (Miles)?

The Volt is different than the Prius which blends gas and electric. The Chevy Volt is a electric driven car. It uses batteries for a maximum range of 40 miles.

When the battery gets at 30% capacity, a gas powered generator charges the batteries and propels the Volt.

The Volt will then go as far as a tank of gas will take it.

That deals with everyone’s first fear of an electric car – running the battery down on the way home.

The sound of the generator running at steady highway speeds is something Volt owners, and others who appreciate the flexibility and efficiency of this type of hybrid system, may have to accept.

Unlike many electrics, including the Tesla Roadster, the Volt’s electric drive has no whine. The car feels solid and planted on the road. Clicking the Sport button on the dashboard releases a bit more oomph than when in Normal mode; in terms of efficiency, there isn’t much difference between the two except at peak power.

Brooke is bullish on the Volt. He says it is a smooth, quiet ride and you forget about the battery issue. I’m not sure you ever do. We feel smart in our Prius, like we are cheating the oil companies, every time we see 2.2 litres per 100 kilometers.

Read the rest of his story and follow up at the New York Times, cause the times they are a changin’.