The Chevrolet Volt is headed to the scrap heap, but during its decade on the market the electric vehicle reflected the strengths and weaknesses of General Motors Co. and auto making in Detroit.

The plug-in electric vehicle won praise from auto critics who heralded the car as an engineering marvel when it was introduced in 2010. The acclaim eased some of the pain from GM’s bankruptcy at the time and showed that Detroit could still develop an enviable vehicle.

The...