Photos: Electric vehicles, present and future

by CNET News.com  |  December 11, 2008, 5:13am PST  |  Image 1 of 13

WASHINGTON--Even though it's two years from delivery, the 2011 Chevy Volt is must-see in any conference on electric vehicles. General Motors showed off the Volt this week at the Electric Drive Transportation Association Conference & Exposition here.

GM calls the Volt an extended-ranged electric vehicle to distinguish it from plug-in hybrid electric cars. PHEVs run primarily from an internal combustion engine, which is augmented by battery power. Anextended-range electric vehicle like the Volt or the Fisker Karma is driven by the batteries. The internal combustion engine charges a generator to replenish the batteries.

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