The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by General Motors. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010, and is the most fuel-efficient compact car sold in the United States, as rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
According to General Motors the Volt can travel 25 to 50 miles (40 to 80 km) on its lithium-ion battery alone. The EPA official all-electric range is 35 miles (56 km), and the total range is 379 miles (610 km). The EPA rated the Volt's combined city/highway fuel economy at 93 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent (MPG-e) in all-electric mode, and at 37 mpg-US (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg-imp) in gasoline-only mode, for an overall combined gasoline-electric fuel economy rating of 60 mpg-US (3.9 L/100 km; 72 mpg-imp) equivalent (MPG-e). The Volt operates as a pure battery electric vehicle until its plug-in battery capacity is depleted; at which point its gasoline engine powers an electric generator to extend the vehicle's range. The Volt's regenerative braking also contributes to the on-board electricity generation. In order to improve performance, the internal combustion engine may at times be engaged mechanically to assist both electric motors to propel the Volt.
The suggested retail price for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt in the U.S. starts at US$40,280 before the US$7,500 U.S. federal tax credit and additional incentives are available in some locations. The 2012 Volt base price will be US$1,005 less than the 2011 model, as the base configuration has been defeatured. The 2011 Volt is being sold only in selected U.S. markets and nationwide availability of the 2012 model year is expected by November 2011. Deliveries of the 2012 Volt began in Canada in September 2011, and the suggested retail price starts at CAD 41,545 (US$43,568) before any available rebates. The initial Canadian launch is also limited to selected markets and availability in the rest of Canada is expected before the end of 2012. In the Eurozone the Volt platform will be sold as the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera, and is expected to be sold for about €42,900 (US$58,000) including VAT before any government incentives. In the United Kingdom the Vauxhall Ampera is expected to be priced at GB£33,995. Exports to Europe and China are scheduled for late 2011.
Among other awards and recognition, the Chevrolet Volt won the 2009 Green Car Vision Award, 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year, 2011 Green Car of the Year, 2011 North American Car of the Year, and 2011 World Green Car. Despite the awards earned and the positive reception from many automotive critics, there has been some controversy and concerns in the media. These include the extent of the federal government participation in the Volt development during General Motors' 2009 government-led bankruptcy; concerns about the Volt's relatively high sales price; and complaints about price markups due to the Volt's initial limited supply.
The Society of Automotive Engineers' (SAE) definition of a hybrid vehicle states that the vehicle shall have "two or more energy storage systems both of which must provide propulsion power, either together or independently." General Motors has avoided the use of the term "hybrid" when describing its Voltec designs, even after the carmaker revealed that in some cases the combustion engine provided some assist at high speeds or to improve performance. Instead General Motors describes the Volt as an electric vehicle equipped with a "range extending" gasoline powered internal combustion engine (ICE) as a genset and therefore dubbed the Volt an "Extended Range Electric Vehicle" or E-REV. In a January 2011 interview, the Chevy Volt's Global Chief Engineer, Pamela Fletcher, referred to the Volt as "an electric car with extended range".
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