In order to counter hesitancy at the price, GM is trying to pack tech into the car and give it more of a luxury feel.  One recently announced initiative is to offer apps for Blackberry phones and iPhones that will allows Volt owners to communicate with their vehicle on the go and gain information on its status.  The applications will soon be revealed, according to sources at GM.

From the screen capture of a presentation by Brent Dewar was the VP of Chevrolet at the 2009 LA Auto Show, it appears the app will feature alerts about the vehicle's charging status.  Nissan has announced a similar app for its upcoming 2011 Nissan Leaf EV.  The Nissan Leaf sends the driver text messages as well, so it should be interesting if those kinds of features pop up in the Volt app as well.

The new app will likely be tied into the new advanced form of OnStar that's being developed for the Volt.  Reportedly similar to Ford's SYNC technology, the new OnStar will perform a diverse set of functions.  Among the most intriguing are its recently announced ability to track utility rates and its ability to be programmed to pick the lowest-cost charging time over a certain time-period.  In all the feature should help to protect Volt drivers from surprises on their electric bill.

Considering how essential charging efficiently and staying charged is to making EV ownership a pleasant experience, its good to see GM working so hard on these problem areas.  It looks like 2011 will be the year when your mass-market car starts talking back to your phone.