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Saturn Hybrid SUV Expected to Offer Up To 45-Percent Fuel Economy Improvement. (http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayServlet?target=http://image.emerald.gm.com/gmnews/viewmonthlyreleasedetail.do?domain=74&docid=30889)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_Opel_Antera.jpgGM - Nov. 29, 2006

2007 Opel Antera – 2008 Saturn VUE Greenline in wolves clothing.

LOS ANGELES - General Motors Corp. will expand the industry’s most diverse portfolio of hybrid technologies in 2008 with the debut of its front-wheel-drive, 2-mode hybrid system in the Saturn Vue Green Line SUV, the automaker announced at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show.

By using this sophisticated hybrid technology, the Vue Green Line 2-mode Hybrid is expected to deliver up to a 45-percent improvement in combined city and highway fuel economy compared with the non-hybrid Vue, based on current federal test procedures.

“We are delivering on our promise to continue our steady rollout of additional hybrid applications, each offering different levels of affordability, fuel savings and performance,” said Tom Stephens, GM group vice president, GM Powertrain. “This will be the auto industry’s first front-wheel-drive vehicle to use a 2-mode hybrid system, which improves fuel economy while maintaining performance and capability.”

The Vue Green Line 2-mode Hybrid SUV will be powered by GM’s 3.6L V-6 gas engine, with direct injection and variable valve timing, a nickel-metal hydride battery pack and two active cooled permanent magnet motors.

The front-wheel-drive, 2-mode hybrid system optimizes city and highway fuel efficiency by integrating two electric continuously variable modes with four fixed mechanical gear ratios.

This design is similar to the 2-mode hybrid system for rear-wheel-drive applications, which will debut next year in the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon full-size SUVs.

The 2-mode hybrid system improves fuel economy by the following operations:


Engine off at idle

Low speed electric-only propulsion

Electric boosting during brisk acceleration, climbing steep grades or towing

Cutting off fuel to the engine during vehicle deceleration

Regenerative braking

Engine speed and load control
“The 2-mode hybrid system has the flexibility to improve fuel efficiency across a range of vehicles,” Stephens said. “For example, in 2003, we introduced the 2-mode hybrid system for transit buses. In 2007, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon 2-mode full-size SUVs will debut, followed by the Vue Green Line 2-mode in 2008.”

By using two electric modes and four fixed gear ratios, the 2-mode hybrid system’s electric motors are smaller, compared with traditional “one-mode” hybrid systems, and impose no significant limitation on the size of the engine.

Consequently, the 2-mode hybrid system fits into the same space as a conventional automatic transmission, minimizing packaging, cost and weight issues. The result is exciting performance and outstanding fuel economy.

General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), the world’s largest automaker, has been the global industry sales leader for 75 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 318,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit , GM manufactures its cars and trucks in 33 countries. In 2005, 9.17 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall.

Hi All:

___It appears as if GM is truly stepping up to the plate? I wish they would have used the 2.2 in the current Greenline but even so, with DI and more then likely, an atkinsonized low torque lobe, the 3.6 might just head to the top of the mid-sized SUV segment in terms of both performance and FE at the same time?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Wayne:

I have some magic gas tank pills if you need them. :)

I was about to start ranting about the 3.6L V6, too, but I stopped myself. Despite being too large for my taste, the use of direct injection is encouraging because you can do things with it that are difficult when fuel and air mix outside of the cylinder. Stable HCCI is one of them, as is lean burn with a stratified charge. I'm not saying that any of that technology will make it into the Vue, but the engineers at GM will be a lot closer to getting there after a successful DI powerplant goes into production. This is stuff that could make a huge dent in fuel consumption on a fleet-wide basis.

Saturn Hybrid SUV Expected to Offer Up To 45-Percent Fuel Economy Improvement. (http://media.gm.com/servlet/GatewayServlet?target=http://image.emerald.gm.com/gmnews/viewmonthlyreleasedetail.do?domain=74&docid=30889)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2007_Opel_Antera.jpgGM - Nov. 29, 2006

said Tom Stephens, GM group vice president, GM Powertrain. “This will be the auto industry’s first front-wheel-drive vehicle to use a 2-mode hybrid system, which improves fuel economy while maintaining performance and capability.”


Huh? :confused:


The 2-mode hybrid system improves fuel economy by the following operations:


Engine off at idle

Low speed electric-only propulsion

Electric boosting during brisk acceleration, climbing steep grades or towing

Cutting off fuel to the engine during vehicle deceleration

Regenerative braking

Engine speed and load control


Blah blah blah, where's the info that really matters? How many cupholders does it have?



“The 2-mode hybrid system has the flexibility to improve fuel efficiency across a range of vehicles,” Stephens said. “For example, in 2003, we introduced the 2-mode hybrid system for transit buses. In 2007, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon 2-mode full-size SUVs will debut, followed by the Vue Green Line 2-mode in 2008.”


So... Are they admitting the Vue Green Line that's currently available is a piece of crap? Not on the hybrid list there. No mention of it. They seem to be avoiding it really.

Hi Rich:
Huh? :confused: So are they admitting the Vue Green Line that's currently available is a piece of crap? Not on the hybrid list there. No mention of it. They seem to be avoiding it really.

___My sentiments exactly ;) They did mention it in the thread Sledge posted?

GM Announces Intention to Produce Plug-in Hybrid SUV. (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2902)
In 2008, the first front-wheel-drive application of the 2-mode hybrid system, will debut – without plug-in technology – in the Vue Green Line. The Vue Green Line will offer customers a choice of the GM Hybrid system or the 2-mode hybrid system.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi All:

___The real kicker is the projected combined FE.
By using this sophisticated hybrid technology, the Vue Green Line 2-mode Hybrid is expected to deliver up to a 45-percent improvement in combined city and highway fuel economy compared with the non-hybrid Vue, based on current federal test procedures.

___I pulled the EPA numbers on the current Vue Redline w/ the 3.5L V6: 20 city/28 highway for 24 combined. If the new DualMode has a 45% greater combined FE rating, we are looking at a 35 mpg combined. 38 city/32 highway maybe? I am starting to think GM has gotten over its blame game and is going to get serious about this in a big way. I am not exactly sure what initiated the change given GM’s anti-hybrid nature the past 5 years but something changed? That is if they follow through?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I'm telling you, they saw which was the wind was blowing and changed direction. When their current VUE was universally laughed at, they went back to the idea of making a real hybrid.

That, and I drove by the the GM Tech Center, called the reserach people, and told them if they looked out the window, they could see a real hybrid. :p :flag:

Seriously, it looks like if they go through with it, then there's some real competition. Though I'll remind you that they announced the VUE Green Line in 1998, and that took 7 years to get out.