GM Terminates Malibu and Vue Hybrids: Promises Newer Better Hybrids in 2010 and 2011

GM has announced that the Chevy Malibu mild hybrid will be discontinued. They have also terminated 2-mode strong hybrid Saturn Vue.
2010 Malibu hybrids are no longer being produced because of low sales volumes and a glut of 2009 models on dealer lots.  Estimates suggest only 2142 Malibu hybrids were sold from its release in [...]

Toyota Reportedly Planning to Give its Hybrid Technology to GM

An unconfirmed report appears in the Japanese newspaper, the Daily Yomiuri, citing senior executives which claims Japanese automaker Toyota is prepared to give its core hybrid technology to GM.
Toyota supposedly wishes to offer GM the technology that underlies the Prius and other Toyota vehicles should GM go into bankruptcy.  The intellectual property under consideration is [...]

Hybrid Buick Business MPV Concept Revealed

By the looks and underpinnings of this car, Buick’s future seems to be shining.
GM revealed this quite striking new multipurpose vehicle at the Shanghai Auto Show in China and is calling the it the Business Concept. The vehicle was developed at the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), a joint effort with General Motors [...]

GM to Build 2-Mode Hybrid Cadillac SRX

GMs 2-mode hybrid drivetrains are currently in use in large trucks.  They can be found in the Escalade, Yukon, Tahoe, and Silverado where they allow these massive vehicles to achieve 20 mpg combined fuel economy.
Currently a 2-Mode hybrid VUE is in pre-production, and launch has been delayed.  Many factors have gone into this delay first [...]

2010 Prius Gets 50 MPG, Will Top Out Over $30,000, and Will Have Plug-in Version in 2010

Many people continue to debate whether the 2010 Prius or the 2011 Volt will be the better choice. We know the Volt will cost close to $40,000 but be eligible for $7,500 in tax credits already approved.
We now have more information about the new Prius which will go on sale in the US in May [...]

GM Considering Extended-Range Electric Pickup Truck

One of the things many people here have expressed interest in is the possible use of GM’s Voltec extended-range electric drivetrain in the form factor of a truck.
GM already has 2-mode hybrid pick-up trucks that achieve 25% better fuel efficiency than conventional models and offer considerable towing capability.
AutoBlogGreen published the account of an interviewer from [...]

GM VP Troy Clarke on Why GM Doesn’t Have a Strong Hybrid Sedan

I had the opportunity to ask a question of GM’s VP North America, Troy Clarke. It was as follows:
Other automakers are making cars like the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius, why hasn’t GM placed a strong hybrid architecture into a small sedan and targeted a lower price point, and rather put those systems into [...]

Status of the 2-Mode Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Saturn VUE

An important vehicle going forward with GM’s plans towards energy diversification is the 2-Mode Hybrid Saturn VUE. This is the first instance of GM’s strong hybrid powertrain, so-called 2-mode because it has both low speed and high speed electric motors, being married to a crossover sized vehicle. It is already in production in [...]

Poll: Which 2010 Hybrid Would You Buy?

This new year will be bringing with it three new hybrid sedan choices for American consumers. Obviously most of us here are waiting for the Chevy Volt but since that wont arrive until late 2010 maybe one of these will have to do for now.
1. Ford Fusion Hybrid

This is a brand new strong [...]

Toyota E-REV? Not

Toyota has recently announced its intentions to unveil an all-electric car at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
The only information Toyota has confirmed is that the car will be a new and original subcompact design and a limited range vehicle meant only for “town” driving, unable to handle longer driving needs.  Reports say it will [...]

GM Plans to Build Strong-Hybrid Small Vehicles But Will Spend Twice as Much Developing E-Flex Cars

GM’s viability plan reveals their intended future development of advanced technology fuel efficient vehicles, as shown in Table 8 above.
The company already produces mild hybrids, such as the Malibu, which get about a 10 to 15% increase in fuel efficiency. These cars mainly improve efficiency by turning off the engine at stops, using regenerative [...]

2009 Saturn VUE 2-Mode Hybrid First Drives

GM will soon be introducing a Saturn VUE with a 2-mode hybrid drivetrain.  This complex strong hybrid drivetrain is presently only available on the Chevy Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade, and Chevy Silverado pickup truck.  More robust and complex than Toyota’s synergy drive system, the two mode system uses 2 electric motors, one for low speed driving [...]