Getting a Chevy Volt Tomorrow (1-11-11)!

This blog is about solar power and electric cars.  I installed a solar power system on the roof in December and am waiting for PG&E to install a new meter.   We now have an outlet in the driveway to plug the car into, and our new Chevy Volt is ready to be picked up tomorrow!  I would like to share this experience--costs, lessons, tips, and ways to do it better--with anyone interested in buying an electric car and powering it with rooftop solar panels.  Here is a fact sheet about my current thinking.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and give me feedback.

Chevy Volt Fact Sheet

January, 2011

What is different about the Chevy Volt?

               The car runs on electricity for the first 40 miles or so, and then uses a gasoline generator to go up to 300 miles.  You can refill the gas tank just like an ordinary car.

How much does it cost to run?

               The car goes about 4 miles per kilowatt hour (kwh).  Electricity costs about 12 cents per kwh.  Dividing 12 cents per kwh by 4 miles per kwh means that the Volt costs about 3 cents per mile.  After running on batteries for the first 40 miles, the gas generator/engine takes over and the car then gets about 30 miles per gallon.   The 12 cents per kwh electricity cost is based on the average cost of electricity from the solar panels on my roof and assuming that I charge the car at the special nighttime utility rate.  Note that it takes about 8 hours for a full charge using standard 110 volt house current.

How does that cost compare to most cars?

               Average mileage in the U.S. is about 20 miles per gallon.  At $3.20 per gallon, that comes to 16 cents per mile.  So, the Volt saves about 13 cents per mile.  If you drive 1,000 miles per month on the electric motor, that is a savings of about $1,500 per year.

What about the cost of the car?

               The retail price of the Volt is $41,000.  There is a $7,500 tax credit so the net price is $33,500.  Assuming that a comparable gasoline engine car would cost about $15,000 less than that, the annual savings of $1,500 is like putting the $15,000 in the bank and getting 10% interest—not bad!  And the price of gas is going up, so the rate of return will keep getting better.

Should I buy a plug-in hybrid like the Volt or an all-electric car?

               This depends.  If you only have one car, and you want to be able to travel long distances, the Volt or plug-in hybrid makes sense.  If you have two cars, then it would probably be cheaper to make one an all-electric to use around town, and the other a plug-in hybrid for long trips.  Also, if your daily commute is more than 40 miles, you would be better off with an all-electric like the Nissan Leaf, which goes 100 miles on a charge.

What if I don’t have solar panels?

               PG&E and other utilities have special rates for charging cars overnight.  If you can take advantage of those rates, you should be able to save money even without solar panels.

What are the other advantages of electric cars/solar panels?

               There are many advantages besides saving money—no oil imports, no oil spills, no carbon dioxide, no air pollution, no pipelines through the Alaska wilderness, lots of local jobs.

For more information check out www.calcars.org and www.pluginamerica.org