GM Showcases Portfolio of Alternative Energy Ideas
November 19, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS
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General Motors (GM) unveiled its portfolio of vehicle technologies, including a variety of technology strategies targeted at reducing dependency on petroleum, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and boosting fuel efficiency.
With these technologies, the company said it is:
- Improving the efficiency of the internal combustion engine - both gas and diesel.
- Increasing production of vehicles that operate on biofuels.
- Developing and producing a portfolio of electrically driven vehicles that includes hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery electric extended-range vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
GM said its strategy is to offer customers vehicles that can be powered with many different sources of energy, which is particularly important in emerging markets such as China, where the growth in motor vehicles could strain limited resources.
"GM is committed to offering sustainable transportation options to customers around the world," said Elizabeth A. Lowery, GM vice president, environment, energy and safety policy.
Because no single technology will address vehicle energy and environmental issues in every part of the world, GM said it is investing its resources in a range of technologies. These include advanced engines and transmissions and biofuels such as E85 ethanol that are targeted at reducing petroleum use. GM will offer 25 FlexFuel lines and more than a million new vehicles globally in 2008.
GM also will introduce four new hybrid models, including two-mode hybrid passenger vehicles that increase fuel economy by 50% in city driving and 25% overall. The company is exploring hybrid technology in Europe and a plug-in Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid for the U.S. market. By the end of 2008, GM will have eight hybrid models on the market.
The GM advanced propulsion plan includes electrically driven vehicles, including gasoline-electric hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell and extended-range electric vehicles.
Source: General Motors Corp. (GM).