GM unveils Chevy Volt

The interior has a futuristic design, but it maintains the twin-cockpit look derived from the classic Corvette sports car, which has become a trademark design in recent Chevrolet cars.

The gauge cluster in front of the driver is really a user-configurable computer screen.

The gear selector, when pushed forward into the "Park" position, sits in an opening in the car's dashboard creating a smooth appearance. Once the car is turned on, it can be pulled back to "Drive."

The Volt's battery pack goes where the "transmission tunnel" would be in a conventional rear-wheel-drive car. That means the batteries don't take up cargo space as they do in some hybrid cars. Unlike its smoothly rounded front, the back end of the car has a sharp, angular shape. In the rear, where air flows together as it trails off from the vehicle, sharp angles help smooth air flow.

NEXT: Keeping it simple