The Truth About Cars

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

We'll remain in the 21st century this week, with a very rare example of one of GM's early attempts to sell hybrid-electric cars. The first mass-produced hybrid-electric car sold in the United States was the 2000 Honda Insight , joined in the following year by the Toyota Prius.

Malibu Hybrid 62

Malibu Hybrid 2009 Chevrolet Hybrid 62

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 30, 2017

The Clarity Fuel Cell received the best driving range rating from the EPA of any electric vehicle without a combustion engine with a range rating of 366 miles and fuel economy rating of 68 miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent combined.

Honda 150

Honda GM Michigan Manufacturer 150

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 6, 2009

General Motors will debut its two-mode plug-in hybrid technology—originally intended to appear first in a Saturn VUE, prior to that brand’s sale—in a new Buick crossover vehicle in 2011. In early testing, the plug-in hybrid is capable of electric-only propulsion for more than 10 miles at low speeds. V-6 flex-fuel engine.

Buick 210

Buick Li-ion Plug-in GM 210

Green Car Congress

MAY 9, 2009

At the recent SAE 2009 World Congress in Detroit, General Motors engineers presented the first front-wheel-drive (FWD) iteration of their two-mode hybrid transaxle, termed the 2MT70 ( earlier post ), scheduled for its first application in the Saturn 2009 VUE 2-Mode Hybrid light sport-utility vehicle later this year ( earlier post ).

GM 257

GM Saturn Hybrid VUE 257

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 30, 2009

The morning session started out with an hour long press conference, the highlight being the unveiling of the Volt’s 230 mpg preliminary EPA city fuel economy finding ( earlier post ), as well as a tour showing selected elements from the studios of the four GM North American brands: Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac. Click to enlarge.

GM 262

GM Buick Fuel Economy Economy 262

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

APRIL 21, 2009

Its like having a second fuel tank that you always use first -- only you fill up at home, from a regular outlet, at an equivalent cost of under $1/gallon. But when you do, your car essentially becomes an electric vehicle with a gas-tank backup. Lifetime service costs are lower for a vehicle that is mainly electric.

Plug-in 61

Plug-in Plugin Plug Hybrid 61

Tony Karrer Delicious EVdriven

APRIL 21, 2009

GM has announced plans for public sales in 2010, and almost every carmaker now says it will sell PHEVs or highway-speed battery electric vehicles (BEVs) sometime after 2010. Shifted earlier focus to all-electric Focus in 2011 with Magna. Plans Saturn Vue PHEV-10. Aims to get Saturn Vue on road in 2010; no production goal.

Plug-in 45

Plug-in Plug Hybrid Lithium Ion 45