2011 Chevy Volt Classified As ULEV by CARB, Emits More CO Than Prius, Ineligible For Carpool Stickers

0.3 grams per mile. That's how much off the mark, in terms of CO emissions, the 2011 Chevy Volt was from being classified as an SULEV as it rolls today, however, the 2011 Chevy Volt is a ULEV (ultra low emissions vehicle), ranking worse than the current Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Jetta TDI and even the Honda Accord Sedan I4 (PZEV according to CARB). All of these vehicles release less than or equal to 1 gram of CO/mile while the Chevy Volt spits out 1.3 g/mile
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mpwr - 10/27/2010 2:57:28 PM

+3 Boost

Read the whole article, part of this bad performance in the way the test is standardized. Non the less, this certainly will not help GM'S case. This and the news that it is not strictly an electric vehicle are just two more knocks to this complicated vehicle.

Joe_Limon - 10/27/2010 3:22:30 PM

+1 Boost

I don't understand how giving low emissions vehicles their own lane is good for the environment. It slows down all the other lanes which are populated by vehicles that give off more emissions. It's doing more harm then good!

Agent009 - 10/27/2010 3:43:30 PM

0 Boost

I always wondered why the cars that pollute the most were forced to sit in traffic

mpwr - 10/27/2010 3:55:53 PM

-1 Boost

So that the public has an incentive to drive the cleanest vehicles, which is why this will be a hit to he Volt

Joe_Limon - 10/27/2010 4:45:38 PM

+1 Boost

The 40,000 people limited by the program will be driving the cleanest vehicles while the other 37 million people in California are forced to emit more and waste time going in slower traffic :-/

Steve - 10/27/2010 8:40:58 PM

-1 Boost

The concept is to motivate people to buy SULEV, so they can use the HOV lane. Look to Ontario, Canada for an example of stupid: HOV lanes are for 2+ people in a vehicle, and this includes motorcyles, and no special consideration for fuel-efficiency. The concept in this case is to reduce traffic, and thereby lower polution. As you might guess, it's ineffective as one lane is virtually empty while the 3 lanes to the right are standing still with idling vehicles in rush hour traffic.

outsider - 10/28/2010 3:03:19 AM

+1 Boost

The major problem is the temperature of engine block. At long distance of electric mode the petrol engine can cool down. The block needed to heat up using the electric system cooler liquid, but this has not enough high temperature. The petrol engine ECU recognize low temperature and automatically switching to choke -> higher fuel consumption/emission than originally designed.

thstone - 10/28/2010 4:23:12 PM

+1 Boost

This is a big problem for GM. The Volt HAS to outperform the Prius in all ways or its history.

I bet that it gets fixed by 2012.

Spectator - 10/29/2010 4:19:10 PM

+1 Boost

I still don't see GM having that much of a problem with this car. Our HOV on the East Coast is not based on a sticker for producing low emissions, its by car occupancy. So its CO2 emmissions mean absolutly nothing to us.

However being able to say 230mpg...well thats somthing that means a whole lot. I personally dont give a damn about how green my footprint is...all I care about is lowering a $400 a month pump bill for my family. If this car does it better than a Prius, well so be it.