Chevrolet Volt will not be rated at 230 mpg; Victory Red paint debuts

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Chevrolet, GM, Design/Style, Electric

Chevrolet Volt in ‘Victory Red’ – Click above for high-res image gallery

Remember how big a deal General Motors made about the upcoming 2011 Chevy Volt’s supposed 230 mile per gallon EPA fuel mileage rating? Well, you can now forget about it. According to USA Today, the Feds have decided not to use the preliminary testing procedure that produced that mythical 230 mpg figure, and a new methodology for rating electric vehicles has yet to be finalized. Don’t expect a revised mileage figure any time soon. In fact, an actual mpg equivalent rating may not come until the Volt is just about ready to hit the market at the end of the year.

This revelation was revealed this afternoon during an event at GM’s Michigan battery plant in Brownstown Township, and we were in attendance. When we arrived, we were greeted by the sight of the first-ever red Chevrolet Volt. This “Victory Red” example is one of between 30 and 40 manufacturing validation vehicles built so far at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant. Those cars were preceded by about three dozen production verification cars built since late March of this year. This particular example was built about one week ago.

In the next two to three weeks, General Motors will start building so-called “salable” Volts that will go into the captured test fleet for GM employees to accumulate miles and catch any last minute glitches before the cars enter full production in November.

What do you think – does Victory Red suit the Volt? Have your say in ‘Comments.’

Gallery: Chevrolet Volt in ‘Victory Red’