The world's first long distance electric car has been unveiled in Australia, with enthusiasts touting the new Holden as decadence without the guilt trip.
The Volt allows travel up to 80km without stopping at the fuel pump or plugging into a power socket.
"It's eating a chocolate sundae and not getting fat," said US ambassador Jeffrey Bleich
"It's watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians and getting smarter."
The environmentally friendly vehicle is powered by a 198kg lithium-ion battery pack and takes about four hours to recharge for the cost of a regular cup of coffee.
"Just like your iPhone or your Blackberry, you come home, you pop a little door open on the side of the car, you plug it into a normal 220 (volt) outlet," said Holden managing director Mike Devereux.
The Volt, which is expected to be rolled out in Australia late next year for between $50,000 and $70,000, is currently sold in America for around $US42,000, Mr Devereux said.
Before it hits the road here, Holden is keen to emphasise they don't consider the car to be a hybrid.
Unlike its electric predecessors, Volt has a 1.4 litre petrol engine that acts as a generator, which recharges its battery and directly powers the wheels.
For the first time people can travel purely on electricity for between 60km and 80km, depending on conditions, and if you are stuck out on the open road, the car can be refuelled, giving it a full driving distance of 500km.
"If you have an electric vehicle today that is purely electric and you want to go up to the Hunter Valley, you can't. You need another car," Mr Devereux said.
"This is the only electric car today that gives you that capability.
"Volt is a true game changer for Holden and the entire industry."
Mr Bleich said the car was "joy without sin".
"This is the future we have all been waiting for," he added.
After taking the eerily quiet car out for a spin, Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said it represented the global shift towards sustainable products.
"(People) are prepared to act and change the way that they consume products, drive cars, engage in their ordinary activity and we have seen that today," he told reporters.
"Humankind is not this static thing, we are capable of evolving."
The five-door hatchback - built in Detroit - is powered by a propulsion system which is made up of a 16 kilowatt battery pack and an electric drive unit.
In response to media reports that the car had experienced some safety issues in the US, Mr Devereux said authorities had crash-tested the Volt in May and completely damaged the battery before leaving it powered for three weeks.
He said this caused a "thermal event", which the industry would have to look at when dealing with lithium-ion batteries but that it was not a Holden issue.
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