Along with redesigning the entire Outlander line which will debut next month at the Geneva Show, Mitsubishi will introduce its long-anticipated production plug-in hybrid version with capability of 31 miles all-electric range, and potential for near-triple-digit MPG equivalent.
The U.S. version of the tech-laden vehicle is to go on sale in 2013 and is derived from the second all-wheel-drive PX-MiEV concept previously shown at Tokyo. According to Mitsubishi spokesperson Christine Jew, it is capable of operating as a series hybrid, parallel hybrid, or on battery power alone.
We noticed a report saying a battery electric version will be introduced, but in the interest of avoiding confusion, we’re reporting Mitsubishi verified that was an error.
Instead, the “EV-based Outlander” will use a gasoline engine (possibly 2.0-liter but not confirmed) plus dual electric motors, lithium-ion battery pack and other technology from its “i” electric city car. Mitsubishi would not verify powertrain details, but the concept upon which it’s based was said to deliver power on par with a 3.0-liter V6.
The two electric propulsion motors (60-kw (80.5 horsepower) on the concept) – one for the front, another for the rear wheels – are controlled by sophisticated electronics. Combined with the petrol power plant, range is said to be over 500 miles (800 km), with emissions below 50 grams per kilometer.
How the plug-in Outlander will do on the EPA fuel efficiency test cycle is to be determined, but Mitsubishi’s initial projection for the easy going Japanese cycle is a combined rating of 141 MPGe (60 km per liter). This cycle normally scores significantly higher than does the U.S. cycle. For some reference, the EPA says Mitsubihi’s smaller i makes 112 MPGe combined.
Mitsubishi says the “eco-friendly” Outlander line will include variants for other markets including gasoline and turbo diesel.
Order of introduction for these new Outlanders is Russia first this summer, then to “European, Japanese, Oceania, Chinese and North American markets,” with the extended-range version beginning production later this fiscal year. The diesel is not scheduled for the U.S.
Among other safety features, the lineup will include the following advanced safety technologies:
• FCM (Forward Collision Mitigation System): Detects obstacles on the road ahead of the car and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision.
• ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control System): Operates to maintain a safe distance between the car in front even at very low speeds experienced in heavy traffic congestion.
• LDW (Lane Departure Warning System): Functions to warn the driver that their vehicle is about to depart from its lane.
Production ICE version.
The plug-in Outlander is actually one of eight electrified vehicles Mitsubishi will reportedly launch by 2016. These will include plug-in hybrids and full-electric vehicles.
Part of this new plan – which is reportedly well under way – is to produce small SUV’s and light trucks to attract farmers, contractors, and others who use light trucks as part of their work.
As for their BEV forerunner, the humble i, Mitsubishi has said it hopes to double last year’s global sales for 2012 to 42,000 units.
Mitsubishi looks like it means business, and if it meets its ambitious goals over the next few years, it stands to become a force to be reckoned with.
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+11
Feb 16th, 2012 (6:11 am)Good for Mitsubishi. Less oil consumption is a win for us all, especially if EV’s and EREV’s can now appeal to the SUV crowd.
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (6:32 am)I like the EREV Outlander line. I don’t know about the Yugo-inspired styling. Why no diesel in the U.S.? Same question for Volvo.
+19
Feb 16th, 2012 (7:09 am)Hello GM, heellooooo…are you in there? Wake up, wake up! What do you plan to have by 2016? Just the ELR? It’s time to poop or get off the EV pot.
+21
Feb 16th, 2012 (7:46 am)Maybe this will stimulate GM to make produce a Voltec-based CUV. Let’s hope.
+26
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:00 am)Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Always a good statement.
GM, you are in the lead.
Don’t lose it……………
C-5277
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:17 am)I owned a Mitusubisi- based small pickup in the late 80′s. (Reposessed from my kid.) It was spartan but pretty tough. The 2.0l was very torquey. Nice little truck until a dump truck liked my lane better.
Their commercials are dumb IMHO. It ain’t a Jeep.
+5
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:19 am)I think the Spark EV is the Mitsu-i competitor.
Hopefully GM/Magna announce something soon on the Equinox EV testing in Canada.
I would like more drive-train info from Mitsubishi, but I doubt they will be as transparent as GM was with the Volt.
+6
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:39 am)Launch by 2016 ? That’s four years down the road. GM conceived and went to production with the Volt in about 3 years and they created the technology from scratch. Others are just copying.
What GM did is even more impressive when you consider what the competition can achieve.
+14
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:39 am)I own a Volt. My next new car will be something like this. I would very much prefer an American model, but I’m not waiting around on it. GM – get it moving. You’ve been on notice on this issue for years – no excuses.
+6
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:52 am)How about an Equinox and a Equinox based very light duty pickup with Voltec 2.0 based drive trains? Not everyone who wants/needs a pickup hauls a Skidsteer up Pikes Peak every morning or a load of bricks twice a day. Remember how well those S10 pickups used to sell? The Canyon and Colorado have been huge failures in comparison. Just don’t say El Camino… Although a Cruze based pickup, hmmm….
+5
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:55 am)Look at this car.
Look at Ford’s C Max Energy.
Look at Tesla’s X.
Where is the MPV GM???
You could offer the MPV at a significantly reduced price under the Volt….. and you would have the leading contender in this segment.
Just do the following:
Remove around 20% of the existing pack and use a higher percentage of the pack.
Put the batteries in the floor for more interior room.
Perhaps you could also reduce the complexity of the TMS and reduce costs there as well…..(air cooling???) Toyota did this w/ the piP and you know how conservative their engineers are……so it must be possible!!
What are you waiting for??
We want a Voltec:
MPV, MPV,,MPV,,MPV
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:59 am)atl-jb,
Take a look at Ford’s C-Max Energy!!
It will be out there before GM’s MPV Voltec (That is if they build it at all).
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:59 am)One of the very last things that I have holding me back from jumping on the Volt is pressure from my wife to have a 5-seater to help drive my kids’ friends around. Not that I want to buy a car explicitly for my kids’ friends, of course, but she has a point. Both of our cars now are 5-seaters and at times, we needed another 6th seat. It won’t matter much in 4 years when they are both at college and not needing rides.
If I could only have an EV version of my current car – an ’04 Mazda6 sport wagon. That would be just as good as an MPV-5 or other CUV. But *only* if the 5th seat was available.
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (9:01 am)“As for their BEV forerunner, the humble i, Mitsubishi has said it hopes to double last year’s global sales for 2012 to 42,000 units.”
The next couple years will be interesting in the BEV world, that’s for sure.
So many players will have vechicles, there will be competition for the small market (at this time), which can only help reduce costs. Hopefullly the market grows as people realize BEV’s make great 2nd cars vs. another ICE car.
Mitsubishi – Imiev
GM – Spark EV
Ford – Focus EV
Honda – Fit EV
BMW – I3
Nissan – Leaf
Toyota-Rav4 EV (Scion IQ for fleets)
??????
Mercedes – Smart Car EV?
Chrysler-Fiat 500 EV?
Mazda (Demio-Mazda 2 EV lease possiblity?
Volvo- no BEV but has the C30?
Subaru – Stella (dead now)?
All other car companies?
-19
Feb 16th, 2012 (9:04 am)(click to show comment)
-28
Feb 16th, 2012 (9:10 am)(click to show comment)
+8
Feb 16th, 2012 (9:35 am)I’m buying the first plug-in crossover type car with decent EV-only range on the market. Like others have said, I’d love for it to be the Volt MPV, but this works for me, too. I really hope GM is just keeping it’s cards close to it’s chest, and hasn’t folded on the EV game. It’d be a shame to see Voltec technology left in the dust.
Plug-in technology isn’t going anywhere. Haters can hate on the current low sales, but by 2020 every 2 bit car manufacturer will have tons of EREVs. Might as well get ready for the coming flood instead of packing it in because the rain hasn’t started.
+12
Feb 16th, 2012 (9:42 am)From the lead article:
“• FCM (Forward Collision Mitigation System): Detects obstacles on the road ahead of the car and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision.
• ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control System): Operates to maintain a safe distance between the car in front even at very low speeds experienced in heavy traffic congestion.
• LDW (Lane Departure Warning System): Functions to warn the driver that their vehicle is about to depart from its lane.”
It’s my hope & expectation that EVERY new vehicle will soon have these safety features.
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (9:46 am)Especially the FCM. I can’t believe that isn’t required like seatbelts are. Do you know how many accidents that would prevent? All of our insurance rates would go down, which would help offset any extra costs for this technology.
+18
Feb 16th, 2012 (10:02 am)=============================
I hate to be the one to start it today, but:
Exactly how many Prius hybrid cars did Toyota sell in the first two years of production in the USA?
And don’t forget that it had the “advantage”, as you put it, of being priced for the masses.
Here are the numbers that I found:
2000 – Less than 6000
2001 – Less than 16,000
2002 – Less than 21,000
2003 – Less than 25,000
2004 – Less than 56,000
2005 – Less than 108,000
So it took your favorite car company six years to break the 100K per year sales mark in the USA.
Yet you continue to slam GM for following similar sales patterns on a car that is considerably more advanced and more expensive than the original first generation Prius…….
If the 2016 version of the Volt is not selling at 9K units per month, then you can say that sales are not up to par.
Until then, IMHO, your repetitive nonsensical droning makes you sound like a complete idiot……….
As my father used to tell me: “If you have nothing constructive to add, say nothing.”
I would ask you to follow that advice. And trust me, what you have to say is not considered to be constructive.
To everyone else here – I apologize for feeding the trolls.
C-5277
-8
Feb 16th, 2012 (10:14 am)GM is only good in showing concepts and not putting them to production
ex:
Mitsubishi gives 10 year warranty for their products and seems they are on right line
. Still i am looking for a 7 (full adult seating – no 2 kids and 5 ) seat hybrid minivan (non suv looking , with sliding doors )
BTW : Did Vue hybrid sold with 2MT70 transmission ( 2mode hybrid ) or was only concept/pre-production ?
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (10:40 am)Love the MPV concept… Shocked it hasn’t been put into production.
join thE REVolution
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (10:43 am)Since I own both, I can say this with all honesty… what took Toyota so long? If it only took GM 3yrs 10 months for something as advanced as the Volt, why did it take Toyota a little over half that time to produce a 40MPG hybrid Toyota Echo? They should have been able to crank that box out in 12 months.
+9
Feb 16th, 2012 (10:59 am)OT.
Didja notice that Mazda is promoting their hybrid as a ‘performance’ hybrid? I think this is the direction to go. As long as hybrids are considered lesser than ICE equivalents, they will not sell in large numbers. Especially in the US.
rant on.
If you configure the hybrid system properly, high performance spirited driving is possible while still achieving economical numbers for normal driving. And stop calling it ECO mode. Call it ‘normal’ mode with an option for ‘sport’ mode.
imho, all this ECO stuff is severely limiting the market for hybrids. Heck, with the bad connotation for hybrids (in the performance world), don’t even use ‘hybrid’. Call it something like ‘sport boost system’ or ‘launch assist’ (ala Corvette).
If you position the electric drive as a booster rocket, I think hybrids will sell way better. Publish the 0-30 times as ‘better than’ the ICE equivalent.
Build some excitement in!
/rant off.
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (10:59 am)No diesel because Europe refines most of it’s oil into diesel and the USA does not. The U.K. even actually EXPORTS some gasoline to the U.S.! I’ve read it takes several years to convert a conventional oil refinery that refines crude oil to gasoline to one that “hydrocracks” diesel. Most of the diesel that is refined here goes to commercial vehicles, also heating oil, jet fuel, and kerosene.
RECHARGE! ,
James
+4
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:07 am)I think a less expensive “Saturn style” version of a Tesla X with 2 battery pack size choices using A123 cells combined with a simple RE could be made at a competitive price JMO. Let people have a plane Jane version with some options to choose from. Stick with a sliding door and put the RE in the back and a spare in the front compartment. Remember; Keep It Simple Stanley. You might offer a 50 and 80 mile range packs as your choices.
+8
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:12 am)Jim, just as a rough guide, GM has now painted 1639 Volts/Amperas since Monday of last week. So in 7 or 8 business days, Hamtramck has built around 200 cars a day, which isn’t bad. Not sure when those cars will be on the lot to be picked up by buyers, but it won’t be long. I think February is going to be around 1000 Volts/Amperas sold and March could be a very good month. But I really hope GM drops the base MSRP to $37.4k as soon as possible. Net price of $29.9k sounds awfully good.
And put me down as a fan of the MPV concept as well, though the Volt SS has a certain charm as well! And the SS should be easier to produce in a short time.
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:30 am)as in E-assist, where GM avoided the “H” word
+4
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:48 am)Like the Volt does!
+4
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:51 am)I have a hard time seeing how that thing is going to get better mpge than a Volt. It has to be heavier, and it must have the aerodynamics of a brick. Mirrors?
I’m from Missouri.
+14
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:57 am)Not to FTT but Toyota took 2.5 years to tweak a 15 yrs old design.
GM didn’t tweak anything, they came up with a new idea and implemented it with no base car to work with. And let’s recall that Toyota said on record, early in the process, that GM couldn’t develop and go to production with the Volt in such a short time frame.
Toyota was wrong.
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:57 am)Volt still has that ‘ECO’ word within the HVAC system. I guess that’s not too bad, but, it still turns me off.
+5
Feb 16th, 2012 (12:00 pm)There are at least two ways for a Volt fan to take a new EREV CUV competitor:
1) GM stands to lose it’s leadership by not offering the MPV EREV CUV it introduced first as a concept. Unless there are plans we know nothing about, the Mitsu EREV Outlander will beat any GM MPV to actual market, and that’s a shame.
2) Now, someone else will be tasked with explaining to the motoring public just what EREV means, and we no longer have to be quite as frustrated watching GM’s ineffective efforts. There needs to be an unambiguous explanation of range extension, and how ‘your mileage may vary’ depending on trip length. Of How EREV benefits most of the trips people take, day in and day out. There needs to be a presentation based on fuel-cost-per-year. These things can’t be done in the kind of slick, high-concept ad GM likes to air, but are absolutely necessary. Some affable nerd is going to have stand there with a chart (Danny Forster from “Build it Bigger?”). Can you imagine such an ad out of GM? Whichever car gets those ads, all EREVs stand to benefit; but not as much as the brand which puts them out.
It would be ironic indeed if GM, able to out-engineer every car maker on the planet, were forced to wait on another manufacturer’s commercials for it’s advanced EREV to be accepted.
+6
Feb 16th, 2012 (12:15 pm)I have a 2009 Chevy Equinox that has given me superb service in three years (only a flat tire that was my fault). I have exchanged the factury air filter for a K&N filter, and I expect to see an increase in its average MPG by March. The interior floor is flat except for the rise below the rear seat where the gas tank is attached, so there is space for a battery.
I have the 2007 Fuel Cell Equinox Owner Manual, and I have seen how GM created a EV drivetrain and fuel cell for that version, while placing the two hydrogen tanks under the rear seat.
So, all GM need to do is remanufacturer that EV drivetrain, place a battery under the rear seat and trunk, and add the cabling and controls, and you have a EV Equinox. Amp Electric is building EV conversions, so it is totally possible.
See how simple it seems? I know that GM can build a prototype in a few months and put it into production by the end of 2012 as a 2013 model. I will trade in my 2009 ICE Equinox for a EV Equinox as soon as it arrives!
Go for it, GM!!
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (12:22 pm)Good, but could be better. It’s still marketed as an ‘hybrid’.
Unless eAssist causes them to perform better than without eAssist, it’s just pandering to the ECO crowd. (Although 25% increased mpg is way better than BAS.)
9.4sec (0-60) in a 4-cyl two-ton Buick isn’t all that bad, but, the V-6 is 2.6sec faster. Why can’t they make them the same by using a sport mode? Plus, they still take away trunk space for the e- model.
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (12:38 pm)Not to be a downer today but…
I’m pretty bearish when it comes to Mitsubishi. I think they sold somewhere around 80,000 vehicles in the U.S. compared to their 200,000/year sales in the ’90′s. After, numerous delays, the i-Miev finally is in the U.S. but will probably be a tough sell with it’s quirky looks and limited range. The rest of the line-up are also-rans compared to their Asian brethren. This vehicle will likely be their most expensive model, and to boot, the brand is not really known for expensive vehicles. Therefore, I can’t see this crossover selling in big numbers either.
I think the PX-MiEV is a nice idea (with a terrible name), that may be successful in Japan, but quickly found to be too expensive to export to the U.S. if it would sell in low numbers. All this adds up to a pretty dubious proposition, for a company that has marginal prospects of even remaining in the U.S.
Feb 16th, 2012 (12:41 pm)So all these other manufacturers are starting to produce vehicles running on principles similar to the Volt. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea then?
More choices, acceptance, ancompetitionon, maybe it will get more affordable sooner.
Feb 16th, 2012 (12:45 pm)They should rename the modes
Normal – Super – Super Duper
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (12:47 pm)Fisker is having to explain it to people looking to buy a $100K car. (so not too many people)
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (1:13 pm)Or they just make e-assist std. like in the 2013 Regal. I don’t know if they will do the same for the LaCrosse. Interesting factoid: “According to Hybridcars.com, the Buick LaCrosse with eAssist outsold the Lincoln MKZ by a 3-to-1 margin and the Lexus HS250h by a 5-to-1 margin in January 2012.”
Feb 16th, 2012 (1:14 pm)OT….
Is anyone else having trouble logging on to myvolt.com or using the OnStar app from your smart phone? I haven’t been able to connect all morning.
+4
Feb 16th, 2012 (1:16 pm)OT:
This should make the “anti government GM bailout” people happy.
GM Stock up 7%
General Motors Co. (GM) on Thursday reported a record profit of $7.6 billion for 2011 that was damped by a fourth quarter in which losses in Europe weighed down results.
This is already snowballing into more work for my company. GM is going around for blanket orders on equipment for plant re-toolings.
Feb 16th, 2012 (1:44 pm)I can’t connect to much of anything with my iPhone (Safari) on 3G. There’s something seriously wrong in cyber space as we’re having Internet issues at work as well.
gm-volt is now coming up, but, I’m in a better area now. It’s still slow.
Edit: hmmm….
http://www.internettrafficreport.com/namerica.htm
Feb 16th, 2012 (2:02 pm)nasaman,
Sorry but l have to disagree with the “Forward Collision Mitigation System”.
Can you imagine a scenario where a deer or moose shows up in front of me and l’m just about to switch lanes to miss him , and this automated system slams the brakes on….and there is an
18- wheeler 100 feet behind me….plus who knows else at 65-70 mph ?
l am sure a lot of these systems work well but l doubt in all situations.
As just one example ,how many people know that ABS brakes equipped vehicles stopping distances are longer than non-ABS vehicles.
Just an opinion…..but after driving over 100,000 miles per year for 30+ years in 18-wheelers all over the US,Canada and Europe l’ve learned a few things.
Feb 16th, 2012 (2:17 pm)Great stuff for automotive museums. But ancient history in an innovative environment.
I though, am interested in what will be rolling out of showrooms and sold by dealers for public consumption.
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (2:24 pm)#39
LOL. +1
Feb 16th, 2012 (2:35 pm)Loboc,
Update: My guys think it is the effin-b-eye monitoring social networks. There was some discussion about it around a month ago.
Your gummint at work. lol.
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (2:51 pm)Sad this isn’t GM doing this – seems like the current Execs just don’t have the chops to invest further – even with GM making serious profits. Hopefully they get over this by Generation 2 in 2015.
GM has such a history of Senior Execs pushing forward looking ideas, then when those execs leave (often around the time the idea is coming to initial fruition) the idea is left to run on its own (because of the money invested) but otherwise left to wither. With Wagoner and Lutz gone I hope GM still has serious support at its top who see this as the future (beyond PR statements).
The vehicle sounds nice. There is definitely a market for cross-overs. The big question is whether its going to operate like the Toyota Plug-in / Ford Plug-in architecture where it’ll just be a booster for the ICE (unless you want to accelerate at ridiculously low rates) or if you’ll really be able to accelerate at good rates (i.e. really drive) all electric (80HP electric doesn’t make me confident).
Definitely sounds like a good size battery compared with PIP or C-Max Energi’s (good for Mitsubishi there) with range at 31 miles (probably be 25 miles or so). Good for Mitsu, hopefully they’ll be successful.
-26
Feb 16th, 2012 (4:08 pm)(click to show comment)
-26
Feb 16th, 2012 (4:16 pm)(click to show comment)
-26
Feb 16th, 2012 (4:32 pm)(click to show comment)
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (4:37 pm)atl-jb,
I had always thought an SUV would be a natural for hybridizing, because there is so much room for batteries.
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (5:29 pm)#44 HaroldC Can you imagine a scenario where a deer or moose shows up in front of me and l’m just about to switch lanes to miss him , and this automated system slams the brakes on….and there is an
18- wheeler 100 feet behind me….plus who knows else at 65-70 mph ?
l am sure a lot of these systems work well but l doubt in all situations.
As just one example ,how many people know that ABS brakes equipped vehicles stopping distances are longer than non-ABS vehicles.
Just an opinion…
I could be wrong; if the system slams on the brakes; an eminent collision is about to happen. If you have time to change lanes first then you didn’t reach that point yet. When the ABS are activated; it will give you much better control when you steer out of the deers way. It’s about better control when braking hard & swerving or stopping on slick surfaces, because your brakes won’t lock-up; at least that’s what I’ve heard. If the FCC system did apply your brakes; I would think it would also release them as soon as you turn and it no-longer detected the deer in your path. I would think they tested it for that kind of situation JMO. I hope it will work in thick fog, smoke, dust storms and respond sooner on wet roads.
-20
Feb 16th, 2012 (6:11 pm)(click to show comment)
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (6:37 pm)BLIND GUY,
l’ll give you +1 for your insight . l really hope all these sensors , wiring and computer algorithms hold up and do their job.
l guess in a perfect world all these safety advances would be in place at once so the poor guy following these high-tech wondercars won’t slam into them..
thanx for you input……..
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (6:40 pm)The Voltec 1.5 powertrain is coming up, in the Cadillac ELR. Will see what happens
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (7:30 pm)2 generation four mode dual mode 8 speed plug in electric system, and 3 generation electric assist system with electric cvt transmission, and the chevrolet equniox, gmc terrain will have these electric assist system. All this will come.
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (7:34 pm)It’s a 2013 launch for the plug-in described in the article and 2016 to have 8 electrified vehicles on the market. If they are unique models and truly meant for the mass market, not gimmicks. This is an agressive, admirable goal. While I will not be buying a Mitsubishi anytime soon, this mindset should be commended IMO and I wish we saw more of it from GM. Development of the Volt started in 2008 and it is now 2012 yet there are no other Voltec production programs publicly know beyond the Cadillac ELR. Hopefully GM has others under wraps but they sure are doing a good job of hiding their existance in this is true.
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:10 pm)I think if Volts were selling 2,000+ in Nov and Dec 2011, then an EREV Equinox would be on the schedule for 2013 model year (or at least announced for 2013.5). I’d have to guess that it’ll wait for 2014. The “Electrinox”
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:11 pm)What do you suppose would happen if the rebate is repealed?
Maybe a lower sale price, that any Joe Blow could take advantage of?
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:30 pm)Yes, the Equinox SUV has been converted. See my post #34 above.
Raymond
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:33 pm)Charlie H,
My only connection to the auto industry is that I drive one of their products, but my guess is that American SUVs are built on truck chassis that have no problem with some extra weight. Foreign SUVs are probably built on automobile chassis’ which are stressed to their limit just to carry the SUV. I know some American SUVs are, but it’s not the norm.
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:47 pm)OT—
I just got back from the 2013 Chevy Malibu ECO Ride & Drive… Man, that was fun!
Now that the VOLT has kicked Japanese booty (Prius) down the highway, the New Malibu ECO is poised to do the same to the Camry!
They had a brand new ‘redesigned’ Camry there to drive alongside the Malibu. The ECO beats it on almost every measurable catagory. And hands down stomps it on looks alone. I don’t see how Toyota decided to make their ‘new’ Camry even MORE plain vanilla on the outside.
Malibu’s 37 MPG trumps Camry’s 35 while have greater Horsepower, Torque, and Style and Cool Tech Gizmos.
Guys, if a VOLT is too much for the budget, take a look at the 2013 Malibu ECO nicely loaded for about $27,000.00
+3
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:47 pm)Charlie H,
The Volt drivetrain isn’t the same as the Prius- it is much better.
Besides, Toyota is catching up now after the success of the Volt by copying it and branding it a as the plug-in Prius. I have seen it up close and it is UGLY!!! It is just another bad copy of American technology, which is what the Japanese have been doing, and the Chinese are learning to do.
Did you buy one? If you did, I feel sorry for you.
Raymond
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:51 pm)And just to clarify, I am NOT a fan of the current Malibu. The New 2013 Malibu is an all-new chassis and shares nothing with the current car. It’s a total re-do. They did an outstanding job!
+2
Feb 16th, 2012 (8:51 pm)Good news!
I expect the 2013 Buick Regal with eAssist to do just as well, since it is possible that I might buy it if Chevy doesn’t bring the Volt down here to Puerto Rico.
Please post pictures of the new MALIBU!
Raymond
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (10:01 pm)I think it would set the takeup of plug in vehicles back a good number of years – sales numbers would just be gut punched for large battery capacity vehicles.
As neither GM nor Nissan is making much money (if any) on these vehicles at the current pricing I doubt the price would come down until Generation 2 – the manufacturers would just watch their sales numbers fall off significantly.
Doesn’t seem likely that the temporary tax credit will get repealed right now unless the Republicans sweep in the fall (not impossible) – then I think it will be their #1 Green target to kill.
If the GOP does sweep in the fall I’m going to do whatever I can to get a vehicle before the new year, cause I want that tax credit.
-21
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:28 pm)(click to show comment)
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Feb 16th, 2012 (11:33 pm)(click to show comment)
+1
Feb 16th, 2012 (11:54 pm)I think the chances of a EREV-CUV is quite likely in the form a GMC. Perhaps the nixed Granite will be transformed into such a beast?
Feb 17th, 2012 (2:07 am)The reason the Voltec 1.0 powetrain is so hight is the LG batteries. Now gm can build a CUV Voltec powertrain car, but it will be 40,000 dollars. Gm’s delta platforum, is build for the Voltec powertrain and car’s. The cost of the voltec powertrain has to come down.