2010 is going to be a big year for Chevy fans like myself! The concept car that quickly became the talk-of-the-town at the 2007 Detroit auto show is finally going to be available at your local Chevrolet dealer by 2010.

The Chevrolet Volt concept is the first vehicle to use GM’s new E-flex family of propulsion systems. GM claims the Volt delivers triple-digit fuel economy and can travel up to 640 miles without a fuel fill-up or a battery recharge.

The Volt features a front-mounted electric motor that generates 120 kilowatts of power (160 horsepower) and 236 pound-feet of torque. Lithium-ion batteries are housed beneath the Volt’s floor. Also onboard is a 53-kilowatt electric generator. The turbocharged, 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine also fits up front, while the 12-gallon fuel tank is in the rear.

The latest update regarding the Volt? It is not entirely electric, despite recent reports. The main issue holding the vehicle back is the development of the lithium-ion batteries that will power the car’s electric motor. GM’s main product guru, Bob Lutz, says a working prototype is expected by the end of this year. Ford is already running a similar hybrid prototype that uses a hydrogen fuel cell as a back-up generator, as opposed to the Volt’s gasoline generator. Either one acts as a backup to recharge the batteries. GM won wide media praise for the Volt concept. It’s time to see the real thing!

Find out more about this car on www.edmunds.com/insideline