Buyer beware if you plan on springing for a new Chevrolet Volt: new info from Kelley Blue Book suggests that the car will likely have a pretty low resale value.

According to the used car pricing guide, the $41,000 car will drop down to $17,000 after three years of use, which is the length of an average lease. That means the car retains 41 percent of its value after three years. Compare that to something like the Toyota Prius, which averages about 46 percent of its value, and the car doesn't look so good by comparison.

However, if you factor in the $7,500 federal tax credit, things work out a little better for buyers. Then the purchase price is $33,500, meaning the Volt beats the Prius with 51 percent of its value retained.

The used car guide's prediction makes the assumption that gas will remain at $4 per gallon in 2014. Indeed, the car's value seems to be tied directly to fuel prices. If gas prices were to rise even more between now and then, it's likely the Volt would be valued more highly. Conversely, if people end up paying less for gas, they won't have much incentive to buy a Volt.

Of course, smart shoppers can also take advantage of this fact. If you hold out on purchasing the Volt now, you can score on its low price once they start to hit the used car market.