GM's hybrid system: A group effort

[Mr. Wyndham]

GM's hybrid system is so sophisticated and expensive that the automaker went looking for partners to help develop and pay for it. And it's so effective that when two of the auto industry's perennial technology leaders, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, got a look, both said "deal me in."

The deal became a four-handed game when Chrysler regained its independence from Mercedes last year.

Each of the partners contributed money and personnel to the project, which was based in a standalone engineering center in Troy. They all plan to offer vehicles with the system and using the General Motors transmission at its heart.

The two-mode hybrid is slated for use in trucks, SUVs and rear- and front-wheel drive cars from all four automakers. It will end up in a wide range of vehicles.

Here are the ones that have been announced so far:
GM
• Cadillac
Escalade
• Chevrolet
Silverado
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• GMC Sierra
• GMC Yukon
• Saturn Vue
• Saturn Vue plug-in
BMW
• X6 SUV
Chrysler
• Chrysler Aspen
• Dodge Durango
• Dodge Ram
Mercedes-Benz
• M-class SUV
Mark Phelan

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...SS02/802210315

[Roflmao]

wow a dodge ram hybrid? interesting. List seems to be all big vehicles so far, no cars. camaro could be coming on the list?

[MCPOAJ]

Originally Posted by Roflmao

wow a dodge ram hybrid? interesting. List seems to be all big vehicles so far, no cars. camaro could be coming on the list?

oh gawd i hope not that would to me ruin the reputation of the camaro

[Georgianne]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

The two-mode hybrid is slated for use in trucks, SUVs and rear- and front-wheel drive cars from all four automakers. It will end up in a wide range of vehicles.



• Dodge Durango
• Dodge Ram
Mark Phelan

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...SS02/802210315

GEEZZ I wonder what my kids could do to that Durango?

[Roflmao]

Originally Posted by MCPOAJ

oh gawd i hope not that would to me ruin the reputation of the camaro

Assuming they don't take away from the power, how? The beast within of the camaro that gets milage like a hybrid? Sign me up.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by MCPOAJ

oh gawd i hope not that would to me ruin the reputation of the camaro

I sorta agree, but I see things to opposite way. Yes, it will ruin the Camaros reputation as a V8 gas guzzling sports car. It would be offered as a V8 gas sipping sports car. Sounds like a change for the better to me. Keep in mind that the dual mode hybrid system is mated to the L76 in the large trucks, a 360 hp V8 engine not a wimpy 4 banger. Performance won't be hurt much, but it will gain a bit of weight. But imagine, a 360 hp Camaro, 0-60* in a bit more than 6 seconds, that gets mileage of around 30 mpg combined **. I would buy one if I could afford the hybrid markup. And remember, it won't be offered solely as a hybrid.

* 0-60 based on charger r/t
**Mileage based on estimates for the Camaro and improvements given by the hybrid system for the full sized trucks.

[Grape Ape]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

I sorta agree, but I see things to opposite way. Yes, it will ruin the Camaros reputation as a V8 gas guzzling sports car. It would be offered as a V8 gas sipping sports car. Sounds like a change for the better to me. Keep in mind that the dual mode hybrid system is mated to the L76 in the large trucks, a 360 hp V8 engine not a wimpy 4 banger. Performance won't be hurt much, but it will gain a bit of weight. But imagine, a 360 hp Camaro, 0-60* in a bit more than 6 seconds, that gets mileage of around 30 mpg combined **. I would buy one if I could afford the hybrid markup. And remember, it won't be offered solely as a hybrid.

* 0-60 based on charger r/t
**Mileage based on estimates for the Camaro and improvements given by the hybrid system for the full sized trucks.

It would also do some damage to low tech, not as advanced as the imports part of the Camaro’s rep.

And don’t forget that at full throttle you get the engine’s HP plus electric motors’ HP so it might be more like 400+hp with the L76. The electric motors' torque would also help offset the 3.6 DI's lack of torque, but would be hard to add enough power to beat the R/T and new GT and it already outclasses the competition's probable V6s

Imagine the commercials:

“The new goes farther the competition on a gallon of gas than and gets there sooner”.
“Have your cake and eat it with the 400hp, 30 MPG 2009 Camaro.”

The only downside I see is that a hybrid would want to shutoff at redlights, but there are ways around that.