Overview

With more electric cars starting to appear on the market, there’s still one all-consuming issue: range. The majority of electric cars produced in 2011 are limited to around 100 miles, amongst other constraints. This means that they just aren’t suitable for many potential owners. There is, however, a demand for zero-emissions driving combined with the range and practicality of a normal car.

Chevrolet, in response to this, has released the Volt. It’s not an all-electric car, nor is it a hybrid. The Volt, which shares its platform and technology with Vauxhall’s Ampera, is a range extender. This means that it has the ability to drive up to 50 miles on electric power alone. When the battery runs flat, however, a 1.4-litre petrol generator kicks in to supply the required current to run the electric motors.

This means that you can then drive for as long as you’ve got fuel. Thanks to the way emissions and economy testing is performed, the comfortable and refined Volt claims attention-grabbing figures of an average 235mpg and emissions of 27g/km of CO2. So, is the Volt a practical choice for those who want the best of both worlds? Read on to find out…