It’s not often we get to bear witness to a revolution, particularly a peaceful one. While the digital revolution continues, another one has just begun—the age of electric transportation. In 2007, the Chevy Volt sparked imaginations when it was first introduced as a concept car. In 2010, the electric plug-in with a range-extending gasoline engine became a reality.

With three opportunities to drive the Volt—in a parking lot for about 10 minutes, at a launch held in Austin, TX, and the third one for one week as my regular transportation—the third time was the charm.

The Volt arrived with no charge so it was immediately plugged into the garage’s 120V wall outlet. A 20-foot cord that plugs the Volt into the outlet is included (it tucks away neatly in the trunk) and displays a green light if the wall outlet is properly grounded.

A full-charge will take 10-12 hours, but after a couple of hours, it had an electric range of about 11 miles and a full gas tank that added 310 miles of extended range.

One of the best features about the Volt is the amount of information you can get from the seven-inch digital Information Panel (IP). To encourage fuel-efficient driving, a green bouncing ball sits on a vertical gauge. It floats up or down depending on how you drive (accelerate and brake) but the objective is for you to keep it stationary, right in the middle.

The center console features another seven-inch digital screen with entertainment, air conditioning, navigation (including weather forecasts), and more techno information about the Volt, e.g. a pie chart with accumulated electric vs. gasoline usage. At the end of the first journey, I had traveled 13 miles on electricity and the gasoline engine, which kicks in seamlessly, added 10 more miles but used just .5 gallons of gas. Sweet!

While original predictions estimated the range on a fully charged battery would be 40 miles, that has changed to 25–50 miles depending on several conditions. The next day, I began with a full-charge of 39 miles and ended the day with a few miles extra. After a couple days of recharging at night and then driving for a day without using any gasoline, the Volt’s genius magnified, as well as the genuine glee I felt knowing I hadn’t used any gasoline while navigating comfortably and conveniently (the air conditioner remained icy cool, even at stop lights). At week’s end, I logged 355.5 miles (which included a 200-mile road trip). I had used four gallons of gasoline, averaging 87.5 miles per gallon.

The Volt does require premium gasoline for better performance and maximum fuel economy, but most importantly, you will not be stranded once the charge is depleted.

Priced at $41,000, government tax credits will drop the price by $7,500.

Perhaps not as bold as a fully electric plug-in, the Volt is a user friendly, game-changing leap forward, with a safety net.

About Charge-n-Go

The lack of an infrastructure has delayed progress on electric-powered vehicles but like the chicken and the egg, something had to come first. In 2009, the Department of Energy initiated the EV Project that will install 14,000 charging stations in six states (Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Texas, and Tennessee) and the nation’s capital by 2012. It will also identify 8,300 Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt owners to help cover the cost of home charging units.

The 2011 Leaf runs solely on electricity and is the first mass-market electric plug-in. While its range is an impressive 100 miles, its owners will have to install 240-volt charging stations or outlets in their homes to cut charge time from 20-to-eight hours. They will also have to be strategic about their daily drives but in certain states, drivers will be able to extend their range with public charging stations.

California currently has the most locations available to the general public, many of which are free. To find information about charging stations go to: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/fuels/electricity_locations.html  or www.fastcompany.com.

The technology, however, is still evolving. Quick charge stations that boast of charging cars in as little as 30 minutes may reduce the life of a lithium ion battery.

Coulomb and ECOtality are the leading manufacturers of charging stations. Coulomb’s ChargePoint system allows anyone to purchase a charging station and many businesses and government offices now offer free charges to customers. ECOtality won the $230 million contract from the federal government to install charging stations for the EV Project.

Still at an experimental stage, it will be up to consumers to help regulate prices.

2011 TAWA Texas Auto Roundup Winners

• Writer’s Choice – The Car of Texas
2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

• High Performance Car of Texas
2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

• Family Car of Texas
2011 Dodge Journey

• Alternative Powered Car of Texas
2011 Chevrolet Volt

• Most Innovative
2011 Chevrolet Volt

• Best New Design
2012 Fiat 500

• Best Value
2012 Fiat 500

For more information visit http://www.chevy.com.