The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in series-hybrid electric vehicle by General Motors, with production expected to begin in 2010. The Chevy Volt will be built at the Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly in Detroit, Michigan. The company has avoided the use of the term “hybrid,” preferring to call it an electric vehicle with a “range extender” due to its design. The vehicle is designed to run purely on electricity from on-board batteries for up to 40 miles (64 km), or about half the range of GM’s first electric car, the EV1 — a large enough distance to cover the daily commutes of 75% of Americans, which averages around 33 miles (53 km). With use of a small internal combustion engine driving a generator to resupply the batteries, the vehicle’s range is potentially increased to 360 miles (579 km) on the highway. Early estimates, from GM staff, were of initial annual production of 60,000 units, but these claims have been scaled back to a planned 10,000 units, as of May 2008, with a ramp up to 60,000 units in the second year. Click here to read more.. »