5,200 Miles in the Chevy Volt

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- With the Chevrolet Volt, there is never a shortage of questions for us owners. One the one hand, there are the questions that people are asking. On the other hand, there are the questions that people should be asking.

What's the difference? In my case, 5,200 miles. After you have lived extensively with the Volt and put it through thousands of miles in car races at almost criminally high speeds throughout the U.S. deserts and mountains, you will likely focus on the right attributes of this most revolutionary car.

Chevrolet Volt

Let's first recap where Chevrolet, a division of General Motors (GM), stands with its production of the Volt. From December 2010 until June 2011, approximately 3,200 units of the initial 2011 model were put in consumer hands. Production of the 2012 model will be 20,000 to 25,000 units, and end this December 2011. In January 2012, a slightly modified "2012 ½" model will start, to the tune of approximately 1,200 units per week.

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At 60,000 units per year for 2012, Chevrolet will have met its Volt production goal on time. As far as 2012 sales are concerned, it's anybody's guess. The initial backlog built up in 2010 and 2011 has now been fulfilled, so buyers can now actually get a car off the lot right away, without paying a mark-up fee by the dealer in most instances. Keep in mind that the 60,000 number includes approximately 15,000 units sold to Europe, Asia and Australia, some under other brand names such as Opel and Vauxhall. Some of these international sales are starting now.

Obvious Questions

What are the questions people are asking about the Volt?

1. How far does it go on a charge? Chevrolet advertises 25 to 50 miles, and after 5,200 miles I can confirm that this is true. Under ideal conditions, 50 miles, but if you need to use a lot of heat and you drive very fast, it can be closer to 25. Of course, the biggest variable is if you drive uphill or downhill.

2. After the battery is depleted, how far does it go by using the gasoline generator? The gasoline tank is 9.3 gallons and you can easily get 35 to 40 MPG. I had no trouble achieving 360 miles. That means that the total range (electricity plus gasoline) for the Volt is very close to 400 miles.

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