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With the Malibu mild-hybrid out of the picture and the Volt project still in integration testing, GM-Volt.com reports that the General is developing a “dedicated hybrid” model alá Prius and Insight. According to GM’s Ed Peper, the 4-banger manual Malibu’s 33 highway mpg makes the extra cost of a mild hybrid a tough sell. Besides, a hybrid has to look like a hybrid to earn its eco-premium, right? But isn’t that what the Volt does? Unless, of course, GM wants an eco-halo that it can (possibly) make money on. In which case… duh? Either way, if GM plumps for a dedicated hybrid alongside the Volt, it will mean more development cost, more cannibalism, and more signs of death-thrashing. Time to pop those focus pills, GM. Again. Still.
13 Comments on “Volt Birth Watch 150: GM “Dedicated Hybrid” To Undercut Volt?...”
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Time to pop those focus pills, GM. Again. Still.
Exactly. New GM indeed. Don’t worry, I’m sure this will change another 3/6/8 times over the next couple of years.
John
One more time:
1 good compact (hatch and sedan versions)
1 good midsize (sedan and coupe versions)
1 good luxury/upscale sedan
1 small SUV/CUV
1 big SUV
1 small pickup
1 big pickup
1 hot sports car
–3 trim levels for each vehicle
–suspension/handling options across all trim levels
–two engine/drivetrain configurations for each vehicle (one economy oriented, one performance oriented)
Not sure there’s a need for an enviro-halo car here or not.
The Malibu is a 6-auto 4-banger, BTW.
It also uses the non direct-injected Ecotec 2.4 – simply using the DI engine in the ‘bu could probably net another 2MPG all around, as it’s EPA rating is stellar in the 300lb heavier Equinox.
1 good compact (hatch and sedan versions)
1 good midsize (sedan and coupe versions)
1 good luxury/upscale sedan
1 small SUV/CUV
1 big SUV
1 small pickup
1 big pickup
1 hot sports car
Chevy Cruze? Maybe?
Chevy Malibu.
G8 nee Chevy Caprice.
Chevy Equinox looks to be pretty good coming up.
Tahoe, of course.
Okay, Colorado is an abortion.
Silverado is as good as they get.
Corvette.
By your template Chevy’s lineup over the next couple of years looks like it’s going to be pretty decent. It sort of depends on how the Cruze turns out, and whether they really do offer the G8 as a Chevy. Even with the better lineup, though, Chevy’s (GM’s, really) image isn’t all that hot, and they need something to shift public perception a little. Hybrids are all the rage, and seem to be a great way to get a little green cred, even if you have some gas guzzlers in your stable (see Toyota). If GM develops a hybrid like the Prius, and then offers the (non smoke and mirror version) Volt for sale at Chevy dealerships, if nothing else it could raise public perception. I think we’ll all agree that right now GM’s image needs all the help it can get.
These guys are schitzophrenic, and to make it worse, they’re pissing away OUR taxpayer money on this shit.
Ridonculous.
They could have swallowed their pride, kept NUMMI, begged and paid real money to Toyota for a Hybrid Synergy drive license – just as Nissan did – and turn out something with the assistance of Toyota.
They seem to forget that the tables were turned the other way around 60 years ago, and Lincoln, Hudson, Nash, Kaiser, Frazer, etc. all had to go to GM with begging bowl and buy Hydramatic automatic transmissions.
Well, the politicos want the Volt, probably not so much the dedicated hybrid. Which means the Volt will receive the taxpayer-funded subsidies, and the dedicated hybrid won’t.
There isn’t enough market for both vehicles to survive.
I don’t think either will survive.
GM should cede the hybrid market to others, and stick with a better chance at profitability.
findude has the product mix right.
Take away the guac and those Volt Nachos look pretty damn good!
I agree with Shaker. The DI 2.4L in the Equinox seems like it should be the engine of choice for the Malibu. It’d provide a reasonble power bump as well. They could do this and shuffle the crappy BAS hybrid system off to the grave with “Bad GM”.
If you drive more than X miles per year you will want a hybrid just like you want a diesel in Europe. I don’t mean a Prius like halo car which goes all out for fuel economy but just the same car with a little more power and better fuel economy. GM without hybridizing part of their range will be dead meat.
Volt on the other hand is something completely different. If it works than it will revolutionize the car industry unlike hybrids which are just a different kind of engine. And not even that different compared to the difference between a gas and a diesel engine.
Stick with the hybrid, I know GM has developed some interesting hub motors, but do we want to rely on lithium supplies anymore than we did /do oil? Toyota/honda have a good sized lead especially over the big 3, yet Toyota has not taken advantage of the real world experience of hybrid drivers. I don’t want great mileage I want fantastic mileage. Apparently one of the tricks involves putting the hybrid into electric only mode when your just about home (hypermiling). I don’t want to have to remember this all the time. These cars all have GPS. Why not smart GPS? Have a small dash light brighten as you approach home and/or work. You’re suppose to ‘anticipate’ a red light and get off the ‘gas’ and let the hybrid glide and regenerate the battery. But what if the traffic light is up over the hill? Shouldn’t be a big deal. I’m sure all the traffic light timings are kept on computer. Download them to your ‘smart hybrid’ and that dash light starts glowing orange? when you’re going up a hill and can’t even see the red light up ahead. You back off the ‘gas’ and go over the hill just as the traffic lights turn from red back to green. Nice. And you get the gas savings for any non-hybird too. Just need the tech boys to come up with the smart GPS.
menno: “They could have swallowed their pride, kept NUMMI, begged and paid real money to Toyota for a Hybrid Synergy drive license – just as Nissan did – and turn out something with the assistance of Toyota.”Yeah, switching NUMMI over to Prius production with a Chevy version (Volt II?) built alongside in the same manner as the old Corolla/Nova/Prizm, then Matrix/Vibe, seemed like a no-brainer, to me.
Hell, a case could be made for GM getting a license to rebody and sell their own version of the G2 Prius.
Saw a broke down Yukon Hybrid on the side of the road today, with that great big HYBRID banner on the doors.
I wanted to stop and offer them a D cell battery as a gesture of good will but I consider myself a good person and rubbing their noses in it would not be right.
I never saw a Prius on the side of the road.
These cars all have GPS. Why not smart GPS?
Having recently bought a GPS unit – apparently all that remains is a GOOD POI list (points of interest). ALL of the GPS units I test drove had shortcomings with this and one of them I did not test drive even feeds the owner a steady stream of commercials based on what is nearby. UGH!
My Navigon (now “gone” from the American market) does pretty good with the POI. The GPS enthusiasts are improving those lists with POIs they are creating and sharing.