What an ugly duckling.  You can already see the interior build materials diminishing in quality.  By the time it reaches the market, it's going to be horrid crap.

2 years away.  What a joke.  And Ford and Chrysler are accelerating their commitments?  What does that even mean?  Ford and Chrysler don't even have a compelling concept EV, much less something that will be ready for production in 2 years.  

I will be extremely saddened if the US throws money at these dinosaurs and keeps them afloat any longer than they've earned.

BAM, I hope you were talking about the presenter and not the car! I'm sure I'm not the only one that seems to think the Volt is actually a very well designed car.  I wouldn't mind seeing one in my driveway. The coupe-like styling at the rear and sleek front end seem to go well together.  Inside, I see 2 LCD screens, which leads me to believe this is a tech-heavy automobile.  I first saw the VOLT at the 2007 NY Auto Show and was surprised that GM was actually able to create an alternative energy vehicle I think the public would accept.  However, being that it was 2007, I remember seeing bigger crowds around the latest Escalades and Hummer H2's. I'm ok if it takes 2 years for the Volt, thats about how long it will be before I even consider a new car purchase.  If GM can sell it closer to the $30k mark, the Volt will quickly rise to the top of my short list.

I think Chrysler can go. They are not needed any longer. The company has no innovative alternative energy vehicles in its lineup and actually cancelled their only hybrid program.  GM, however, might be able to turn their game around.  I don't think it will take $34 billion, but it will require the entire industry to shift focus.

TG, take a look at the concept version of the Volt you saw in 2007, and the one that is "likely" to go to production.  The former is innovative and stylish.  The latter is a re-molded, tweaked-up Malibu.   And despite the two whizzy LCD displays in the "production" Volt, the cheap fit/finish interior is already creeping in on a show car.  What we're likely to see roll of the production lines in 2010 (if ever) is probably going to more closely resemble a Malibu than a striking EV that people *want* to own because it's not only "green" but sexy.