The Chevrolet Volt Released Review and Detail pictures

With the expected rare use of the gas and generator, there are concerns about having unused gas going stale unnoticed. The engine must occasionally be cycled to keep this from happening as well as to keep the parts lubricated. Regular monitoring of the gas situation is being done by the vehicle's computer. A message will be given to the driver of the need to let the generator go and thus the need to go beyond the EV range. When the warning is ignored after two times, the Volt will start its generator to burn some fuel on its own which will stop upon completion of the engine and fuel maintenance mode. The car goes back to pure EV operation after.

What is so special about the Volt? Many things including that it will allow GM to finally say that it has built and sold an electric car. GM did build a modern electric car dubbed the EV1 beginning in the 1990s, but that program was canceled. GM never got beyond the test phase for those vehicles and received criticism for "killing the electric car" with some people suggesting a widespread conspiracy with the oil companies.