Chevy Volt drives into dealerships this week

By Jeffrey Van Camp December 14, 2010

Chevy Volt — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The age of the electric car may be upon us. General Motors announced yesterday that the first Chevy Volts are en route to dealerships in California, Texas, Washington D.C., and New York. The first shipment is small (about 160 vehicles), but hey, it’s a start.

“Today is a historic milestone for Chevrolet,” said Tony DiSalle, Volt marketing director. “We have redefined automotive transportation with the Volt, and soon the first customers will be able to experience gas-free commuting with the freedom to take an extended trip whenever or wherever they want.”

The Volt is an electric car that lets drivers travel about 35 miles on a single charge. Technically, someone driving around town to work each day may be able to only use battery power and never fill up. The car can be plugged into a standard 120 volt outlet and takes about 10 hours to charge. For longer trips, the car also has a hybrid gas engine that gets about 48 MPG. The convenience comes at a price, however. The Volt will cost $41,000 before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

To learn more about the Chevy Volt, which has been named “Car of the Year” by some publications, check out our complete guide on the car, read about our test drives with it, or check out our full review. If you’ve had a chance to try one out, please share your experiences. It’s great to see cars finally get techy.

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As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…

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