Archive for the 'Hybrid' Category
JD Power Survey Says: Yes to Hybrids, No to E85, Maybe to EVs
J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Alternative Powertrain Study was published Tuesday.
In the study of more than 4000 people planning to buy a car in the next 2 years, 62% indicated they were considering buying a hybrid. This number increased from 50% the year before.
A JD Power director indicated that this change represented improved education [...]
Popularity: 7%
Progress on the 2-Mode and 2-Mode Plug-in Saturn VUE
With all of GMs recent trouble coming from the crashing SUV market, they must be looking forward to the launching of their fuel efficient smaller SUVs. The Saturn VUE is on the verge of morphing into first a strong 2-mode hybrid form launching later this year, and after that a lithium-ion plug-in 2-mode hybrid [...]
Popularity: 6%
GM May Acquire Hybrid Battery Supplier Cobasys
GM has had to recall 9000 NiMh battery packs, made by Cobasys, which are being used in the mild hybrid versions of the VUE, Aura, and Malibu.
This represents one third of the entire fleet. The reports of battery failures apparently began surfacing in December, when drivers became aware of them via dashboard indicators displaying [...]
Popularity: 6%
No Mad Rush Yet to Buy GM’s Large Hybrid SUVs
In following GMs development of the Volt, one cant help but notice the automaker has been developing other higher-fuel economy vehicles.
One effort thats hard to miss is the production of 2-mode hybrid versions of the large SUV Chevy Tahoes and GMC Yukons. These massive trucks have remarkably advanced 2-mode hybrid systems that allow electric-only [...]
Popularity: 7%
Honda Still Hasn’t Plugged in Yet
In the past Honda president Takeo Fukui has said lithium-ion batteries weren’t ready for cars yet, and that an E-REV like the Volt didn’t make sense (see post). His company also despite beating Toyota to the starting gate with its now defunct Insight, has been markedly losing the race to the Prius.
Amidst all [...]
Popularity: 7%
GM Announces its Next Generation Hybrid System: Includes Lithium-ion Battery
GM currently builds cars using two different hybrid powertrains, the 2-mode hybrid, and the belt-alternator-hybrid system (BAS). The latter is found in current Malibus, Auras, and VUEs and gives a 10 to 15% efficiency improvement. This relatively low cost system replaces the belt and alternator with a small electric motor and a 36 volt [...]
Popularity: 3%
Saturn VUE Plug-in Hybrid to Begin Production in 2010
GM has announced it is making progress on the Saturn VUE plug-in 2-mode hybrid, and that they expect production in calenday year 2010.
The vehicle is expected to have 10 mile all-electric driving range and will use a lithium-ion battery pack. I had a chance to speak with Bob Reuter who is the chief engineer. [...]
Popularity: 3%
We’re Getting Closer…Introducing the 2-Mode Hybrid Saturn VUE
GM has decided to release some details about a car they are showing at the Detroit Auto Show starting next weekend when press days begin (I will be there folks). It is their new 2-Mode Hybrid Saturn VUE.
GM has previously built 2-mode hybrid Tahoes and Yukons, which are just becoming available at dealerships. [...]
Popularity: 2%
Does Honda Lack “Clarity” on Their Thoughts About Plug-in Vehicles?
We have previously reported how Honda CEO Takeo Fukui did not believe the idea of a rage-extended electric car made sense.
Now, according to the AFP, he has gone so far as to say that he “saw no value in developing plug-in hybrid vehicles”.
It seems Honda is interested in petroleum displacement as they have begun leasing [...]
Popularity: 1%
Introducing the 2-Mode Hybrid Cadillac Escalade
GM has done it again. They have moved their groundbreaking 2-mode hybrid drivetrain into another very large vehicle, the luxury Cadillac Escalade. Using this drivetrain, the vehicles will get a 50% increase in city fuel economy.
These new Cadillac models will premiere this Friday, November 9 at the South Florida International Auto Show in [...]
Popularity: 1%
2008 Saturn VUE Hybrid Gets Best Highway mpg Rating of Any SUV
On it’s road to the Volt, GM has been laying out a series of progressively greener cars along the way. Today, they announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rated the 2008 Saturn VUE Green line as getting 32 mpg highway and 25 mpg city, a 27% improvement over the non-hybrid model. [...]
Popularity: 1%
EnerDel, U.S. Lithium-ion Battery Maker, Unveils Market Ready HEV Battery Pack
EnerDel has recently been making the news, appearing on the shortlist of U.S. battery makers awarded U.S. government research grants. I had the opportunity to interview the companies Vice-Chairman to get us some more details (previous post).
Now they have publicly unveiled a fully-functional working lithium-ion battery pack, to be used in hybrid (not plug-in) electric [...]
Popularity: 1%
Recent Posts
- GM CEO’s Best Guess: Volt Will be Priced in “Mid to High 30’s”
- The Dawn of the Next Vintage of Chevy Volt Developmental Vehicles
- GM May Reveal the Production Chevy Volt on it Centennial Webcast, September 16th
- GM Has More Than Two New E-Flex Vehicles Already at Scale-Model Stage of Development
- The Volt’s #1 Fanboy and Our Wait List Story is the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”
- GM’s Future Volt and E-Flex Plans
- GM’s Advanced Battery Director Denise Gray is “Keeping Her Eyes on the Future”
- Interview with Chevy Volt Chief Designer About the Production Car: Plus Leaked Pictures and Video
- BREAKING: GM Releases New Production Volt Photos
- Chevy Volt Update from Chief Engineer: “There’s Nothing Standing in Our Way”
