100 Mpg Pick Up Truck

[Jeff Porter]

This is, of course, exactly how a Chevy Volt works. You run on electricity till the battery runs out, then gas drives a engine that charges the battery.

I'm on my second Volt. I leased the first one for three years, and during that time I averaged 105mpg. My daily commute (36 miles each way) was all electric thinks to a plain old 110V outlet in the garage where I park. Occasionally in the winter the car wouldn't make it all the way on electricity, and sometimes when the weather is very cold, the engine will run to warm up the system. Plus I took a few long trips in the car, including one in excess of 1,000 miles where I was unable to recharge for several days. Still, the car was comfortable, silent, and quick.

I traded that Volt for another this fall. It's used, and the person who had it before me was only averaging 68mpg (which shows what happens when you don't bother to plug in regularly). Since taking over in cold weather, I've average 93mpg, but I expect to have that back over 100 soon. A used Volt, with leather seats, Nav, the tricked out safety systems / cruise cost me $17k. Considering my commute, it's pretty much paid for itself just in gas savings, even if you compare it to a car getting 30 mpg.

If I could get the same tech in a small pickup, I'd be ecstatic. I drove 50 miles today just to look at a 12 year old Subaru Baja. Years and years ago, I had a tiny Datsun pickup, and I'd love to have one like it today, but no one makes a small pickup truck these days. And yes, I know big pickups get better mileage then they used to, and there's not a great margin in small trucks. Doesn't keep me from wanting one.

Very cool DT, good information to read. I just looked on autotrader.com, within 300 miles of me, and I see a 2012 Volt Hatchback with only 17k miles, listed for $16,600. What are your thoughts on the 2012 version? Is that a reasonably good price for such low miles and only 3-4 yrs old? The info says 40 mpg on highway, and the battery gives about 35 miles of range. From pictures, looks like it seats 4, with a firm console in the back?