Chevrolet Volt to be available throughout 2011

Chevrolet is stepping up the national rollout of the Volt and hopes to make it available nationally in the US by the end of the year.

''We're accelerating our launch plan to have Volts in all participating Chevrolet dealerships in every single state in the union by the end of this year,'' said Rick Scheidt, US vice president, Chevrolet marketing. ''This is the right thing to do for our customers and our dealers who are seeing increased traffic onto their showroom floors.'' 

The Volt is an electric vehicle that offers a total driving range of up to 379 miles, based on EPA estimates. For the first 35 miles, the Volt can drive gas- and tailpipe-emissions-free using a full charge of electricity stored in its 16-kWh lithium-ion battery. When the Volt's battery runs low, a gas-powered engine/generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range another 344 miles on a full tank.

GM has so introduced the Chevrolet Volt in Washington DC, California, New York, New Jersey, Texas and Connecticut, with plans to add Michigan in the next few months.

The company said the the decision to accelerate the national rollout was influenced by Chevrolet dealers  reporting a surgein consumer interst in the new electric vehicle.

"Customers nationwide will be able to order Volts with participating dealers beginning in the second quarter. Deliveries will begin in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in the third quarter," GM said in a statement.