The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is a front-wheel-drive, four-passenger  Electric Vehicle  with extended-range capability.  It uses electricity as its primary power source and gasoline as its secondary source to power the vehicle. 

The Chevrolet Volt represents a significant departure from conventional hybrids. With the Volt, the wheels are turned by an electric drive unit, whereas in conventional hybrids the wheels are turned by an electric motor, a gasoline engine, or both.  For short trips, the Volt runs on battery power alone. For longer trips, additional electricity can be supplied by an internal combustion engine. The battery and propulsion systems are sized so that when sufficient energy is available from the battery, the engine is not required for operation.  During this electric only phase of driving, the battery, motor, and power electronics are designed to deliver full performance, acceleration, top speed, hill climbing on electric power alone.

HOW VOLT WORKS:
Energy is stored on board in a 16-kWh, “T”-shaped lithium-ion battery, which powers the electric drive unit. On a fully charged battery and tank of gas, the Volt has a driving range of hundreds of miles. Because the Volt can use gasoline to create its own electricity as you drive during extended-range mode, long trips are possible. The Volt is powered only from electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery for a typical range of 25 - 50 miles depending on terrain, driving technique, temperature and battery age. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas engine seamlessly engages to extend the driving range. Based on EPA test procedures, Volt owners can expect an all electric battery range of 35 miles with extended range capability of 344 total miles. With a fully charged battery and a full tank of gas, the Volt can travel an estimated 379 miles.

BENEFITS:
There are many benefits of the Chevrolet Volt. The main benefits include energy diversification, reduced oil consumption, and reduced emissions.

According to a Society of Automotive Engineers study published by GM in April 2008, the Volt will consume, on average, less than half of the gasoline compared to a plug-in hybrid and substantially reduce regulated emissions resulting from initial trip starts. According to a 2003 Omnibus Household survey by the U.S. Department of Transportation, nearly 80 percent (76 percent) of U.S. drivers commute 40 miles or less daily. 

Chevrolet estimates that the Volt will save about 500 gallons (1,892 liters) of gasoline based on 40 miles of daily driving and 15,000 miles annually. For drivers that commute 60 miles (96 km) per day or 21,000 miles annually, about 550 gallons (2,081 liters) of gasoline could be saved.

NOT A “HYBRID”:
In practice, hybrid vehicles typically require both sources – engine and battery - to provide full vehicle performance capability. In a hybrid vehicle, the combustion engine is typically the larger of the two propulsion sources, and provides most of the power during high power vehicle maneuvers like off-line starts and freeway cruising. A plug-in hybrid operates the same way, but can be recharged by plugging in. Even with useful energy in the battery, the engine will often be operating to achieve vehicle peak loads. The Chevrolet Volt is unique from a hybrid or plug-in hybrid in that the vehicle’s wheels are always driven electrically by an electric drive unit.