The car switches from electric to gasoline seamlessly. I get this question asked by non-owners a lot, so you might want to be prepared. That and they generally don’t understand the dual-fuel approach.
Hook up the smart phone app. Its really awesome. Plus in the cold winters and hot summers you can pre-condition your car before you get there. Plus it’ll remind you to plug it in at night if you haven’t. Also check out myvolt.com for many of the same features, plus the ability to set delayed & time-of-night charging.
Make sure your recharge outlet doesn’t have anything else installed on that circuit (or get a dedicated 120V or 220V circuit installed). I had problems with my Volt tripping my 120V GFCI circuit that also had a refrigerator on it.
To override delayed charging settings (so you can charge immediately upon plug-in), open the charge port door before you open your car door, then select temporary override.
Charging at night is best for the power grid in most cases. Energy use peaks during the evening hours (5-10PM) and then goes way down. Most power companies have a lot of unused capacity at night.
Make sure you take advantage of all financial incentives possible. Everyone gets the $7,500 tax credit if they buy the car (not lease), and many states have their own tax credit for state taxes (Colorado has a massive $6,000 tax credit). Contact your power company to see if they offer any incentives – from cheaper rates at night to recharge your vehicle or incentives to install a 220V home charging station. Also check to see if your state allows you to drive in HOV lanes with just one person.