The Chevrolet Volt is the only plug-in hybrid vehicle released as of this study, but there are several more models on the horizon including the Fisker Karma and plug-in versions of the Toyota Prius and Volvo C30.

Because the Volt is a brand-new vehicle with unique technology, the largest area of ownership costs, depreciation, had to be estimated. Until the Volt has been available for a few years no one will know the true resale value of the Volt.

Overall, the Volt has a five-year ownership cost that is almost $1,500 more than the Chevrolet Cruze LTZ, though the Volt costs over $18,000 more than the Cruze. The Volt has a $7,500 federal tax credit and a fuel savings of $4,722. Within this analysis, IntelliChoice calculates a retained value of 44% for the Volt, while the Cruze has a retained value of 39%. The Volt has depreciation costs that are almost double the Cruze and over 50% of all ownership costs before the $7,500 tax credit is applied. This means that if the Volt’s actual five-year retained value is much higher or lower it could greatly affect whether the Volt is a better value than the Cruze. In addition, for this analysis fuel costs have been based on 100% electricity usage. The Volt's fuel costs will go up the more you rely on gasoline usage with an approximate increase of $700 if, for example, 20% of the time you drive you need to use the Volt's gas engine.

For more information on the Volt’s ownership costs please see the article “2011 Chevrolet Volt Ownership Cost Analysis.” Also, before purchasing a Volt you should read the article “Is an Electric Vehicle Right For You?”