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Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf go nearly the same all-electric miles a year

Range anxiety? What range anxiety? The concept is a foreign one to those driving Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-ins, and as a result, that vehicle's all-electric driving miles are actually pretty close to that of the all-electric Nissan Leaf. Such were the findings of a study conducted by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), which tracked about 8,700 cars during a three-year period, including a bunch of Volts, Leafs and Smart ED electric vehicles. In short, even though the Volt's all-electric range of about 38 miles is less than half that of the Leaf's, the Volts' collective all-electric driving was just six percent lower than the Leaf's (the next-generation Volt will be even more electro-generous, with a 50-mile range). The logic makes sense considering typical US driving habits, in which a vast majority of people commute less than 35 miles a day. Additionally, Volt drivers obviously have no fear of running out of electricity, so they were far more likely to max out on that range than some Leaf drivers. Overall, the average Leaf is driven about 15 percent less than the national average of about 11,300 miles a year for all vehicles, while Volts are driven about eight percent more. Of all those Volt miles, about 81 percent were in all-electric mode. Additionally, Volt drivers recharged about 1.5 times a day, while Leaf drivers recharged about once a day, and about 85 percent of that charging was at home. As for non-home charging, about 20 percent of the vehicles accounted for 75 percent of the station use, so folks are definitely creatures of habit. Check out the INL's 22-page report here for more interesting details. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive View 24 Photos Related Gallery 2016 Nissan Leaf View 30 Photos News Source: Idaho National Laboratory via Hybrid Cars Green Chevrolet Nissan Electric Hybrid extended-range plug-in

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #313 LIVE!

We record Autoblog Podcast #313 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #313
2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra introduced

Seized drug dealer's Corvette Z06 joins Texas police fleet

A police department in Texas caused a stir after they posted pictures of their hot new ride on social media last week. This 2007 Corvette Z06 with dark-tinted windows once belonged to a drug dealer, but was seized in a DEA raid. The feds awarded the Corvette to the New Braunfels Police Department for their help in bringing down the drug distribution ring in the area. When police posted images of the car on their Facebook page, some followers were angry that tax dollars were spent on such an extravagant car. New Braunfels PD were quick to defend themselves. "To be clear, this vehicle was awarded to NBPD as part of an asset distribution from the Federal DEA criminal case of a large drug distribution ring in our area," the New Braunfels PD wrote on their Facebook page. "NBPD was instrumental in helping bring down that drug enterprise. Property seized during the course of an investigation is only awarded to the law enforcement agency after a court has determined that the suspect was involved in criminal activity and the proceeds (money) from that activity (i.e dealing drugs) paid for the items seized. Therefore, no property is given to a law enforcement agency prior to the investigation being completed and tried in a court of law." With a 505 horsepower V8 engine this murdered-out Corvette could outrun most speeders and getaway drivers. As is often the case in instances such as this, however, the 'Vette will be used in community outreach programs rather than as an active-duty cruiser. The department is currently holding a contest asking kids between 8 and 16 years old to find a name for the sports car. Currently, the most liked name is 'Optimus Crime'. A final winner will be chosen by the department on September 22. The kid who picks the name will earn bragging rights, plus a ride in the Corvette when its unveiled at the Comal County Fair Parade this weekend. Related Video: