A new mobile app will allow Chevy Volt owners to stay connected with the plug-in hybrid.

Chevrolet Volt owners will be able to stay connected to their car using the industry’s first smartphone “app” for an electric vehicle, the automaker announces today at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas.

The system, developed by Chevy and General Motors’ OnStar, will allow an owner to do things like checking the plug-in hybrid’s battery charge status, starting the vehicle’s climate control system and unlocking the Volt’s doors.  It will also permit the vehicle to send out an alert if there’s a problem, such as an interruption during charging.

The real-time link for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt will be available on a variety of smartphones, including the Apple iPhone, Blackberry Storm and Motorla Droid.  For other smartphones, OnStar plans to provide access through a mobile browser.

“The Chevrolet Volt ushers in a new era of automotive technology and calls for a new level of connectivity and control,” said OnStar President Walt Dorfstatter. “Nearly 6 million vehicles on the road today use OnStar to stay connected, and our new smartphone app will make that even easier for Volt drivers.”

Chevy claims the new technology will make Volt even greener, as it will allow a driver to start the car’s climate control system while a Volt is still connected to a charger, using energy from the grid to warm or cool the cabin.

The new smartphone link will require a user to sign up for the OnStar service.

General Motors plans to launch production of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt in the fourth quarter of this year.  The automaker has not yet announced pricing, though industry observers are estimating the figure will come in somewhere under $40,000.  The vehicle will qualify for a $7,500 federal tax credit.

A variety of automakers are developing apps for their vehicles, including some that will permit a car to access music and other services now available to smartphone users.