The Chevy Volt
The Volt is Chevy's great white hope. This serial hybrid runs entirely on an electric motor, using gas only to power an onboard generator, or "range-extender". This gives the Volt comparable range to current non-hybrid vehicles. The cars lithium ion batteries allow for roughly 40 miles of pure electric drive before the range extender kicks on. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid, meaning a nightly charge could keep you away from the pump indefinitely, as long as you keep your daily driving under 40 miles like most Americans. Quite a cool looking car as well, far from the dumpy looking compact Prius. If gas goes up again before the cars release in 2010, it should be a hot item. However, the car does have its drawbacks. Energy from the grid is not necessarily "clean", so the Volt's environmental contribution will likely be negligible. Also, for those who drive in the colder northern states where your heat is blasting all winter, the Volt will need to run its gas engine at all times to keep the warm air flowing. This will put a dent in your impeccable gas mileage.
While the Volt is not perfect, it represents a giant step in the right direction as the world moves toward more sustainable and green transportation.
Gavin
