Taking a break from the relentless drumbeat of news about Tesla Motors, its stock offering this week, and the latest model of its electric two-seater, the Roadster 2.5--we bring you a story about the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Volt range-extended electric vehicle.

2011 Chevrolet Volt Freedom Drive route map on the morning of July 2, 2010

2011 Chevrolet Volt late-night recharging in Little Rock, Arkansas, during July 2010 Freedom Drive

Specifically, a Volt is now en route from Austin, Texas, to New York City, scheduled to arrive on July 4th, Independence Day, as part of a publicity stunt Chevy is calling the "Freedom Drive."

The entire route adds up to 1,776 miles--get it?--and the Volt reached Little Rock, Arkansas, early this morning.

While drivers Nick Richards and Rob Peterson slept, the somewhat grimy car recharged its 16-kilowatt-hour battery pack, giving it 40 miles of electric range to kick off today's leg.

You can follow the entire trip, including a near-real-time map of the Volt's route, on the Freedom Drive website.

And if you want to win a Volt Freedom Drive t-shirt (and happen to be somewhere along their route), take a photo of the Volt on its travel and upload the image to the Volt Facebook page.

The Freedom Drive was announced (and commenced) yesterday as part of a package of Volt announcements, including production volumes, dealer requirements, and more information for interested buyers.