Chevrolet Volt Vs. Toyota Prius: Compare Cars
Chevy Volt Vs. Nissan Leaf: Compare Cars
They both deliver smooth, all-electric power. They both plug into the wall to recharge their... Read More
- #4LEADERBOARD RANK
- 2904ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
- 1950COMMENTS POSTED
Add to circle
Buyers looking for the greenest of cars often default to the Toyota Prius, but with the Chevrolet Volt entering its third year on the market and a new plug-in version of the Prius launched early in 2012, the choice is getting more complicated.
So which one would meet your personal mix of needs? Regrettably, the answer turns out to be: Well, it depends.
The Chevy Volt went on sale in December 2010 as a 2011 model, and in its first year, about 7,500 of the range-extended electric car--the first such car ever offered commercially by a big auto company--were sold. Its lithium-ion battery pack is now rated at 38 miles of electric range by the EPA. Once the pack is depleted, the Volt's gasoline engine automatically switches on to generate electricity to the front-wheel drive electric motor. Note that the engine doesn't power the wheels directly (with one small exception), but turns a generator that produces electricity to replace that provided by the battery. When the Volt is operating that way, the EPA rates it at 37 mpg.
The third-generation Toyota Prius liftback is the definitive and best-known hybrid vehicle. It now comes in four models, three of them new for 2012: a Prius V wagon, a smaller Prius C subcompact, and a plug-in hybrid version of the original liftback. The Prius liftback and Prius C are EPA-rated at 50 mph combined, the taller, heavier Prius V wagon comes in at 42 mpg combined, and then there's the Prius Plug-In Hybrid (to give it its full name).
So for gas mileage, the conventional hybrid version of the Prius liftback (50 mpg) does better than the Volt (37 mpg)--when the Volt's engine is running. But the standard Prius gets only about 1 mile of electric range, versus the Volt's 25 to 40 miles (depending on speed, temperature, use of climate control, and other factors). Then there's the Prius plug-in, which falls in the middle, with 50 mpg as well when it's running as a hybrid, plus 6 to 15 miles of battery range--but only at speeds below roughly 50 mph, and under lighter loads. Hammer the accelerator in the plug-in Prius, and it'll switch on the engine--unlike the Volt, whose battery is capable of powering the car regardless of what you ask it to, until it's depleted.
The shape of the Volt is similar to the well-known Prius, which can be pegged from 100 feet. Both have a smooth front, flat sides, a roofline that stays high and then drops off abruptly, and two-piece rear windows--with a long, almost horizontal panel in the upper part of the tailgate, plus a smaller vertical pane in the lower section. Each car's design has supporters and detractors, but the Prius is bigger inside and can seat five, while the Volt won't hold more than four people--and has less load space as well.
They're very different behind the wheel, though. The standard hybrid Prius is still primarily a gasoline car, and while it can accelerate from rest to about 30 mph solely on electricity, that takes a light foot on the accelerator and a gradual gathering of speed. Otherwise, the engine will switch on, as it will at first when the car is cold. And the plug-in Prius is the same, though it provides a much longer all-electric range and runs in electric-only mode at higher speeds. But the Volt runs electrically all the time, so its power is smooth, quiet, and continuous under any circumstance, regardless of whether the engine is running or not.
Gas mileage of all three versions falls somewhat in cold weather, as does electric range. (Battery packs of any size are like humans; they prefer to be at about 70 degrees F.) We confirmed that the Prius returns about 50 mpg in real-world usage.But the actual mileage that Prius Plug-In and Volt owners get will depend entirely on how much and how often they plug in to recharge the battery pack. That process takes the Volt up to 9 hours on regular 110-Volt household current, or about 4 hours using a specially installed 240-Volt Level 2 charging station, versus about 3 hours for the Prius Plug-In. The conventional hybrid Prius, of course, doesn't plug in at all.
A Volt owner who does only 30 miles a day and recharges every night may not switch on his engine for weeks at a time. (Volts actually ask permission of their drivers to switch on the engine for a few minutes every few months, to circulate the fluids and prevent damage to due lack to use.) Owners may easily record "gas mileage" of 100 to 400 miles per gallon under those circumstances. But Volt owners who drive 50 or more miles every day will be powered by a mix of grid electricity and gasoline, so their mileage will be 37 mpg or somewhat higher.
So who saves more gasoline? As we said, it depends. If you do 100 miles a day, the Prius hybrid wins. If you do 30 miles a day and plug in religiously, the Volt wins. And if you're somewhere in the middle, the math gets really complex and the Prius Plug-In Hybrid may come out ahead in some combinations of usage.
Other considerations: The Volt has a more stylish interior but has many identical looking touch-sensitive switches on the center stack, which some drivers say require more concentration to operate properly. And each occupant sits in a defined bucket seat, even in the rear, where the battery pack precludes a third seating position. The Prius interior has a sort of Space Age design and is full of patterned hard plastics, with simple numeric and diagram readings in the upper Multi-Information Display at the base of the windshield. The "flying buttress" high-level console that sweeps down from the dash is impressionistic but somewhat impractical. The seats are comfortable and there's plenty of room inside, however.
Related Articles
-
GM Stands Firm, Refuses To Share Chevy Volt Secrets With China
-
Cadillac Converj Concept To Be Built, Called Cadillac ELR
-
Cadillac ELR, Chevy Volt-Based Luxury Electric Car: Confirmed
-
2011 Chevrolet Volt Plug-In Hybrid Hatchback: Quick Drive
-
Follow Us
Most Popular This Week
More »
Nissan Rogue Vs. Honda CR-V: Compare Cars 
It's The End Of The Radio As We Know It 
Chevy Volt Vs. Nissan Leaf: Compare Cars 
Honda CR-V Vs. Hyundai Tucson: Compare Cars 
More From High Gear Media
Have an opinion?
At the 50 mpg of the Prius, burning gasoline may be *slightly* lower carbon on a wells-to-wheels basis in those two states.
But in California, which has a pretty clean grid and is where most electric cars will be sold, you have to get to about 100 mpg before the gasoline car is as clean as the electric one. So until the ENTIRE U.S. vehicle fleet gets 50 mpg or better, driving electric is lower-carbon.
As to comparing the Volt against the Prius, that's an ignorant comparison. How about comparing a Ford Edge to an Audi Q7? Or a Chevy Equinox to an Infiniti FX-series?
Sounds like you are a Volt fanboy, that is fine but don't make lies up.
You are right there's no comparison between the Volt and the Prius and I found out the hard way with my Volt.
I drove a Volt over a weekend in 30-40 deg F weather and got 36 and 30 miles on separate charges. I drove as I normally would, not slow like I’ve encountered some Prius owners trying to stay in all electric mode. If your style of driving only allows 24 miles in all electric mode, it is what it is. Your dealer, however, cannot speak for most Volt owners and most Volt owners are not disappointed with their Volts(read the other posts on this article).
The Volt is the 1st-gen car of a completely new drive system, Volt owners get this and expect some issues. Hey, the Volt sold close to 1000 more units in it’s first year in the US than the Prius did in it’s first year. And the Prius will never achieve the Volt's EPA 95 city/93 highway
A "mild hybrid" is a hybrid vehicle that doesn't plug in to recharge, in which the electric motor does not run the vehicle on electric power only--usually because it's too small. Think Honda's various generations of Integrated Motor Assist, which use 10-kW and 15-kW motors.
The Volt is not a mild hybrid at all, but technically a "series hybrid"--also known as a range-extended electric vehicle.
(Although over on Green Car Reports, you can find *lengthy* battles among those who feel that any plug-in car that has a gasoline engine does not deserve to be called an "electric car" ... sigh.)
The Volt is a series hybrid, in which the engine does not provide torque to the wheels but only powers a generator that creates electricity to operate the electric traction motor that turns the wheels. (There is an asterisk to the Volt, however: Under certain very limited circumstances, a minority of the engine output can be clutched through the electric motor to increase its torque.)
For reference, the Fisker Karma is a true series hybrid: no mechanical connection at all between engine and wheels.
Thank you! Believe it or not, this is THE FIRST place I have seen it explicitly stated that the Volt's gasoline engine drives the electric motor, which drives the wheels. Even after asking dealer sales staff and Chevrolet product support. More than once.
I just bought my first volt a month ago and my gas month expense has now been turned to $0.00. You cannot compete with the value of $0.00. It was aprox $400.00 a month. So this car will save me aprox $40,000 in 10 years compared to my old SUV.
I have not been to the ga
My commute to work has highway speeds so the prius would have used a lot of gas. The plug-in prius would have used gas for me because the highway speeds so again no real technical advantage of this car its just a way of Toyota playing catchup in my opinion.
So this comparison is really poor I feel. You’re comparing a premium electric vehicle to a older technology gas vehicle. Electric cars are quiet and make no noise to drive one is a wonderful experience.
For the majority of buyers, any vehicle at all with any kind of electrification--hybrid, plug-in, or whatever--is still a bit of a mystery.
So our goal with this article was to compare the Volt, which is widely misunderstood, against the Prius, which is slowly becoming more of a known quantity after 12 years in the market.
35KW can make the volt go 100+ miles.
So when people tell you electricity needs to be made causing air pollution. When you buy gas you also have to use electricity to make it. Refining process.
So when you keep from buying 1 gallon of fuel you save a lot of electricity!
So Plug IN Hybrid Toyota Prius even if it uses .5 gallons of fuel its really using 17.5 KW so you can see how even a small amount of gas actually sucks energy from the grid.
So far: 750 mi. I haven’t stopped for gas, 2.0 gals of gas used. Commute = 35 mi ea way (I’m lucky, employer allows me to plug in) I arrive w/5-12 mi chrg left — I burn a few drops of gas on way home (generally due to lights & more uphill climb that direction)
Let’s see, my current average, 350 miles to gal of gas - even if employer didn’t allow plug in, I think my savings in fuel does help to pay for the car - might be as low as 125 mph?
Also of note, I went from an Infiniti G37 coupe to the Volt and I’m having as much fun driving the Volt!
I purchased a 2012 Chevrolet Volt in early June 2012 and I like the Volt better for a number of reasons. My Volt was fueled-up at our Chevy dealer when it was unload at their lot in late May 2012, and as I comment here on Car Connection (nearly November 1) I still haven't put a drop of gas in it. http://www.flickr.com/photos/southwestusa/7983003532/in/photostream
Prius:
Passenger’s capacity Seat 5
Unlimited range so we are not going to run out of battery
Toyota reliability and track records of Prius is amazing
Battery life is well over 10 years proven
Actual miles per gallon in the 70mpg PLUS
Also has EV mode if want
Volt
Can only seat 4
Can only go 30 to 35 miles ACTUAL real life miles (spread sheet calculation mean nothing)
In cold climate lucky drivers been getting no more than 25miles range before they are out
Charging time 15hours !!! you must be kidding
Home modification $4000 to $6000 to accommodate charger (4 to 6 hours charging time)
We can drive the Prius for 7 years on just the electrician cost to accommodate the volt not including electricit
Actual VOLT MPG is 30mpg mix HWY and City that’s even less than a corolla
Reliability unknown – though GM has not been a big name or had much success in thee hybrid lineups
Life of the VOLT battery is rated to degrade 5% per 10,000miles that’s less range every year we drive it
Resale value – who is going to buy a used VOLT with 100kmiles knowing they will have to fork $15,000 on a new set of batteries and pay $4000 to $6000 to have an electrician fix their house to accommodate the car
No wonder Toyota hybrid vehicles sale jumped to 300,000 unit a year. In all honesty the VOLT is a fail for anyone who can do basic math.
Have an opinion?Join the conversation!