I did not know that. Looking at the Wikipedia article for the Volt [1] I can see that the gasoline engine may provide additional mechanical energy to turn the wheels, but it's only to assist the primary and secondary electric motors.
In either case, I am not a purist going after a 100% electric car. I want to get more miles per dollar, and I want to produce less CO2 per mile. The Volt seems to do that, while still letting me drive from NYC to LA and back without having to spend more than three minutes at any given gas station. More importantly, any gas station will do, since it can run on just gas. For a daily commute, it will likely run 100% electric since the battery won't be depleted. To me, this is a great combination.
In either case, I am not a purist going after a 100% electric car. I want to get more miles per dollar, and I want to produce less CO2 per mile. The Volt seems to do that, while still letting me drive from NYC to LA and back without having to spend more than three minutes at any given gas station. More importantly, any gas station will do, since it can run on just gas. For a daily commute, it will likely run 100% electric since the battery won't be depleted. To me, this is a great combination.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Volt#Drivetrain