Next gen GM hybrid pickups to get 50% better towing, Voltec possible
click for a high res gallery of GM’s hybrid pickups General Motors is currently in the midst of launching its hybrid full-size pickup trucks and our man Jeremy is in San Antonio this week to try them out. One thing about the auto industry is that as soon as you get one product out the door, you’re already working on the next generation. Such is the case with GM’s two-mode hybrids which are due for a second generation in about 4 years. Mike Levine over at PickupTrucks.com has been talking to GM about where they are going for the next generation models. While the trucks launching right now have pretty decent towing power at 6,100 lbs for the RWD version (5,900 for the 4WD), big truck buyers want more. GM’s truck vehicle line executive, Gary White, told Mike that the next-gen models would have 50 percent better towing power in addition to greater efficiency. Perhaps more interesting is where GM is going with the hybrid architecture itself. While a next generation two-mode system will definitely be developed, White told Levine that something like the Volt’s Voltec (formerly E-flex ) system is on the table for the trucks. The trucks certainly have room between the frame rails for plenty of batteries, and electric motors that provide enough torque for 9,000 lbs of towing capacity are pretty straightforward. Such a system would also eliminate the limiting factor with the current two-mode, which is the planetary gear-sets. However, a truck would need a very large range extender to maintain that towing capacity beyond the plug-in battery range when the vehicle gets into charge sustaining mode. It’s certainly an interesting idea. We’ll be watching to see what happens. Gallery: 2009 GM hybrid pickups Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. [Source: PickupTrucks .com] Auto Blog: Hybrid , Chevrolet , GM , GMC Next gen GM hybrid pickups to get 50% better towing, Voltec possible originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green | Car Blog Green
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Next gen GM hybrid pickups to get 50% better towing, Voltec possible
January 2009 Dashboard: Hybrid Pickups Arrive
> Subscribe to the HybridCars.com Market Dashboard The entire auto market continued to slide, bringing hybrid sales along with it. But there’s good news: General Motors began shipping full-hybrid pickup trucks, opening up the hybrid market to a new pool of buyers. Hybrid Heatmap In this month’s version, we take a look at sales of hybrids produced exclusively by domestic automakers: GM, Ford and Chrysler. With the emergence of hybrid pickup trucks, we wondered if buyers of domestic hybrids were coming from a different part of the country than the larger hybrid market. After adjusting the sales numbers based on population, we see that California remains a hotspot—but the Midwest is stronger while much of the Northeast (except for the DC area) shows less hybrid popularity. Analysis of January 2009 Sales Numbers "Top 5 global hybrid markets" based on vehicle registrations CYTD November 2008. and "Top 5 US hybrid markets" based on vehicle registrations CYTD November 2008. The beginning of 2009 was much like the end of 2008 for auto markets: showrooms stayed quiet, credit remained tight, and sales continued to slide. Overall, auto sales were down 38 percent compared with last January; brands like General Motors and Chrysler saw more severe declines as their volumes were cut in half. Although hybrids outperformed the market slightly, sales of hybrid models were still far below typical levels. read more
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January 2009 Dashboard: Hybrid Pickups Arrive
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Leave a commentVW Confirms Production of Touareg Hybrid
Last week, we reported that Volkswagen was testing a hybrid version of the Touareg SUV. Our sources now tell us that the Touareg Hybrid has been upgraded from prototype status to an official production vehicle with a target release date in 2011. Volkswagen Touareg V6 TSI Bluemotion Under new management at VW, the company’s hybrid strategy has shifted from applying gas-electric technology to small cars to larger more expensive vehicles. The Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid will be VW’s first production hybrid vehicle. It will hit the European market next year, and arrive in the US by the middle of 2011. A company spokesperson said the gas-electric SUV will offer “maximum power with minimum consumption,” thanks to a supercharged direct-injected V6 engine tied to a 38 kilowatt electric motor. The hybrid variant will join the standard gasoline model and a forthcoming diesel-powered version—which replaces the V10 TDI, a vehicle which had the dubious distinction as the dirtiest vehicle on the market according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. As a full hybrid vehicle, the Touareg will achieve an estimated 26 miles per gallon in combined driving. That’s a 15 percent improvement over the gas-powered Touareg. And in city driving, the Touareg hybrid is expected to beat out most large SUVs by as much as 25 percent. It will also offer electric-only operation at speeds up to 30 miles per hour. read more
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VW Confirms Production of Touareg Hybrid
Plug-in Hybrids Roll On, in Stimulus Package
President Barack Obama said yesterday that building more efficient vehicles, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, is a critical part of stimulating the economy and helping the auto industry to retool. The president’s plans were supported by the Senate’s compromise economic stimulus bill that includes tax credits for buyers and manufacturers of plug-in hybrid vehicles, as well as $2 billion in direct grants for battery development and manufacturing. It also includes a tax break for new-car buyers and money for the federal government to buy plug-in hybrids and flex-fuel vehicles. Speaking at a town hall meeting in Elkhart, Ind., Obama said, “If we don’t use this crisis as an opportunity to start retooling, then we will never catch up and be able to compete effectively against Japanese automakers, Korean automakers.” The Senate held a key procedural vote yesterday evening on the $838-billion stimulus bill, setting up passage today and then a conference committee with the House to determine what the final version should look like. The Senate bill contained these key provisions regarding plug-in hybrid vehicles: The number of plug-in vehicles eligible for a tax credit of $7,500 to $15,000, for passenger vehicles and trucks respectively, was doubled from 250,000 to 500,000. Conversions of conventional vehicles to plug-in hybrids will receive tax credits of up to 10 percent—with a cap of $4,000 for a $40,000 conversion. Conversions must be “qualified” by appropriate federal agencies. Eligible vehicles will include vehicles with leased batteries, as well as two- and three-wheel vehicles, and some neighborhood electric vehicles. Incentives could start immediately upon signing of the bill into law. The “Cash for Clunkers” provision, which would provide coupons for consumers to sell old gas-guzzling vehicles and buy new fuel-efficient models, was dropped. If these provision remain in the final version, Obama will move closer to achieving his goal of putting 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on the road by 2015. read more
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Plug-in Hybrids Roll On, in Stimulus Package
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