The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle to be produced by General Motors, expected to be launched as a 2011 model. Sales are scheduled to begin in November 2010, and in spite of GM bankruptcy filing, the automaker announced it remained committed to keeping the Volt on schedule. GM's then-Vice Chairman Robert Lutz told Newsweek in 2007 that a two-seat sports car by Tesla Motors, the Roadster, inspired him to push GM to develop the Volt. The Volt's propulsion system will be based on GM's new Voltec (formerly known as E-Flex) platform, which differs significantly from GM's earlier BAS Hybrid and Two-Mode Hybrid systems.

The electric power for the vehicle is sourced from its onboard lithium-ion batteries which are charged by an electrical power outlet and/or the gasoline engine. The Volt's 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack can be fully charged (technically ~85%; see SOC) by plugging the car into a 120-240VAC residential electrical outlet using the provided SAE J1772 compliant charging cord. No external charging station will be required. Unlike most current commercially available electric hybrids, the actual propulsion of the Volt is accomplished exclusively by the electric motor. The internal combustion engine is used as a range-extending electrical source, powering the on-board 53 kW generator (which sends power to the electric motor and charges the batteries simultaneously).

With fully charged batteries, enough stored electrical energy will power the Volt for 40 miles (64 km), a distance capable of satisfying the daily commute of 75% of Americans, which averages around 33 miles (53 km). After 40 miles (64 km), a small 4-cylinder gasoline internal combustion engine drives a 53 kW generator effectively extending the Volt's potential range to as much as 640 miles (1,030 km) on a single tank of gasoline. The electrical power from the generator is sent to either the electric motor or the batteries, depending on the state of charge (SOC) of the battery pack and the power demanded at the wheels. The distribution is controlled by the electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle. With this configuration, the Volt is expected to earn a US EPA 'City' rating of 230 mpg using the EPA's new methodology for evaluating plug-in hybrids. The EPA rating for the Volt is based on a draft report and applies to city driving.