GM expects the Volt to be 100-mpg certified
But EPA says testing method is not finalized. The electric vehicle with a gas-powered generator is slated to enter the market in late 2010.
General Motors Corp. said Friday that it had reached a preliminary agreement that cleared the way for U.S. regulators to certify the Chevrolet Volt as the first 100-mile-per-gallon car. But the Environmental Protection Agency said testing guidelines hadn't been finalized.
The Volt, an electric vehicle that can be charged at home and has a range-extending gas-powered generator on board, is expected to start selling in late 2010. GM says it will be able to travel 40 miles before the generator kicks in.
Tony Posawatz, 48, vehicle-line director for the Volt in Warren, Mich., said the EPA agreed to a testing method that will produce a rating of at least 100 mpg. In a statement, agency spokeswoman Catherine C. Milbourn said the EPA won't confirm how it gauges fuel economy of plug-in models until testing methodology is finalized. The agency "hopes to have a final policy soon," she said.
Earning a 100-mpg certification would be a huge boost for Detroit-based GM, whose sales of pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles have slumped this year as gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon and credit became harder to obtain.
"It's a huge milestone to beat 100 mpg. It's bragging rights," said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst at Global Insight Inc. in Lexington, Mass. "To many people, GM is just about gas-guzzling SUVs. They never get credit for fuel economy. If Toyota were doing the Volt, they would be having parades and waving flags."
Toyota Motor Corp.'s hybrid Prius is the highest-rated car on the road today, achieving 48 mpg in the city and 45 mpg on the highway. It has a 1.5-liter gasoline engine, isn't rechargeable at an electric outlet and can drive only 2 miles on its battery, according to the company, which leads global sales in the category.
Like all automakers selling in the U.S., GM must increase the average mileage of the fleet as much as 40% to 35 mpg by 2020 to comply with new federal standards.
The Volt may sell for more than $30,000, said GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz. The sedan is the centerpiece of a drive by Chief Executive Rick Wagoner to narrow the technology gap with competitors, including Toyota.
For GM to obtain a 100-mpg rating, the EPA will have to develop a new way of measuring fuel efficiency for a car that's likely to rely more heavily on electric than internal-combustion power, GM's Posawatz said. The automaker promised to share mileage data from the Volt's onboard computers to verify real-world performance if the EPA would grant the certification now, he said.
- Gore Says Car Makers Vow to Push for Fuel Economy Mar 31, 2000
- Speeding Up Interest in Fuel Cell Technology May 14, 2003
- Asian Cars Dominate `Green' List Feb 14, 2006
