[SusDet Announce] Detroit News Picks Up GM Story on Planned PHEV

[ecadvocate at aol.com]

-----Original Message-----
From: fkramer at calcars.org
To: calcars-news at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 9:21 AM
Subject: [calcars-news] Detroit News Picks Up GM Story on Planned PHEV


We won't keep sending out every story about GM, but it is important 
when the hometown papers start writing about it (even from the 
Washington correspondent). Lutz's "3-4 years" comment about 
batteries and the reference to a "prototype" may mean that in Los 
Angeles and Detroit auto shows GM will simply announce intentions. 
(Note how the headline, "GM may revive the electric car" reflects the 
impact of the movie, "Who Killed the Electric Car?")

Friday, November 10, 2006
GM may revive the electric car
Automaker expects future success with technology of hybrids, 
batteries and hydrogen fuel cells.
David Shepardson / The Detroit News
<http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061110/AUTO01/611100327/1148>

WASHINGTON -- General Motors Corp. is likely to unveil a prototype 
plug-in hybrid at the North American International Auto Show in 
Detroit as part of its company-wide focus on "electrifying" the car, 
GM officials said Thursday.

The advanced technology vehicle would have an extended driving range 
on battery power alone and would also have a diesel or gasoline 
engine that could power the car when the battery was low.

Later this month, GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner will deliver a 
speech at the Los Angeles Auto Show in which he will disclose that 
the linchpin to the company's turnaround is its emphasis on advanced 
technologies.

Ultimately, GM sees hydrogen fuel cells as the solution to ending the 
country's reliance on oil. However GM believes the key is using 
electricity -- through hybrids, batteries and hydrogen fuel cells -- 
to run vehicles, not gasoline.

GM's Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, who is head of product development, 
declined Thursday to disclose what would be unveiled in Detroit 
"because it's a dark secret. But I think you will be pleased with 
what you see."

Lutz did tell The Detroit News that GM estimates it will take three 
to four years "to convert from 'power' lithium batteries to 'energy 
storage' lithium cells," which would allow vehicles to travel farther 
distances.

Plug-in hybrids are gas-electric vehicles that can recharge their 
batteries with an extension cord and a normal wall outlet. Like 
conventional gas-electric hybrids, which have two drivetrains, a 
plug-in hybrid can also recharge its batteries through a regenerative 
brake system while on the road. The range on plug-in cars has 
typically been no more than 20 or 30 miles on battery alone.

In September, Lutz said that GM was "studying plug-in hybrids, and 
will have more to say about those soon. The whole key there is the 
development of significantly improved battery technology," he wrote 
on a company blog. "But rest assured I truly believe that 
electric-drive vehicles have a real future in this country and around 
the world."

Andrew Frank, a professor at the University of California-Davis who 
is credited with designing the first plug-in, said GM's plug-in 
hybrid would be a "series" hybrid, meaning the vehicle runs primarily 
on electricity from the battery with the engine as a backup.

"They are adding a little generator on top of a car," Frank said.

Plug-ins will allow energy independence, with owners eventually being 
able to get their own electricity through solar or wind, Frank said. 
"That could eliminate all but 10 percent of a driver's yearly gasoline use."

GM, which offers more vehicles that get 30 miles per gallon or more 
than any other automaker, wants to get away from its image as builder 
of the H2 and other gas-guzzling SUVs.

In an interview with Motor Trend published in July, Wagoner said 
killing the $1 billion EV1 program was his worst decision. "It didn't 
affect profitability, but it did affect image," he said.

Stung by negative criticism over its decision to kill its EV1 
electric car program, GM has sought to recast its image. Many 
automakers have joined the race to bring alternative powertrains to the market.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world's leading producer of hybrid vehicles, 
has been conducting significant research into plug-in technology.

Honda Motor Co., which introduced the first hybrid in the U.S. in 
1999, has also called for exploring plug-ins and is conducting 
advanced research on hydrogen. It has a fleet of 100 hydrogen fuel 
cell vehicles around the world.

Ford Motor Co. has a 30-car fleet of hybrid hydrogen Ford Focus Fuel 
Cell vehicles as part of "real world testing of fuel cell 
technology." GM will put 100 Chevy Equinox fuel cell SUVs on the road 
next year.

Ford will unveil its 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto 
Show, spokesman Nick Twork said.

"We're looking at a whole range of technologies," including plug-ins 
and fuel cells, he said.

DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group is the only domestic manufacturer 
that has a plug-in hybrid on the road -- though just three test 
models are on the roads now.

You can reach David Shepardson at (202) 662-8735 or dshepardson at detnews.com.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Felix Kramer fkramer at calcars.org
Founder California Cars Initiative
http://www.calcars.org
http://www.calcars.org/news-index.html
http://www.hybridcars.com/blogs/power
http://www.bettah.org
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 


__._,_.___ 
Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) | Start a new topic 
Messages 
 
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) 
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch format to Traditional 
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe Recent Activity
 21New Members
Visit Your Group 
SPONSORED LINKS
Alternative fuels 
Automotive car cover 
Automotive car part 
Automotive fuel saver 
Automotive fuel cell 
Yahoo! News
Kevin Sites
Get coverage of
world crises.
New web site?
Drive traffic now.
Get your business
on Yahoo! search.
Yahoo! Groups
Start a group
in 3 easy steps.
Connect with others.. 
__,_._,___ 
________________________________________________________________________
Check out the new AOL.  Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: /pipermail/announce_sustainabledetroit.org/attachments/20061111/7f0d519f/attachment.html