President Barack Obama made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno recently, where he revealed that he took a joyride in the new Chevrolet Volt.
The car belonged to a friend of the president, who then offered to let the Commander in Chief take the vehicle for a spin around White House property. Obama has gotten in the car at several events and posed for photos with it, but he has never had a chance to get behind the wheel, reports The Detroit Free Press.
"We didn't tell Secret Service," Obama told Leno during his interview, as quoted by Inside Line. "So I'm having fun. I went around once. I was really kind of getting into it... That was my big joy ride. Three times around the South Lawn driveway."
As an electric car, the Volt is characterized by its options - drivers can choose from gas or electric. With proper scheduled maintenance, the battery allows the vehicle to drive gas-free for about 38 miles, and an onboard generator produces electricity that can power the car for another 380 miles. Garnering several awards after it launched in 2011, the Volt features a five-star score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and several other top amenities.