Chevy Volt drivers want

Chevy Volt customers are telling General Motors they want three things

1.  a fifth seat,
2. a longer electric driving range
3. a lower price.

Larry Nitz, GM's executive director of hybrid and electric powertrain engineering, said GM is working on the next generation of the Volt, expected in 2016, but he wouldn't say how the car will evolve.

A recent study of 300 Volts in use in California showed that 63 percent of all driving is done in electric mode, 15 percent of drivers are exceeding the car's rated 40-mile electric range, and Volt owners who charge regularly go about 970 miles between fill-ups. They visit the gas station about once a month.

GM is readying a turbocharged 1.0-litre engine for its small cars, but it won't say whether the new smaller and lighter three-cylinder engine will replace the Volt's current 1.4-litre four-cylinder.  GM also is working on improving the performance of the Volt's batteries.