I think the Volt looks pretty good. Better than a Tesla, which is just a generic black sedan, not remarkably different from the look of a Honda, Lexus, Audi, etc.
'Regular cars' look like they do because of design limitations imposed by things like fuel tanks, engines, and gearboxes.
I think the fact that it needs to have Wheels and be aerodynamic as possible while having a decent amount of interior space has more to do with it. And even without a motor you still need a crumple zone for safety.