The Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid and extended-range electric vehicle car that was manufactured by General Motors, and also marketed in rebadged variants as the Holden Volt in Australia and New Zealand and the Buick Velite 5 in China, and with a different fascia as the Vauxhall Ampera in the United Kingdom and as the Opel Ampera in the remainder of Europe.

Sales of the 2011 Volt began in the United States in mid-December 2010, followed by some European countries and other international markets in 2011.

From there, its internal combustion engine powers an electric generator to extend the vehicle's range as needed.

While running on gasoline at high speeds the engine may be mechanically linked (by a clutch) to a generator set, improving efficiency by 10% to 15%.

The second-generation Volt's improved battery system and drivetrain increased the all-electric range to 53 miles (85 km), its EPA-rated fuel economy in charge-sustaining mode to 42 mpg‑US (5.6 L/100 km; 50 mpg‑imp), and the combined city/highway fuel economy in all-electric mode to 106 MPG-e, up from 98 MPG-e.

The production design model officially unveiled on September 16, 2008, as part of General Motors (GM) centennial celebration at the Wintergarden headquarters in Detroit.

The carmaker cited necessary aerodynamic changes needed to reduce the concept car's high drag coefficient of Cd=0.43[2] down to Cd=0.28,[3] still higher than the Toyota Prius Cd=0.25.

This change was due to the higher-than-usual central tunnel that runs from the front console to the rear seat that houses the car's T-shaped battery pack.

[5] After the concept was put into the pipeline for production, GM began looking for a partner to develop the Volt's lithium-ion battery pack.

[8] The durability of the battery pack was tested for a broad range of extreme ambient conditions including a shaker table to simulate potholes and a thermal chamber, to simulate temperatures varying from 116 °F (47 °C), typical of the Southwest deserts, to −40 °F (−40 °C) typical of the Alaskan tundra.

[8][11] In October 2008, GM chose CPI (LG Chemical) to provide the battery systems for the first production version of the Volt.

[12][13] In July 2008, GM confirmed that a non-turbocharged, 1.4 L 4-cylinder engine would be used as the range extender, and that the intention was to build it in Flint, Michigan.

[19][20] Tony Posawatz was the Volt Vehicle Line Director from 2006 to 2012,[21] and he was known as employee #1 and led the team from concept to production.

The first Volt built for retail sale was earmarked for display at GM's Heritage Center museum in Sterling Heights, Michigan.

In April 2013, CEO Daniel Akerson announced that GM expected the second generation Volt to be priced on the order of US$7,000 to US$10,000 lower than the 2013 model year with the same features.