Chevrolet Volt Review

The Chevrolet Volt represents a voyage into uncharted waters for both General Motors and automakers in general. A so-called plug-in hybrid, the front-wheel-drive Volt is a four-door, four-seat hatchback that's motivated primarily by a 149-horsepower electric motor.

The motor is coupled to two power sources -- an advanced lithium-ion battery pack and a four-cylinder internal-combustion engine. According to Chevrolet, the former is good for up to 35 miles by itself, while the latter can extend the car's range by as much as 340 miles. You charge the battery pack from either a regular wall outlet or a specialized charger when the car is parked, and you refill the engine's fuel tank as necessary.

So what's the big deal? Well, Chevrolet is the first automaker to try this formula in a mass-market car. The advantages are clear -- the Volt uses no gasoline on short trips and is frugal with the stuff (up to an estimated 37 mpg) when the battery pack runs out of juice and the engine comes on line.

Time will tell whether consumers can swallow the Chevy Volt's $40,000-plus price tag, though current government incentives knock that down by about $7,000. There are also other green-oriented alternatives, from standard hybrids to Nissan's new, all-electric Leaf to Toyota's upcoming plug-in Prius. But we can be sure of one thing -- this plug-in Chevy is a milestone in the march toward a more efficient automotive future.

Current Chevrolet Volt
The Chevrolet Volt debuted for the 2011 model year. A plug-in hybrid, it utilizes two electric motors -- the first is rated at 149 hp (111 kilowatts) and 273 pound-feet of torque and the second is a 72 hp (54 kW) unit that can provide propulsion or act as a generator via the gasoline engine. A 16kW-hour lithium-ion battery pack supplies electrical power to the motors until its charge is about 60 percent depleted (that's good for about 25-40 miles of electric-only driving). At that point, the Volt's 1.4-liter four-cylinder internal combustion engine, which runs on gasoline, comes to life to maintain the battery's state of charge and provide mechanical propulsion assistance. Drive force is sent to the front wheels through a specialized planetary gearset.

Standard feature highlights include a fixed glass sunroof, a full complement of airbags, stability control, keyless ignition/entry, OnStar automatic climate control, a split-folding rear seatback, Bluetooth, a voice-activated navigation system and a Bose six-speaker sound system. Leather upholstery and heated front seats are optional. A Volt owner can monitor the car's status and set charging times through an online Web portal or a mobile phone app.

In our reviews, we've found that the Chevrolet Volt has satisfying zip at low speeds thanks to its electric motor, which offers abundant torque. The overall driving experience is a bit bland, as one would expect from a car designed to maximize energy efficiency. But the Volt certainly isn't a laggard, and overall performance is similar to what you'd get from a normal four-cylinder-equipped family sedan. As with other hybrids, the brakes are regenerative to help charge the battery, but pedal feel is quite normal. Around town and on the highway, the Volt is exceptionally quiet.

Inside, the Chevy Volt features a unique dashboard layout that's part spaceship, part iPod -- and pretty darn cool. There's a high-tech gauge readout behind the steering wheel and a swoopy center stack that looks like an oversized high-end electronic device. The rear seat is adequate for two adults, but there's no middle seat thanks to the T-shaped battery pack, which occupies this slot as well as part of the trunk. Cargo capacity is limited due to the Volt's rakish roof line and that hefty battery pack, though the rear seatbacks do fold down.