Chevrolet announced this morning at the Los Angeles Auto Show that it plans to introduce the Chevrolet Volt range-extended hybrid sedan first in California before moving in to other markets.
The Volt will go on sale late in 2010 in California before parent company General Motors expands availability to “other lead markets.”
“It is natural that California is the lead market for Volt. Not only is it the largest automotive market, Californians are known to be leaders in adopting groundbreaking new technologies,†said Brent Dewar, GM vice president, Global Chevrolet Brand, in a statement released by the automaker.
GM has not revealed what other markets will get the Volt, although nationwide availability is expected eventually.
The automaker says it is starting in California in order to work with Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison and Sacramento Municipal Utility District on building a thorough network of charging stations.
Contest-winning color named
Chevrolet also took the opportunity to announce the name it selected from contest entries for the Volt’s launch color. Viridian Joule, named by David Thomas of Sanford, Florida, will be the color used for the first Volts produced.
“I looked at the photo of the Volt on the contest web site and thought it looked emerald in color, which led to jewel and then to an alternate yet appropriate play on that word – joule (a unit of electrical energy),†said Thomas in a statement.
