2011 Chevrolet Volt Bottom Line

The Voltec mule was so quiet and smooth that we were left thinking that it didn’t belong in a Chevy-branded compact so much as in a luxury sedan, where the projected price of near $40,000 would be a relative bargain. Speaking of pricing, that widely quoted $40,000 mark isn’t the final word. Much depends on the state of the economy and the price of gasoline when the Volt comes to market in November 2010, but even if the price gets that high, there’s a $7500 tax rebate from the federal government to offset it.

Whatever future is in store for General Motors, the Volt technology holds great promise. If one of the new green startup auto companies had it, that company could march straight off to Wall Street, float an IPO and likely get more financing than GM’s current market capitalization.