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Friday, 1 December, 2006 9:23 PM
GM
changes it's course on hybrid vehicles
PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / AMERICAJR.com
A
side view of the Saturn VUE hybrid at the 2006 NAIAS.
General Motors has changed it's thinking on hybrid vehicles. In
2000, the automaker declined from developing or manufacturing hybrids.
Now, after watching Japanese automakers take the lead in sales,
GM has decided they are an important market to focus on. GM has
released a bold statement to become the most 'fuel-efficient automaker
by 2010.'
The automaker
has set a goal to have 12 hybrid vehicles available to consumers.
In the past, GM was known for it's trucks and SUVs. Now, the automaker
will change it's policy and become more environmentally-friendly.
GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner made the announcement at the Los
Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday.
GM wants
to create automobiles that run on a combination of electricity and
gasoline. The automaker is working on a version of the Saturn VUE
Green Line that can be plugged into a standard home electrical outlet.
GM is also working on hybrid versions of their Saturn Aura and GMC
Yukon SUV. That will bring their total number of hybrids to eight.
Chairman
and CEO Rick Wagoner said, "GM's commitment to improving
fuel economy, reducing vehicle emissions and developing electrically
driven vehicles is not a short-term strategy." Wagoner
added, "We see energy and environmental leadership
as a critical element of GM's ongoing turnaround plan."
A 2008 model
of the Saturn VUE Green Line was displayed at the Los Angeles Auto
Show. The SUV is built on a two-mode system. There will be two electrical
motors in addition to the gasoline-powered engine. GM will pioneer
the plug-in hybrid when it releases the Green Line. The two-mode
hybrid increases fuel economy by 45% while the plug-in version will
provide 70 mpg on the highway.
In 2007,
GM will begin selling the Saturn Aura Green Line. It will be 25%
more fuel efficient than the current model in showrooms today. The
price of the Green Line model should be close to $23,000.
GM also
manufacturers hybrid versions of their Chevrolet Tahoe and Silverado
models.
Also, at
the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show, CMW introduced their Hydrogen 7
vehicle. It can be powered by hydrogen or gasoline. Meanwhile, DiamlerChrysler
and Volkswagen announced they would manufacture more automobiles
that run on cleaner diesel fuel.
Toyota and
NISSAN were the first automakers to offer hybrid vehicles in the
U.S. Ford was the first automaker to sell a hybrid SUV. General
Motors has some catching up to do. With their recent announcement,
GM will be able to take a huge jump forward.
AmericaJR.com
will be keeping a close eye on all the manufacturers at the upcoming
2007 North American International Auto Show. We'll provide you with
details on all the hybrids and alternative-energy powered vehicles.
These vehicles will be the ones we will drive in the future. That's
why it is important for automakers to begin developing these technologies
today.
PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / AMERICAJR.com
A
look at the Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid from the 2006 NAIAS.
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