GM Plans 500,000 Vehicles with Electrification by 2017

 Cars and Motorcycles  No Responses »
Nov 152012
 

General Motors will have up to 500,000 vehicles on the road with some form of electrification by 2017 with a focus on plug-in technology, the company’s top product development executive said Wednesday.

“The plug-in offers a unique opportunity to change the way people commute,” Mary Barra, senior vice president of Global Product Development told media attending the GM Electrification Experience in San Francisco. “Plug-based solutions will play a significant role in our technology portfolio going forward.”

The plug-in Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, introduced in 2010, has become more than a statement for GM in the electric vehicle space, Barra said by satellite from Detroit.

Continue reading »

eAssist Comes Standard on 2013 Regal

 Cars and Motorcycles  No Responses »
Sep 012012
 

The 2013 Buick Regal luxury sport sedan arrives at dealerships this fall with a standard advanced eAssist powertrain and 36 highway mpg. Two powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engines give Regal one of the most technologically advanced engine ranges in the brand’s history.

“With eAssist, Buick is redefining what a ‘conventional powertrain’ means to customers,” said eAssist global chief engineer Stephen Poulos. “It changes the fuel economy – but not the experience – for the 97 percent of new car buyers who aren’t buying hybrids.”

Where a hybrid vehicle requires a complex system of large, heavy batteries and electric motors, Buick eAssist uses a compact lithium-ion battery and a small electric motor/generator in place of an alternator to achieve an EPA-estimated 36 highway mpg for both the Regal and the LaCrosse luxury sedans.

The three main advantages of the eAssist system are its stop/start functionality, which turns the engine off when the vehicle is at rest; regenerative braking that gathers and stores energy that would otherwise be lost during braking, and an electric motor assist that reduces the gas engine’s work during acceleration or on inclines.

Continue reading »

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Priced Under $26,000

 Cars and Motorcycles  No Responses »
Nov 232011
 

Click on the picture above to view the gallery

Hybrid-like fuel efficiency for a non-hybrid-like price

DETROIT – The all-new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco midsize sedan will start at $25,995 when it arrives in dealerships in the first quarter next year, reinforcing the value proposition of the midsize segment’s longest-running nameplate.

The suggested retail price includes a $760 destination charge – but excludes tax, title, license and dealer fees.

The 2013 Malibu Eco is Chevrolet’s most fuel-efficient Malibu ever. It is the first Chevrolet to feature General Motors’ eAssist battery electric/gas propulsion system, which uses a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery and an electric motor-generator to enable regenerative braking, electric assist and start-stop functionality. That helps deliver a GM-estimated 26 mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway.

Continue reading »

2012 Regal to Offer New eAssist™ Fuel-Saving Technology

 Cars and Motorcycles  No Responses »
Feb 082011
 

  • eAssist “light electrification” system improves fuel economy 25 percent
  • Estimated 26 mpg city / 37 mpg highway (pending EPA certification)
  • On sale this fall


CHICAGO – Buick announced the 2012 Regal with eAssist™ fuel-saving technology, which improves overall fuel economy by 25 percent over the 2011 four-cylinder/six-speed powertrain. Estimated fuel economy is 26 mpg city and 37 mpg on the highway (pending EPA certification).

Regal with eAssist joins the 2012 LaCrosse as the second Buick to feature the efficiency-enhancing technology. The system uses a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery system, electric induction motor-generator and regenerative braking capability to improve fuel economy. Its fuel economy tops competitors such as the Acura TSX, rated at 22 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. Regal’s estimated 37 mpg on the highway is 20 percent greater and the TSX doesn’t offer a six-speed automatic transmission, which is standard on the Buick.

Continue reading »

2012 LACROSSE COMES STANDARD WITH NEW eASSIST™ FUEL-SAVING TECHNOLOGY, FOR 37 MPG HIGHWAY FUEL ECONOMY IN A FULL-SIZE SEDAN

 Cars and Motorcycles  No Responses »
Nov 162010
 

• The eAssist “smart electrification” system produces 25-percent increase in fuel economy
• eAssist technology is standard on all 2012 models with the 2.4L four-cylinder engine
• Provides customers with a full-size luxury sedan featuring 37 mpg highway and 25 mpg city for about $30,000 (exact pricing has not yet been set)
• Boost in fuel economy comes with no compromises in the driving experience

LOS ANGELES – Buick unveils the 2012 LaCrosse with eAssist,™ a new fuel-saving technology that increases fuel economy by 25 percent compared to the four-cylinder/six-speed powertrain in the 2011 LaCrosse. The eAssist technology provides class-leading highway fuel economy of 37 mpg, while maintaining the luxury, performance and value expected from Buick’s flagship sedan.

The eAssist system becomes the standard powertrain on LaCrosse starting next summer. The system uses a state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery system and electric motor-generator to enable regenerative braking capability to improve LaCrosse fuel economy by an estimated 25 percent.

Continue reading »