2012 Chevrolet Volt Overview

The Chevrolet Volt is a four-passenger, five-door compact hatchback plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. For (up to) the first 40 miles, the vehicle drives gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using electricity stored in its lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas-powered, engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 300 miles on a full tank.

The Volt is powered by an 115kW electric motor and 16kWh lithium-ion battery pack, enabling it to travel approximately 40 miles on a charge. The 1.4-liter gasoline range extender generates electricity and provides an additional 300 miles of driving. The battery can be charged with a standard household 120-volt outlet in about ten hours, or in about four hours with a 240-volt outlet (similar to a clothes dryer outlet). Standard features include automatic climate control, forged alloy wheels, passive entry, satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity. OnStar's Mobile Application allows drivers to communicate with their Volt from their smartphones - it uses a real-time data connection to perform tasks such as setting the charge time, displaying charge status, unlocking the doors and remotely starting the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature. Safety features include eight airbags, traction control and stability control. The optional Premium Trim Package includes leather seat trim, leather wrapped steering wheel and heated front seats. Front and rear park assist and a rear camera are also available. A new audio system with navigation, 30-gigabyte hard drive, NavTraffic real-time traffic display and Bose speaker system is optional.

For 2012, the standard audio system has been changed, and a new audio system is available. Passive entry for all doors and the liftgate is now standard. Chevrolet MyLink, a new option, includes Bluetooth streaming audio for music and select phones; voice recognition for phone, music and radio; Pandora and Stitcher smartphone compatibility; Gracenote (Playlist+, Album Art); and is software updatable for radio software and the Gracenote database.