Volt gets North American COTY 2011

The Chevrolet Volt has been named the 2011 North American Car of the Year. The car is an extended range electric vehicle, where the primary power is via the electric motor, which can be recharged on long journeys by an on-board petrol engine.

The North American Car of the Year is selected by a jury of 49 automotive journalists from Canada and the United States, representing newspapers, magazines, websites, television and radio shows.

For 2011, the Volt garnered more juror votes than the Nissan Leaf or Hyundai Sonata, which were also finalists.

This is the third time Chevrolet has won the North American Car of the Year, and the fourth time for General Motors. Most recently, the Chevrolet Malibu was the 2008 North American Car of the Year.