Chevrolet Volt appears in Paris

Chevrolet brought its production-ready Volt to Paris, the innovative electric car one of the most significant cars to be unveiled at the French show. The future of motoring will be available on the road in 2011.

What's all the fuss about?

The Chevrolet Volt is a hugely significant car, its electric drivetrain featuring a 'range extender' petrol/E85 ethanol engine to generate electricity on-board when the lithium-ion batteries run out of charge. Use of the engine shouldn't be necessary for most drivers though, as the Volt offers a range of around 37 miles before the batteries need recharging. Even with depleted batteries the Volt remains electrically driven, as the conventional internal combustion engine has no physical means of driving the wheels - it is merely a generator to produce electricity.

Anything that stands out?

The Chevrolet Volt is a stand out car in its entirety. It's hugely innovative, Chevrolet managing to solve the problem of how to charge the batteries and extend the range of the Volt when it's required. In the perfect world Volt drivers will never have to rely on the petrol engine at all, meaning zero tailpipe emissions. Charged at home via a conventional socket, charging the Volt once daily consumes less energy annually then the average home's fridge and freezer units.

When can I buy one?

Chevrolet is suggesting a target on-sale date of 2010, so the new electric car will take a good deal of time to reach UK showrooms. It's possible that the Volt will be offered across GM's various brands wearing different badges, which raises the prospect of a Vauxhall badged model in the UK and an Opel version in the rest of Europe.

Extra images by United Pictures

Kyle Fortune