The 2010 Chevrolet Volt may be taking center stage in General Motors’ lineup of incredibly fuel-efficient future vehicles, but Larry Nitz – GM’s Executive Director of Hybrid Powertrain Engineering – doesn’t want us to forget about GM’s other upcoming plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Saturn Vue plug-in.
Checking in on GM’s corporate blog, Nitz says the Vue plug-in is progressing as planned and should be ready to hit the market in a “couple of years”. Although the first Vue plug-in development vehicles were using nickel-metal hydride batteries, the test mules have now moved to their production-intended lithium-ion setup. Moreover, there are currently 11 Vue lithium-ion plug-in hybrids testing at GM’s proving grounds in Michigan and Arizona.
Making the plug-in Vue’s development a little easier is the fact that its plug-in system is actually a derivative of GM’s Two-mode hybrid system, a system that has been used in buses since 2003 and most recently launched in the 2008 GMC Yukon/Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrids. In all, the Vue’s hybrid drive has clocked more than 800,000 miles of testing.
Nitz didn’t comment on the Vue’s all-electric range, but did say he expects the front-wheel drive only Vue Plug-in Hybrid to double “the fuel efficiency of any current SUV”.
07/23, 2:33 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
A few years? Whoa… this should have been ready yesterday.
07/23, 2:45 PM
posted by:
xyunya
What Saturn will sell meanwhile? They have more salesman then customers every time you step in.
07/23, 3:12 PM
posted by:
F451
GM needs to invest in another planet as Saturn’s a bust.
07/23, 4:13 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
GM might do better investing in Earth. LOL
07/23, 5:41 PM
posted by:
dls
Please remember though – you have to have an infrastructure in the country to support shifts in driving and energy resources.
I work for G.M. – proud of the product – we have lots of dynamics at play today….
07/23, 6:08 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
‘Dynamics’: one of those yuppie buzzwords used in departments where they let you wear jeans to work.
07/23, 6:47 PM
posted by:
nitinsharma1000
dls, you dont work for sales do you? just curious.
07/23, 6:48 PM
posted by:
TomF
When we say “We have lots of dynamics in play today,” we mean “We have started trying to respond to trends that became apparent in 1973.”
07/24, 8:09 AM
posted by:
SickofGarbageMotors
They should just rename Saturn as Uranus because sales continue to be crap even with a whole new lineup. Roger Smith’s pet project is a long running joke, a company that hasn;t made a profit since the early nineties.
Yet Oldsmobile was sacrificed for Saturns existence. morons.
07/24, 11:05 PM
posted by:
VJZ
“On the eighth day, God invented Toyota.”
“Jesus drives a Prius”
I’m sorry that I pretend GM does not exist. My family has been screwed on deals and pathetic American cars for the past 20 years. No more will I support Detroit. Half of your cars are made in Canada and Mexico. My money goes to a Canuck and Jose.
Shame on you General Motors.