General Motors introduced its Chevrolet Volt concept to rave reviews in 2007, but the transition from concept car to production has required many tradeoffs. Gone is the edgy styling that captivated show goers. In its place, an aerodynamic body designed for efficiency. While the powertrain is novel, it is closer in function to today's parallel hybrids than many had expected. With the Volt, you get a 4-passenger car that can operate solely on electricity for 25-50 miles. When the battery is depleted, a small 1.4l gasoline engine is used to maintain the battery and provide power to drive the vehicle. The lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable in 4 hours on 240V, or 10-12 hours on 120V.

What Changed:

Engineers tweaked the battery chemistry and charging parameters on the 2013 Volt to increase the EV-only range of the Volt by 3 miles to 38.