Report: Chevrolet Volt is cheaper to operate than Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, but only if…

Over the past couple years, GM attempted to reinvent the wheel with the Volt in the same way that Toyota reinvented the wheel when developing the second generation Prius: has it paid off? Now that there is a Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, how does it stack up against the  Chevrolet Volt in cost per mile? The answer is that at some level, we are splitting hairs. The Volt costs less per mile to operate, assuming the distance is under 70 miles. Good mark for GM then; many folks enjoy a commute of under 70 miles, so this makes sense for them.

Furthermore, as GE will be purchasing 12,000 Volts over the next few years, and placing charging stations with them, it should be easier for consumers to adopt the Volt as reliable, sensible and clean American transportation.

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For those bent on the American side of things, the Volt is built in the US, but so is the Prius. Certainly both cars are composed of parts from all over the world, bringing into question their viability as environmentally friendly cars, but many and most marques are guilty of this in their regular production vehicles.

The bigger issue at hand especially in this economy is cost: GE can afford the $10,000 premium of the Volt, but can consumers? This is a highly specialized market; those interested in saving money on a commuter car might not be interested in kicking out an extra ten grand just to get an American badge.

– By: Sawyer Sutton

Source: Plugin Cars