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Archive for the 'Hybrid' Category

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

June 13th, 2009 | Posted in: Hybrid, PHEV with 96 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 96 Comments

Toyota Reportedly Planning to Give its Hybrid Technology to GM

May 25th, 2009 | Posted in: Competitors, Hybrid with 104 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 104 Comments

Hybrid Buick Business MPV Concept Revealed

April 21st, 2009 | Posted in: Buick, Hybrid with 188 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 188 Comments

GM to Build 2-Mode Hybrid Cadillac SRX

April 9th, 2009 | Posted in: Cadillac, Hybrid, Voltec with 130 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 130 Comments

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

March 3rd, 2009 | Posted in: Competitors, Hybrid, PHEV with 168 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 168 Comments

GM Considering Extended-Range Electric Pickup Truck

March 2nd, 2009 | Posted in: Engineering, Hybrid, Voltec with 83 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 83 Comments

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

February 2nd, 2009 | Posted in: GM Q and A, Hybrid with 134 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 134 Comments

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

January 8th, 2009 | Posted in: Hybrid, PHEV with 75 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 75 Comments

Poll: Which 2010 Hybrid Would You Buy?

January 2nd, 2009 | Posted in: Competitors, Hybrid with 176 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 176 Comments

Toyota E-REV? Not

December 27th, 2008 | Posted in: Competitors, E-REV, Hybrid with 97 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 97 Comments

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

December 15th, 2008 | Posted in: E-Flex, Hybrid with 128 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 128 Comments

2009 Saturn VUE 2-Mode Hybrid First Drives

October 26th, 2008 | Posted in: Hybrid with 91 Comments

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 [...]

Posted by: Lyle with 91 Comments

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