The first Chevy Volts may be sold in online auctions. Autoblog reports that Chevrolet Brand Manager Ed Peper has recently "suggested the automaker may try selling new Volts on eBay."

Chevrolet Brand Manager Ed Peper discussed the idea recently in an interview with the enthusiast site GM-Volt.com. "It's something that's definitely crossed our mind. You could even have an auction on the vehicles. We use this already with certified used vehicles and it's actually worked out very well." GM-Volt.com points out that GM has invested so much in the Volt program that the company can't price the cars high enough to recover their cost in traditional sales, "and demand will likely far outstrip supply, conceivably it could be a method for GM to actually make profit on those sales."

The company plans to begin selling some new cars on eBay in a California pilot project. However, many dealers currently list used cars on the eBay site, but GM is prohibited from selling cars directly to consumers. Instead, the company must work through dealers, in complex business relationships governed by 50 different sets of state laws. The Christian Science Monitor notes, "If GM does figure out how to get around the franchise laws, it could mean a major shift in car buying." Jack Nerad, an analyst with Kelley Blue Book, told the Monitor, "It will fundamentally change the interface between dealers and people buying cars."

If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.