At Chevy's press conference at last week's LA Auto Show, outgoing Chevy manager Brent Dewar quickly flashed a slide across the screen revealing GM's intention to develop mobile phone applications for controlling and interacting with the Volt.

GM sources have told the charged-up folks at GM-Volt that there will be applications at least for the iPod and the Blackberry and we should expect them to be unveiled ahead of the Volt along with their potential functions.

For starters, the app will allow for control of when to charge the car. GM-Volt's Lyle Dennis also expects to see applications receiving signals from the car as well, indicating when charging is completed and if the driver forgot to plug it in at some time interval after arriving home. Read more of Lyle's account of what to expect over at GM-Volt.

What would you like to see in a Volt app?

[via GM-Volt]

This story's still developing, but if our sources are correct, it would blow the Toyota Prius out of the water. Heck, it'd blow every other vehicle currently on the market out of the water with the exception of the Tesla roadster — and that's no four-door mid-size sedan. So for GM this represents a huge marketing coup — the ability to claim the most fuel efficient vehicle in the world and a big blow to detractors who claim the big, sweaty 'merican manufacturer can't build quality products.

We'll have more out of GM's Warren Technical Center as the General holds their big product showcase event throughout the day.

Note to Chinese tow companies: either get heavier trucks or remember to take them out of neutral. [Chinasmack]