The first electric vehicle to capture the Green Car of the Year award presented by Green Car Journal is General Motors Chevy Volt. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric car that can go about 40 miles on one charge and about 300 more while a tank of gasoline recharges the battery.

Slideshow posted at NowPublic
http://my.nowpublic.com/world/la-auto-show-2010-green-car-year-chevy-volt-photolog

It was chosen by a panel of experts over four other finalists - 2011 models of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, all-electric Nissan LEAF, and gas-powered but high-mileage Ford Fiesta.

At present, the Chevy Volt has only been available on a limited and lease basis through pilot programs with electric companies but is expected to go on sale this December in California and six other selected areas. The four-seat Volt carries a hefty, Government and Union set price tag of about $41,000, less a federal incentive tax credit of $7,500 in taxpayer funded monies. in this video - VP , US Marketing, General Motors - Joel Ewanick confirms the pricing and the hoped for promise of the Volt for General Motors on the same day GM issues its IPO stock offer.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced Thursday the city and the Department of Water and Power are expanding a program of additional (government based) financial incentives and charging-station upgrades designed to make it easier for motorists to use electric vehicles.

Villaraigosa said Los Angeles and other Southern California cities and utilities have "made a lot of headway" in the year since he outlined the regional plan to pave the way for a rush of environment-friendly cars in 2010-11.

As if to underscore the timeliness of all this, Villaraigosa spoke at the Convention Center minutes before the 2011 Chevrolet Volt hybrid was named the Green Car of the Year.

Presenters said the Volt's victory marks a milestone in the rise of mass-production plug-in cars ... but some doubt the viability of an automobile that appears to be "Green" on the outside, but has many environmental downsides that support the technologies that places this Green Car Journal Green Car of the Year award vehicle for 2010 ... on the road.