2016 Chevy Volt Will Go 53 Miles On Electricity Alone

It all feels so distant now — the once-fervid debate around the Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid, the rolling science experiment that was one of the last gasps of pre-bankruptcy General Motors and the underperforming star of Obama Motors. After all the political wrangling, low gas prices turned down the heat on every hybrid and efficiency-first model; last month, for the first time in over a year, the Volt outsold what had once been its main competitor, the Nissan Leaf electric car.

Yet GM has not surrendered. Looking past today’s pump prices, cars like the Volt — ones that can travel a ways on electricity, but take longer trips on liquid fuel — seem more relevant, and likely future-proof than ever. And with the reveal today of its new EPA ratings, the 2016 Volt looks more competitive on its merits than many might have expected.

When it reaches showrooms late this year, the new Volt will be rated for 53 miles of electric-only range on a full charge — a 39 percent jump over the old model, thanks to new battery designs and a lighter weight. Total efficiency combining the electric drive and the 1.5-liter rises to 42 mpg combined from 37 mpg. (In electric mode, the Volt is rated at 106 mpg-e, comparable to pure battery-electric models.)

Those figures, combined with a lower starting price of $34,500 before tax credits and true five-passenger seating make the Volt look far more competitive to not just other plug-ins but even regular hybrids — although it sacrifices cargo space to get that 53-mile range. Until oil prices rise, every hybrid has a tough haul to lure customers, but when they do, the Volt will be a far less controversial choice.