The Chevrolet Volt is one of the first production vehicles to rely entirely on an electric motor for propulsion. A typical hybrid uses the electric engine only during processes that consume a lot of fuel, such as acceleration. Drivers will use a special attachment to plug the vehicle into any standard household outlet. This will charge the lithium ion batteries and offer a zero-emission travel range of up to 40 miles. If a driver has to take a longer trip than the standard 40 miles, the Volt utilizes a gasoline-powered internal combustion engine to recharge the car's batteries. This process will cause the vehicle to release a small amount of emissions into the environment. Once the battery is charged to an acceptable level, the gasoline engine shuts off and the Volt continues operating solely on the electric engine. The Volt is expected to achieve an equivalent of over 100 miles per gallon based on the Environmental Protection Agency's new fuel efficiency standards. This will be the first production vehicle to reach this mark. Initial estimates indicate that the car will start at $40,000.
