The Buzz Around the Chevy Volt
by Kristi Piziks, Detroit, USA on 01.11.07
A lot of hybrids talk a good game, but the Volt has the potential to deliver.
The big buzz at this year’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit is around the Chevy Volt. It has surprised many to see GM throw their hat in the hybrid ring as such a formidable competitor. It’s being called one of the most significant hybrid developments to date.
There are two things that make the Volt’s E-flex drivetrain noteworthy. First, it is a series hybrid, which means power is fed directly to the motor, not the battery. It can be plugged into a household electric socket and charged fully within about six hours. Completely charged it can drive roughly 40 miles on electricity alone. According to GM, more than 75 percent of Americans live within 20 miles of where they work, meaning the Volt would get them to the office and back on 100% electricity with no direct emissions.
If the battery does run down, the 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gas engine acts as a generator to charge the battery and provides enough power to for up to an additional 600 miles.
The second significant aspect is that the gasoline-driven generator engine can easily be replaced with an engine that runs on E85, diesel, bio-diesel, pure ethanol or even a hydrogen fuel cell. People would then be able to chose their engine based on fuel availability and prices in their region.
According to Chevy, the Volt gets 50 mpg with the generator running in what’s call ranger-extender mode. If driven 60 miles, with the last 20 miles in this mode, this results in a 150 mpg equivalent for the trip.
In purely electric mode the Volt produces no emissions, and the small gasoline engine produces carbon emissions on a much smaller level than larger gasoline engines. While it does use electricity, at least this resource comes from domestic sources like coal and natural gas.
The Volt and other vehicles using the E-flex drivetrain would be a terrific advancement toward keeping people on the road without the current level of no-holds-barred use of our earth’s resources to do it. However, GM admits that the battery technology to make it happen is at least three to five years out, because the current nickel battery available weighs too much to make such a vehicle realistic right now.
With all this being said about the hybrid technology, the Volt is also a beautiful car to see in person. The crowds around it at the Detroit Auto Show made it difficult to get a full view, but the details in each element are exceptional, from the clear plastic roof to the 3-D gauges. As I’ve said before, automakers are clearly catering not only to our sense of environmental responsibility, but our desire to pull up in a car that turns heads.
The Chevy Volt is definitely an international story, but it’s also very local. Being from Detroit, it encourages me to see so much excitement around a General Motors vehicle. The Volt isn’t perfect, and it can’t hit the dealerships soon enough for many of us, but with Michigan having the second worst economy in the U.S., maybe there’s hope that there can be a turn around, not only the environment, but the economy as well. Either way, with its series hybrid technology, the Volt is a step closer to a purely electric car, and for some proponents, that’s great news. See also: ::2007 Toyota FT-HS Concept Fuel Economy, ::The Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept Car, ::Ford Airstream Plug-In Hydrogen Fuel Cell Concept
Hey GM, thanks!
Nice to hear that - ummmm - in 3 -5 years this car COULD possibly be driving public streets, due to those lame, bad old batteries. Nice looking, dangling carrot though!
Note to GM: Just keep falling back more than 30% behind Toyota and you will be out of business, period.
People don't remember that the first car ever to break the speed barrier was an electric car, driven by Carl Jenatzy BEFORE 1900! In 1899, ninety percent of the cabs in New York City were electric!!
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Crete/6111/electcar.htm
Readers of the above article will find it incredulous that we're now MAYBE about to see another EV on US streets by 2010 - need I say more??
If Carl Benz awoke from the dead for 1 day, I guess he would ask, in disbelief: "WHAT did you say your fuel efficiency was?? -people, please, where have ya been for the last sixty years?? And - cough- what's with the air???"
Not to see a solar panel (now up to 40.9 % efficiency, according to TreeHugger article recently) on every goddarn roof in this country is beyond undereducated, complacent and i.m.O, inexcusably dumb.
Sorry, American Dreamers, either it's time to wake up - or maybe start dreamin' again - of a better way of doing stuff!
I wonder why they're saying that about the batteries, though. I mean, Tesla and others seem to be able to find pretty decent Li-Ion batteries and it's not secret tech, it's laptop batteries. Why can't GM do the same thing? Anybody know?
it has a range of 40 miles off the battery. Where I live in the Greater Vancouver area my daily commute to work and back would be about 50 miles. And I'm not the farthest commute in Vancouver. Unless I have an outlet at work to charge the volt, it doesn't seem feesible. The article mentions that 70% of Americans live within 20 miles of work. So that's 40 miles return trip. With traffic jams, air conditioning, and possible detours, it sounds like you would just miss the mark and very often start the gas engine halfway home. Having GM put out an electric gas hybrid is great. Just would have been nice when they were making the initial plans they could have opted for more electricity and less gas. Or no gas.
It is kind of sad to see the buzz this car is generating as it shows how little the public (and the press) actually know about hybrid technology. Really, the only buzz around this car is that it is GM that is doing it (a shock in itself), and the styling (which severely compromises the space inside and functionality). Give me the wide open interior and huge hatch of the Prius, any day.
For years (10 years at least), the series hybrid has been talked about as the logical and more elegant hybrid solution, for many engineering reasons I won't go into here. Every conference on this subject has concluded this, and the reasoning behind it has been well documented. Many industrial applications use this exact technology; it is actually far more simple than an assist hybrid because drivability as the gas engine and electric assist motor switch modes is a very dificult engineering problem. Which is why everyone is poying up to buy the Toyota system; it's that hard to develop.
The problems with a series hybrid?
First, batteries are expensive, and a series hybrid needs much more robust batteries than an assist hybrid like the Prius. That is why the assist hybrid is attractive; all the ICE technology is an easy match for actually building something abd the batteries are smaller and lighter, and don't need to be so robust. That is why the Volt doesn't even have suitable batteries yet. Kind of hard to build a car without them. Which is why Toyota is building a bunch of non-plug in assist Prius hybrids. They don't have to wait for battery technology to catch up. GM is still in the maybe-in-the-future mode.
Second, manufacturers have been very scared of how to explain the series hybrid. After all, it's just an electric car with an on board generator, for crying out loud. You can just imagine how that goes over around a conference table in Detroit, as they discuss how the stupid general public will never get it. And that's before they even start talking about batteries!
I wish the press would offer some facts and background to explain some of this to the public instead of just gush on about how wonderful and revolutionary this is. We would be far better informed with just a few short comments and possibly sources. I can appreciate the Volt, but realize it really just a concept, and a watered down one at that. It is wrapping an existing idea with impracticle hot rod styling without solving the problem.
Everyone has known for quite a long time (including Toyota) that a series hybrid is more elegant, efficient engineering solution. The reason Toyota and everyone else aren't selling one is because current batteries aren't up to the task, as well as being significantly more expensive solution than the current hybrid system. You can bet Toyota is working very hard on the engineering, however, and will roll it out years ahead of GM.
So GM isn't solving the one thing which is holding back the series hybrid, the battery problem, and as such the Volt is a "someday vehicle", much like GM's famous fuel cell program. After all, you could style a jazzy car and say "it runs on moon dust" but if you never build it, who cares?
When GM makes engineering as big a priority as styling maybe some of this stuff might get built. In the mean time, Toyota is happy to sell you a hybrid.
RideTheFuture
The reason why 90% of the cabs were electirc and were over taken by gasoline engines was purely because of economics and driving range. If they were so good back then they would have kept using them.
The 40% efficient solar cells are not yet ecomonical. Once they are within my own budget then I will install them myself.
The reason why we don't drive Teslas and Tangos is because most of us are looking for a $15,000 car.
Economics rules all facets of our lives, like it or not.
I do agree with you though about GM, used to make the best cars in the world and strarted downward spiral of really ugly designs and junky cars starting in 1971. I hope they start to turn around.
Well-said, RideTheFuture and annonymous. One thing that built this country is that WE had the ideas and the know-how to implement them. Perhaps the greed factor for the Big 3 could be to cozy up to the utility companies instead of Big Oil. Imagine the deals and illicit profits to be made if there were behind the scenes negotiations going on for powering a US fleet of electrics and hybrids by the utility companies instead of gas pumps!! Instead of Big Oil, what would they call it? Big Voltage?
I agree with the solar panel idea as well.
Whether you agree with global warming or not, there's nothing to be lost from reducing pollution, decreasing our energy dependence on murderers, and increasing our national and individual self-sufficiency.
Good luck,
vsk
Is it feasable to incorporate solar panels to trickle-charge the battery? I mean, you drive your car to work, and it bakes in the sun in the parking lot all day, then you drive home. I know all the solar challenge cars are obviously doing this. It may not be enough to recharge fully, but if it replenishes 50% on the battery, that would get you home plus run your errands to boot, and it is less being siphoned off the grid.
"Is it feasable to incorporate solar panels to trickle-charge the battery?"
I think it certainly is:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/08/solar-powered_t.php
But it's probably not the best choice. Something like this would be better:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/12/googles_solar_t.php
I'm amazed by the stupidity and ignorance in these comments. First it is a great platform, no one wants to acknowledge that because it's GM, if it were Toyota everyone would be ecstatic.
About the batteries Read this http://www.hugg.com/story/Powering-GMs-Electric-Vehicles/
Not exactly an easy solution. As someone mentioned Toyota does not have a plugin hybrid either. But that's ok because it is Toyota. Oh and a hatchback is sooo much better...so what. This is a concept car. It's supposed to look cool, not ugly. The E-flex system will allow for almost any body design. And lets not forget that GM also will be releasing it's dual mode hybrid too, which is similar to Toyota's tech.
Let's not forget that this a concept!!! It was clearly stated in the article that this tech is 3-5 years down the road, a person can rant on and on about how impractical or practical this technology is but again I am pretty sure GM knew what they were doing, since it's a concept. The idea behind it could have been around for millenia, nonetheless it's good marketing for GM to stick them selves into the market, even if the thing isn't driveable and usable right now, they have wet the appitite of american investors, they are just trying to get back into the market. We could go on and on about how out of sync with the world they were, how Ford, GM, and all other american automakers ignored the changing trend, and stuck to what was saleing at the moment, and they made tons of money off it while they could.
I myself am one who would like to see the gas electric hybrid be fully exploited, it's going to take alot of time get off our dependance for gas, at least things are moving in that direction. I would like to see all american cars be 30 - 70 mpg fuel wise. As well as car makers make functional style wise automobiles for city commuters and small towners. In the city you need small compacts, and outside you need larger vehicles... imsyelf want to see something like those small toyota PU's that has some get up and go, but also gives me my money's worth on the gas prices, a PU or station wagon that gets 30-40 mpg, is that do-able? and while they think that over a design wise compact with a 40 mpg and a 14 - 20,000 price tag and thats just for 2008 next year they can up the mpg's and continue making them beautiful.
Until the rubber meets the road, it's all just greenwashing.
"if it were Toyota everyone would be ecstatic."
Maybe because Toyota has shown that they are ready to put a lot of resources behind hybrids, and that when they announce them, they usually release them..?
GM has burned people so many times that it will take a few good moves before people trust them again. That's totally normal. That's what a memory is for.
Great idea GM: Appeal to the green conscientious by creating a sexy hybrid dream car and regain some of the credibility you lost after killing the EV.
This would be a great story if it weren't for the fact that the American dollar is approaching collapse, and we're always one big oil shock event away from the economy tanking, which could rob the middle class of the disposable income needed to buy pricey hybrids.
It's more likely that we're all going to have to forget about fancy electric sports-cars and get back on the bus, on our bikes, and on foot to break our dependence on imported oil and help mitigate global warming.
As cool as it is, the Volt is a ittle too little, a little too late.
Scrwd by GM? I have read nothing but good things about the EV-1... but unfortunately they are recycled beer cans now. Shame ... would have been great for real long term testing as the owners were true fans of them. Cool picture I saw once of one couple who owned one - the power from their solar set up powered the house and charged the car adequately. Free fuel for the car.
A trickle charger from a panel is fine for one starting battery but for propulsion? I might not know enough. However car parking lots with solar panels above to provide shade and power might be the ticket.
vsk
I am really sick of people who can't control their temper on these boards - but someone like JiltedCitizen who defends GM (checked their stocks lately??) and calls everybody else stupid and ignorant:
You have absolutely nothing new to present here, GM does what it always does which is NOT moving ahead but rather stuff senseless and unsustainable vehicle technology down complacent and stagnant thinkers throats - such as yourself.
Boy do you guys believe in a simple marketing strategy which only blocks the market (while others like Toyota - now #2 in the world - move on in the right direction)
So let's keep going and everybody else: - thanks for the passion!
PS: I have completed my first 1000 miles driving competely electric and I charge the engine with WindEnergy (which I subscribe to locally) - l wanna put my money where my mouth is....
Icelander called it right; it is greenwashing. plain and simple. jiltedcitizen, as usual, completely misses the point and is just flame baiting as always.
I totally agree with anonymous; why not just call it moondust??? It has about the same chance of GM producing it.
GM hasn't invented anything here. I saw a series hybrid concept more than 5 years ago. The reason Toyota and others don't build one is they aren't possible yet (yes, just like fuel cells aren't possible yet).
As far as the styling, I don't think it is green to sacrifice function for testosterone racer looks. Detroit is still Detroit, unfortunately. They don't get it like the Europeans and Japanese do. Give be a spunky hot hatch rather than that gross looking car, anyday. And yes, put a hatchback on mine as well :)
Icelander called it right; it is greenwashing. plain and simple. jiltedcitizen, as usual, completely misses the point and is just flame baiting as always.
I totally agree with anonymous; why not just call it moondust??? It has about the same chance of GM producing it.
GM hasn't invented anything here. I saw a series hybrid concept more than 5 years ago. The reason Toyota and others don't build one is they aren't possible yet (yes, just like fuel cells aren't possible yet).
As far as the styling, I don't think it is green to sacrifice function for testosterone racer looks. Detroit is still Detroit, unfortunately. They don't get it like the Europeans and Japanese do. Give be a spunky hot hatch rather than that gross looking car, anyday. And yes, put a hatchback on mine as well :)
Oh, I wish I had the faith in GM that some of you do.
And I wish they would show they can actually put something like the Volt on the market instead of building a concept that is just pie in the sky green washing.
Most of the stuff in the Detroit auto show from GM was big, ugly, macho stuff... you know, same old, same old.
I just wish I loved GM, but I just don't.
Bitch bitch bitch. Beat on GM, beat on 'em good. That's all you lot ever do. GM BAD! Toyota GOOD! Ugh, get a clue. That's what everyone said about Boeing compared to Airbus a while back. Look how silly they were. Set a reminder for 5 years to go back and read these posts. I bet you'll feel a might silly at that point, and ashamed. Or you'll make believe you never bashed GM ever...definitely more likely from you lot.
Oh, and for the goofball who mentioned PV at 40% efficiency? Sure, if you live on the ISS or a communications satellite. Down here, the best you can buy is 22%, just released by SunPower and available starting in the spring. It will be DECADES before we even break 35% consumer friendly groundside panels/integrated thin film.
I'm sorry what is Toyota's big release at the show? Not a hybrid.
I wish I could think Toyota was perfect like some of you. And sorry for calling the comments ignorant and stupid. It just gets a little old seeing all the negativeness towards GM.
Is a plug-in hybrid a great idea? Yep. People have been modding Priuses for a while now. Is a series hybrid a great idea? Yep. Is it possible with current technology? Nope ("Building an affordable plug-in hybrid will require advances in battery technology, the company said." Presumably CNN meant 'series hybrid', not 'plug-in hybrid'). Does it matter who it's from? Nope. Until it's a production car, it's just marketing.
I love our 2002 Prius, and while Toyota is doing great compared with GM, they're far from a 'green' company. They still make a big chunk of their money selling those bloated SUVs and trucks.
"I'm sorry what is Toyota's big release at the show? Not a hybrid."
Well, the FT-HS is a hybrid and got good publicity, but the fact is that Toyota has been selling hybrids in NA for 7 years (IIRC) and in Japan for 10 years, and that they now have 5-6 hybrid models available to the buyers, plus they're working on plug-in (possibly the next Prius, which itself was announced to be around 90 mpg).
I'm no fanboy of any car company, but when you make a list of their actual accomplishments, GM isn't at the top (though not at the bottom - that's probably DaimlerChrysler). I give them some kudos for trying to change, but they've always had cool concepts in the past (there was a post on Hugg recently about a really cool concept from GM.. from 2000 or something) which never amounted to anything, so I think my skepticism is justified.
In response to the trickle charge idea, I came up with a concept a little while back that might suit :)
Why not have your local council/transportation office install solar or wind generators in the upper-market parking areas and allow you to plug in your car at the parking meter, paying a bit more per hour for the convenience? Once the initial cost is offset, they're getting free income and you're recharging your car for free.
I guess this would call for a standardisation of charging connectors, but still, it would be nice if your transport agency had more money to wave around and you never had to worry about running out of juice - park your car up for 8-9 hours a day while you're at work, and I'm pretty sure that should charge it up a fair bit :)
Just an idea, please rip to pieces or steal and incorporate in your town! Haha
In reviewing these comments, I truly have to take my hat off to Toyota’s PR machine. They have done quite the job of convincing the naïve and green that everything Toyota does is wonderful for the environment and everything GM does is bad.
Speaking of taking hats off, if any of the anti-GM masses care to take off their tinfoil hats and review some facts, they will see that:
1. GM has released hybrids across many types of vehicles, not just sedans and wagons. GM has released a broad range of city buses, pickups, SUVs and cars to test various hybrid powertrains. The dual mode that GM is developing – in cooperation with DCX and BMW – allows for a broader range of more capable hybrid vehicles than the Toyota system.
2. GM also detailed in Detroit plans for its PHEV (plug in electric vehicle), the Vue, which will soon be available. Toyota has gone back and forth on whether the new Prius will be a plug-in, in the upcoming model or ever.
3. The Volt is technologically the next step in establishing energy independence and carbon reduction in the US. While a parallel hybrid like the Prius can only reduce oil usage, the Volt allows most commuters to eliminate oil use, except on long road trips.
4. The Volt, as opposed to the Prius, will be an appealing mainstream car attracting a much larger pool of owners. It is not limited by skinny tires, an unappealing aero design, or lack of creature comforts like the Toyota.
Smart consumers and smart investors are beginning to realize that this is a new GM we’re talking about. Judge them by their actions, not by Toyota’s hype.
Jilted Citizen, one search of these boards shows how mean and aggressive you consistantly are to other posters.
Most of us want to share opinions and ideas, not to be torn a new a__hole. I rarely post anymore because I am sick of your tactics. You are ruining this board for a lot of people.
Why not focus on content and ideas, instead of your usual mode of attacking the people who post? An intelligently written post is much more constructive than a personal attack. You show your lack of intelligence by attacking people instead of prsenting ideas.
"I'm amazed by the stupidity and ignorance in these comments."
-- thank you, you're too kind. It's an honor to be on the same message board as Mr. Einstein.
"First it is a great platform, no one wants to acknowledge that because it's GM, if it were Toyota everyone would be ecstatic."
-- well, I -was- estatic when I saw the Toyota auto show hybrid car. But that was back in 1998....
"As someone mentioned Toyota does not have a plugin hybrid either. But that's ok because it is Toyota."
-- When batteries can pass Toyotas ultra rigorous reliability tests you will a plug in hybrid. After all, for Toyota it is just a battery pack, They have been building the car itself for years... GM on the other hand has a ways to go...
"Oh and a hatchback is sooo much better...so what."
--Your sarcasism is so cool. You're a tough macho man.
"And lets not forget that GM also will be releasing it's dual mode hybrid too, which is similar to Toyota's tech."
--Uh, is IS Toyotas tech, they bought a license to it use when they couldn't make it work on their own.
"Set a reminder for 5 years to go back and read these posts. I bet you'll feel a might silly at that point, and ashamed."
Either you have a time machine, or you are saying that people can't be critical of a company in the present in case they'll someday get better.
Which is it?
LA_Tony could you please back up the following:
"And lets not forget that GM also will be releasing it's dual mode hybrid too, which is similar to Toyota's tech."
--Uh, is IS Toyotas tech, they bought a license to it use when they couldn't make it work on their own.
I follow the auto industry quite a bit and I haven't heard GM licensing Toyota's tech. Ford did but GM has been working with BMW and others on dual mode hybrid tech.
The future form and future of the automobile is a bit foggy right now in my mind.
With what and how will we power them. Big ? right now.
Will fewer people drive in the future, I think yes. (I see higher density housing close to rail and other transit links).
Since I think Ford and GM will stil be around, will we see any of the tech in their concepts come to market.
One closing comment, LA_TONY said "I don't think it is green to sacrifice function for testosterone racer looks." OK but can we have a bit of a sporty look to our green cars, not everyone wants to drive a box or something that looks like the Prius (I used to see an electric car in Ottawa, ON that was almost a box with slighly tilting sides). Get a bit of soul the Volt is a great looking car, it's built off the Pontiac Solstice/ Saturn Sky platform so that's why you get the long hood look. For a production car you could move the cabin forward for more interior/cargo space and have wagon and sedan options such as the Mazda 6. http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsAllMZ6
Divorce your mind from what the series hybrid drive train bolted into as a concept and realize that this drive system can be packaged to fit many different types of vehicles. If they put forth a boring looking econ car it wouldn't get nearly the eyeballs and as such we wouldn't have all the discussion about it.
That being said I love how practical the Euro hot hatchbacks are.
LA_TONY even thought I named you twice above please don't take it as an attack, you just have posts and comments I took notice of.
Commenters should keep in mind that other commenters are human beings. TreeHugger wants to create an inclusive atmosphere that encourages everybody to join the discussion. Please be constructive and tactful, write as if you were speaking face to face. Even strong criticism is more effective when polite and restrained.
"They have done quite the job of convincing the naïve and green that everything Toyota does is wonderful for the environment and everything GM does is bad."
Hmm, no. Who here said that everything Toyota does is good? They also make gas guzzlers and such.
Praising them for their good moves doesn't mean that people love everything they do. You're projecting.
People are just saying that Toyota has been backing hybrids for over a decade, and that in general their business isn't based on big SUVs (GM went as far as heavily discounting them and giving away "free" gas cards to make people overlook how much they'd pay in gas).
Not it's not toyota's tech. I thought it was a joint development.
Anonymous,
You make a good point; not everyone who rags on GM is necessarily under Toyota's PR spell.
But your point about the gas cards isn't so strong. GM sells SUVs, and part of their pricing strategy is to use incentives when necessary to keep the factories open. In one case in Florida, GM used the gimmick of a gas card instead of gas. Did that marketing incentive cause global warming, or did it just get some attention?
When GM started using incentives heavily, just after 9/11, most commentors credited GM with staving off a recession in America. But you have your own view.
I hope you'll agree that blaming automakers for supplying product that is in demand is silly. All carmakers build what they expect consumers will want. Credit Toyota for being ahead of the game on fuel economy by being the second to market a modern hybrid in the US. Credit GM for envisioning a serial hybrid that could eliminate oil imports.
Let's clear up the confusion. GM never licensed Toyota's hybrid technology. GM has its own hybrid programs, as well as a joint venture with DCX and BMW to develop dual-mode hybrids.
Although GM lags Toyota in sales of hybrids, it does not lag in technology development, and has shown itself to be the leader in several areas of develoment.
Ford DID license Toyota hybrid technology. The reason was that Ford found that although they had done their own R&D, it was so similar to Toyota's that they were vulnerable to patent lawsuits. Rather than run that risk, they reached agreement with Toyota.
Nissan actually is the firm that truly did license Toyota's hybrid technology because they lacked the technology in house.
"Toyota's business is based on big SUV's."
Ever heard of the Corolla? Camry? Yaris (not big in the US, but best seller every-where else)? These are Toyota's best sellers.
"I hope you'll agree that blaming automakers for supplying product that is in demand is silly."
It would be silly if the demand was filling a real need, but the auto industry in great part creates demand. Their advertising budgets are bigger than all other industries combined and they have been extremely successful at convincing especially Americans to buy big SUVs (take a $20k pickup truck, ad seats in the back and sell it $30k..). I suggest you read Keith Bradsher's (sp?) book "High & Mighty: The Dangerous Rise of the SUV". He has many interviews with people inside the industry and they very candidly admit what they're doing. It's not just GM, but GM and Ford were the two biggest players that started that trend.
In short: It would be silly to blame them if everybody needed a powerful pickup truck or 7000lbs 4x4 SUV, but since that demand mostly comes from intensive marketing, they have to share the blame.
"Although GM lags Toyota in sales of hybrids, it does not lag in technology development, and has shown itself to be the leader in several areas of develoment."
I think that's very hard to tell either way. It would be unfair to compare GM's cutting edge concept stuff with Toyota's commercial stuff (especially stuff released a few years ago such as HSD), and we don't know what Toyota has in its R&D labs
So you either compare consumer stuff with consumer stuff, or R&D stuff with R&D stuff, but in the latter case you can't know if what you're seeing is really their best stuff or if they're keeping part of it secret.
My guess would be that we're probably seeing the best stuff from GM because they need all the good PR they can get, but I wouldn't be so sure with Toyota.
um just a thought, when you plug this thing in, wont it in effect emit more CO2 emmissions by plugging it in with KWh usage coming from coal production?
The comments about marketing hit home, I think, but we must also take into account the intense lobbying by car makers to keep CAFE standards low and get exceptions for "light trucks" and so on. That's not just GM of course.
Anonymous,
Let's do it as you suggest, and compare what hybrids are currently available from Toyota and GM.
Toyota has introduced hybrids in sedans and wagons based on those sedans (the Highlander/RX is based on the Camry). That is all.
GM has introduced hybrids in pickups, in city buses, in sedans and in crossovers. All with unique platforms, and with unique technology.
Toyota has led in sales, winning the sprint to date. But GM views hybrids as a marathon, and has brought far more diverse product to market, to understand the market and technology better.
We'll see who wins long term. If you possess the courage of your convictions, then you should profit from them by buying Toyota stock.
Big if.