By: Jeffrey Ross
Autotropolis.com
After years of resting on their laurels and raking in every last cent from the SUV and crossover boom of the 1990s, American automotive companies realized that to get out of the red, they must get into the green.
Ford had a bit of a head start releasing the Escape hybrid in 2004, but General Motors and Chrysler are not wasting any time playing catch up in the quest to produce more fuel efficient vehicles.
Responding to recent criticism about falling behind technologically, General Motors may actually be the leader in hybrid technology by the end of the decade. Chevrolet could benefit the most from GM’s green push as the company is set to have at least five hybrid vehicles on the market. The most important of which will be the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt by 2010 and the two-mode hybrid Chevrolet Tahoe scheduled for a fall 2007 debut.
The Chevrolet Volt concept was first showed at the 2007 North American International Auto Show to rave reviews in January and has only gained in popularity since. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle which General Motors hopes to have in showrooms by the 2010 model year. Unlike GM’s first try at an electric vehicle, the 1997-1999 EV1, the Volt seats up to four passengers and comes in an attractive and sporty design.
The most lauded feature of the Chevrolet Volt concept is the ability to drive 40 miles while using only electric power. This means that on an average daily commute, the Volt will consume absolutely no gasoline. Additionally, the Volt’s batteries can be fully charged by a standard 110-volt outlet in just six hours, which means that while the car is sitting during the workday the Volt can be recharge for another gasoline-free afternoon commute. A 1.0-liter, three cylinder gasoline engine helps to extend the overall range of the Volt and charges the batteries while driving.
The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid uses a more conventional hybrid technology than the Volt. The two-mode hybrid system, jointly developed by General Motors, BMW and DaimlerChrylser (see related Dodge Durango hybrid article), works with the Tahoe’s Vortec 5.3-liter V8 to improve overall fuel economy by 25 percent. Chevrolet’s 320-horsepower V8 uses the Active Fuel Management system to deactivate cylinders to further aid the improved fuel efficiency. The Tahoe is visually differentiated from other Tahoe models by unique 12-spoke wheels and a more rounded front fascia to improve aerodynamics.
In addition to the 2008 Tahoe hybrid and the production version of the Volt concept, Chevrolet is also expected to produce hybrid models of the all-new Malibu, the Silverado and the Equinox by 2010.