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First Chevy Volt Arrives In Minnesota

By Bruce Hagevik, NewsRadio 830 WCCO

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid gets up to 95 miles per gallon on battery power.

The highly-anticipated car rolled into a Twin Cities dealership recently.

"This is the only one in Minnesota that we know of, right now," said Tom Schmitz, sales manager of Lupient Chevrolet in Bloomington.

The battery carries the car about 40 miles before the gasoline generator kicks-in. When that happens, mileage drops to about 32 miles per gallon.

Being an electric hybrid, the car is whisper-quiet.

"Put our foot on the brake and hit the power button and the car just starts up effortlessly," said Schmitz.

With the rising price of gasoline, the Volt is attracting customer interest. However, it comes with a price tag of more than $40,000.

General Motors says mileage will vary depending on how the car is driven. Rapid acceleration depletes the battery more quickly. GM says cold weather will also have some effect on the battery.

For those interested, the Volt is hard to come by. Even though the car is available at some dealerships on the east and west coast, it won't be for sale in Minnesota for another six months to a year.

WCCO's Bruce Hagevik Interviews Tom Schmitz

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