On a daily recharge cycle?
For my daily commute, this vehicle is perfect. I just can't afford to replace the transmission & do a full overhaul every few years (relative cost)
So they say. I don't think we'll have a real world figure for at least a decade. The thing to remember about battery replacement is that, at current prices, you're saving about eighty percent of your gas bill. That'll go a long way toward paying for your replacement battery pack. I did a cost analysis in 2004 considering everything I could think of regarding converting and driving an electric car on my commute (20 miles per day). Gas had to get over 3.80 a gallon to make it worthwhile (hello). That was using lead-acid batteries and changing them every 3 years. Keep in mind that, at least for now, an equivalent pack of lithium-ions is about triple the cost of the lead-acid batteries. Note that the guys at GM say the first battery replacement will be under warranty.
Another thing to keep in mind is this: How much will the battery/motor technology improve in the two years before the Volt finally hits the market? Hell, the guys at Tesla can fix you up with a 130 mph sports car that goes 300 miles on a charge for around 200K. I understand though that they have yet to actually deliver one.
They
do have a working prototype.