'lectric 'rithmetic

The bad news is that the Chevy Volt will sell for $40,000. The good news:

WARREN, MICH — General Motors Corp. said Tuesday its Chevrolet Volt rechargeable electric car should get 230 miles per gallon of gasoline in city driving, more than four times the mileage of the current champion, the Toyota Prius.

The Volt is powered by an electric motor and a battery pack with a 40-mile range. After that, a small internal combustion engine kicks in to generate electricity for a total range of 300 miles. The battery pack can be recharged from a standard home outlet.

GM came up with the 230-mile figure in early tests using draft guidelines from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for calculating the mileage of extended range electric vehicles, said Tony Posawatz, GM's vehicle line director for the Volt.

The problem, of course, is that "figures don't lie, but liars figure." The 230 MPG works when a trip is under 40 miles. Read the small print:

The 230 MPG number, according to GM's Frank Weber, global vehicle line executive for the Volt, is a measurement of the car's "city driving cycle" — that's the 40 miles it can go without gas, plus one daily electric charge-up, plus a little extra help from the gasoline it might need to continue to charge its batteries when they get low while driving in the city. It's basically measuring the Volt's electric-only-mode (with some help) mileage capacity. If the Volt got out on the highway — where it's powered largely by gasoline — and traveled 200 miles the MPG would drop like a stone, and likely be more in line with other hybrids.

Comparable hybrids, Toyota's Prius and Honda's Insight will sell in the $25,000 range. OOPS! Nissan adds insult to injury with its recent tweet:

"Nissan Leaf = 367 mpg, no tailpipe, and no gas required. Oh yeah, and it'll be affordable too!"

The Nissan Leaf will debut at the same time as the Volt. It is an all-electric vehicle with a 100 mile range on a single charge. Oh yeah, and it'll sell for about $25,000.