Don't you wish more auto enthusiasts were like Jay Leno?

Sure, plenty of the stuff he likes isn't overly green, but at least he can't drive his massive collection of cars all at once. And he does like plenty of electric and hybrid vehicles too--among them, the Chevrolet Volt.

Leno has his own Volt, so he was bound to like its sportier, more luxurious cousin, the 2014 Cadillac ELR.

The ELR uses the same Voltec drivetrain as the Chevy, albeit tuned for a little more "go". That makes it surprisingly suitable both as a sports coupe and a luxury vehicle--with a reasonable hit of performance when required, as well as levels of refinement and silence that only electric cars can provide.

Leno demonstrates the former with a few quick blasts on the streets around his garage, commenting on the low noise and the joy of extracting high range from the battery pack.

In fact, he notes something many electric drivers already know--that there's still fun to be had from driving efficiently, even if it's a different kind of fun from carving canyons or putting pedal to the metal.

It's worth watching the video to hear a little more about the design and drivetrain from GM's director of advanced design Frank Saucedo, and ELR chief engineer Chris Thomason.

There are some interesting points--like how the ELR's front and rear light clusters are designed to evoke the fins of old Cadillacs, its variable electric regen with paddle shifters, or the quick look at Leno's 1916 Owens Magnetic--an early example of what you might now call a range-extended electric car.

What do you think of Cadillac's range-extended electric coupe? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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