A Look at What Powers the Chevy Volt

Plymouth Patch got a close-up look at the automobile industry's latest electric cars Tuesday.

At its Tuesday in Plymouth Township, , a sealing technology company that provides products for automotive and aerospace industries around the world, had several electric and hybrid vehicles on display. Among the cars showcased was the Michigan-manufactured Chevy Volt.

The Volt, an extended-range electric vehicle, and the Nissan Leaf, were two of the cars on display that are powered exclusively by electricity.

The Volt has a gas-powered generator under the hood, which maintains the battery to provide additional driving distance to the initial electric charge, according to Scott Vandekerckhove of Event Solutions International, who provided a look at the car. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Volt's total range is 379 miles, with 35 miles in all-electric mode.

The Leaf, which does not have a gas generator, has an EPA-rated range of 73 miles with a full electric charge.

An earlier version of this story indicated (in the text) that the gas-powered generator in the Volt recharges the battery. A commenter who is a GM engineer informed us that the generator maintains the battery. The article has been updated to reflect this.