To typical car buyers, the future of personal mobility is like a sci-fi movie blending the fantasy of “The Jetsons” with the environmental militancy of Greenpeace, starring Edward Snowden.

Compromises are inherently dissatisfying, but the redesigned 2016 Chevrolet Volt represents a rare exception to this rule. The Volt provides half the range of a traditional electric car and returns fewer miles per gallon than a Toyota Prius. This compromise, however, is brilliant, because the Volt’s special powertrain allows for electric mobility the majority of the time while completely eliminating a phenomenon known as “range anxiety.”