A more powerful lithium-ion battery is the centerpiece of General Motors’ next-generation hybrid system, GM announced at Geneva today. The high-volume system will make its North American debut in 2010 before expanding to the rest of the world. Improvements in fuel economy are expected to amount up to 20 percent.
Hitachi Vehicle Energy Ltd. will supply the advanced lithium-ion battery, and is the major factor for the hybrid system tripling in power output. The Saab 9-X BioPower Hybrid concept unveiled at Geneva utilizes the new system, and returns an expected fuel economy of 48 mpg on a combined cycle.
GM will be taking a high-volume approach to reducing oil imports, consumption and emissions, expecting to eventually exceed 100,000 annual sales of its hybrid vehicles. As such, plans are to use the more powerful hybrid system in a wide range of products, mating it with naturally aspirated gas engines, as well as turbocharged, bio-fuel and diesel powerplants. GM already sells nine hybrid models, and plans to introduce 16 new ones over the course of the next four years.
“This new system is another important step in our broad-based strategy to reduce vehicle fuel consumption and emissions,” said General Motors Chairman Rick Wagoner. The next-gen system will be based on the alterntator/starter mild hybrid technology already in use in the Saturn Vue and Aura and Chevrolet Malibu. In larger vehicles such as the Tahoe, Yukon, Escalade, Silverado and Sierra, it will complement the Two-Mode Hybrid system.
03/04, 1:38 PM
posted by:
A4
the GM system beats the hell out of synergy snore
03/04, 2:01 PM
posted by:
Heart64
I doubt that serious A4 GM has a long way to go. Toyota’s new Hybrid I promise will blow out of the water what GM will offer. Because Toyota is Awesome!
03/04, 3:16 PM
posted by:
SS4LIFE
Ladies and gents introducing Toyota’s new online spokesperson….. drum roll…. Heart64!!!
03/04, 3:54 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Excuse me — wasn’t it just two weeks ago that GM President Lutz said that global warming is bull****?
03/04, 10:09 PM
posted by:
autonut
Yes, Lutz said that global warming is bull****, and I said that Lutz is putz. BTW his name is not mentioned anywhere here. He is emotionally attached to volt, which may or may not see light of day.
03/05, 12:47 AM
posted by:
AxeHead
Lutz is doing what he is forced to do. It used to be markets drove the auto industry and now it’s politics. Lutz is like anyone else with balls who doesn’t want to be pushed around by junk science and fanatical greenheads.
03/05, 1:03 AM
posted by:
psiclone
Fortunately Lutz sees the ideological concept of man-induced global warming for what it is. He did say those things about it, then clarified that his primary drive behind his products is his duty to his employer to improve sales; he also stated he wanted to contribute to reducing our dependency on foreign oil and reducing pollution. All would be accomplished. Sheesh, some people can’t be made happy. Read the article. Sounds as though Lutz (or someone) is getting serious about this hybrid stuff at GM. Whether GM vehicles are promoted as reducing our dependency on foreign oil or saving the planet from evil mankind, there should be no difference. The products are what count.
03/05, 9:33 AM
posted by:
gilby7
The Malibu hybrid gets a measly TWO mpg more then the “regular” Malibu, that’s nothing to brag about. But, a hybrid is about more than mpg too I guess, they pollute less so that’s a benefit. But it’s not like folks from India and China (where air pollution is rampant and is circling the earth) are going to buy hybrid Malibus.
03/06, 12:49 PM
posted by:
bigp
ford is acting like they cant kick toyotas ass i need gm to do it as an american