GM has officially set the launch date for the Chevy Volt.  GM listed November 1, 2010 as the Volt's Job 1 date, making the launch of the Volt imminent and the date of release finally official.

There has been considerable speculation as to when the Volt will actually become available to the public.  Many believe that GM would miss their target date, yet others probably wishfully thought that the company would be ahead of schedule.  Internet wish lists or waiting lists have piled up and thousands are eager for the Volt's release.

GM has purposely remained vague on the release date of the Volt for several reasons which likely include being certain that the Volt's complex power train is perfect prior to release.

However, at some point dealers need to know a firm release date so that they can begin taking order.  Now that the company has set November 1st for release of the Volt, dealers can begin requesting Volt's for their location in September.  Though the dealers won't know their specific allocations of the Volt until two weeks after production starts and also won't be able to place official orders until then.

The info above is from official internal Gantt charts which assign vehicles production dates and help dealers determine when models end and new ones begin.  if the above info seems a little confusing here's a basic breakdown.  The Volt will run off the production line on November 1st.  Dealers will request Volt's before then, but can't place actual orders until around November 15th.  Orders placed on November 15th could arrive at dealerships within about two weeks.  So select individuals who order first could have a Volt in their driveway by December.  Though December delivery is not a guarantee, as GM states that sometimes orders overwhelm production capability.

Source:   Gm-Volt.com