As the fleet of modern electric cars ages, closer attention is being paid to how well these cars hold up after long-term use. The first Chevrolet Volt plug-in cars went on sale in December 2010, meaning that by now a few examples have accumulated significant mileage. If the following case is any indication, Volts should do just fine over the long haul. DON'T MISS: If 63% Of Volt Miles Are Electric, Isn't It An Electric Car? (Jul 2012) An Ohio owner recently logged 247,585 miles in his 2012 Chevrolet Volt, according to HybridCars. That's longer than the distance between the Earth and the Moon--and about one third of the total was driven on electricity. An impressive feat, considering that owner Erick Belmer reportedly drives 240 miles on a typical daily round-trip commute, and has driven as much as 430 miles in a day. 2012 Chevrolet Volt The 2012 Volt has the smallest of the three first-generation Volt battery-pack sizes--16.4 kilowatt-hours--giving it a rated electric range of just 35 miles. Belmer did not discuss his charging regimen, but it seems likely that he used both home and workplace charging to achieve his electric-only mileage figure. When operating on gasoline, the 2012 Volt is rated at 37 mpg combined by the EPA. ALSO SEE: Four Years And 70,000 Miles Later, 2011 Nissan Leaf Going Strong Since taking delivery of his Volt on March 28, 2012, Belmer calculates lifetime "blended" fuel economy of 59.4 mpg (both electric and gasoline miles). That's better than the rated 50 mpg combined of the most efficient car without a plug sold in the U.S., the Toyota Prius hybrid. When operating on gasoline alone, he has averaged 38.6 mpg, slightly higher than the EPA rating. 2012 Chevrolet Volt So far the Volt seems to be holding up well. At 200,000 miles, Belmer said there has been no apparent loss in battery capacity. His maintenance primarily consists of oil changes every 38,000 miles, and tire rotations at 10,000 miles. MORE: Aging Electric-Car Batteries Can Still Offer Useful Range: Report While Volt owners can't boast about never needing an oil change like the owners of all-electric cars, they can at least stretch out those intervals considerably. Belmer still drives his original Volt--nicknamed "Sparkie"--but now has a second one as well. Who knows how long that one will last? _______________________________________________ Follow GreenCarReports on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
An U.S. owner recently logged the mileage of his March 28, 2012 Nissan Leaf Going Strong Prius at 247,585 miles . The 2012 is the smallest of the second -generation Volt's with no reported loss in battery capacity, a positive milestone for the car.