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The Chevy Volt: A Hybrid Unlike the Others.

Updated on: August 23, 2010 / 2:43 PM EDT / MoneyWatch

Any car that has two or more sources of power is, by definition, a hybrid. In this sense, the Volt is a hybrid—specifically, a "plug-in electric hybrid." But it differs in significant ways from the hybrids on the road already, such as the top-selling Toyota Prius.

Here's a look:

	Chevy Volt	Toyota Prius

What makes it go?	The Volt runs on electricity for the first 40 miles. After that, the gas engine kicks in and recharges the battery. The wheels are always driven by the electric system.	The Prius is a gas-electric hybrid that uses both sources of energy. It primarily uses the gas engine and the electric motor is supplementary.
How fast is it?	60 mph in 8.0 seconds	60 mph in 10 seconds
What's the price?	At least $30,000; probably closer to $40,000, excluding tax incentives.	Starts at $23,000
How many mpg?	Trick question! Recharge it before your drive 40 miles and it won't need gas. Once the generator starts, the car will get up to 50 mpg. GM estimates the car will get 230 mpg for the average city driver assuming nightly full recharges.	51 mpg
Do I have to plug it in?	Yes. Takes 6.5 hours to charge using a standard 100 volt home outlet.	No. It automatically recharges using regenerative braking, or by running the onboard generator.

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