Only it turns out that's not the case. As part of the Volt's recent media launch, GM revealed that its pride and joy does use its engine -- through a direct mechanical connection -- to assist in providing forward motion. The Volt, then, isn't quite an electric car. What gives?

The difference lies in the semantics: As Motor Trend explains, the Volt -- like Toyota's Prius -- uses a complex geartrain to connect engine, motor, drive wheels and electrical generator. This component -- known as a planetary, or epicyclic, gearset -- is basically a miniature transmission. By electronically managing the locking and unlocking of the planetary's internal gears, the Volt can efficiently apportion drive torque and simultaneously generate power for propulsion. In certain circumstances, specifically those involving high-speed driving or a low battery charge, the Volt's planetary allows its wheels and gasoline engine to be physically connected. The engine is used to boost efficiency and lower the speed of the electric motor, not to drive the wheels, but the fact remains: It's connected.

Although GM has repeatedly said that the Volt is "not a hybrid" and is instead "a one-of-a-kind, all-electrically driven vehicle," the planetary's ability to directly connect the engine and drive wheels nullifies those remarks.

The Volt is, in fact, a hybrid -- a new type of hybrid, one that doesn't easily fit into the standard definition of the technology, and undoubtedly one of the most advanced vehicles on the planet. But a hybrid nonetheless.

So much for marketing.