GM Won't Abandon Electric Car

[Flybrian]

New Step, Same Direction

No way GM will kill the electric car says Lutz

By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

AutoWeek | Published 11/06/06, 12:37 pm et

Link to Original Article @ Autoweek

DETROIT -- General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner will reveal a new step in GM's alternative-fuel vehicle programs at the Los Angeles auto show this month.

While not saying which direction GM will take, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says GM executives believe electric vehicles are the future. GM's work on fuel cell vehicles may first bear fruit as a "series hybrid" vehicle, he says.

A series hybrid could run primarily on electricity from lithium-ion batteries, with an engine as backup to replenish batteries, Lutz says. The backup engine could be a diesel or gasoline internal combustion engine. Backup energy also could come from a fuel cell.

"Tom Stephens (group vice president of GM Powertrain), Rick Wagoner and I believe in the ultimate electrification of the automobile," Lutz said in an interview with Automotive News. "We believe that's where it's going."

Such a vehicle would require "a much smaller fuel cell stack" than a vehicle in which the fuel cell powers an electric engine, Lutz said. It would be less complex than a parallel hybrid system, which constantly shifts between an electric and gasoline engine to power a vehicle.

Lutz said lithium-ion batteries must be improved to hold a bigger charge and deliver the charge gradually. Lutz believes there will be rapid battery development over the next three to four years that will provide more energy storage.

But, he said, for GM, "what started as a fuel cell project is now an electric vehicle project."

[prototype66]

technology is finally catching up with GM and the EV1. I think they artificially cut the nuse to cover up the "real" project at hand.

[pow]

Cool. I never got hydrogen fuel cells to begin with, since it's essentially liquid electricity.

[Drew Dowdell]

GM's been doing this for a couple of years now... it's about time they scaled it down to automotive size.

[PurdueGuy]

GM's been doing this for a couple of years now... it's about time they scaled it down to automotive size.

213034[/snapback]

+1 - it's funny the way many people react when you tell them that there is no mechanical connection between a diesel locomotive's engine and wheels.

[wjfox]

I've wondered why GM hasn't borrowed more ideas from locomotives. Theconcept makes a lot of sense and there are other things that could be done more easily with electric based motivation alone than mechanical / electrical combination. Trains basically go in straight lines and are forced to turn by the tracks. But if there were 4 motors / gnerators, one per wheel, regenerative braking, anti lock braking, stability control, 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steering by speed differential at the different wheels and tracton control could all be done with software programs instead of complex mechanical systems. Since battery packs could be mounted in various locations, it could be possible to get lower centers of gravity. I can see lots of advantages to series hybrids. Getting good at the series hybrid should also make trasnition to a fuel cell powered car easier because you still have an electric car, but the elecricity is being produced a different way.

[Drew Dowdell]

I've wondered why GM hasn't borrowed more ideas from locomotives.  Theconcept makes a lot of sense and there are other things that could be done more easily with electric based motivation alone than mechanical / electrical combination.  Trains basically go in straight lines and are forced to turn by the tracks.  But if there were 4 motors / gnerators,  one per wheel, regenerative braking, anti lock braking, stability control, 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steering by speed differential at the different wheels and tracton control could all be done with software programs instead of complex mechanical systems.  Since battery packs could be mounted in various locations, it could be possible to get lower centers of gravity.  I can see lots of advantages to series hybrids.  Getting good at the series hybrid should also make trasnition to a fuel cell powered car easier because you still have an electric car, but the elecricity is being produced a different way.

213106[/snapback]

It's a shame no one ever though of that before...

[SimonDavid]

New Step, Same Direction 

No way GM will kill the electric car says Lutz 

By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

AutoWeek | Published 11/06/06, 12:37 pm et 

Link to Original Article @ Autoweek

DETROIT -- General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner will reveal a new step in GM's alternative-fuel vehicle programs at the Los Angeles auto show this month.

While not saying which direction GM will take, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says GM executives believe electric vehicles are the future. GM's work on fuel cell vehicles may first bear fruit as a "series hybrid" vehicle, he says.

A series hybrid could run primarily on electricity from lithium-ion batteries, with an engine as backup to replenish batteries, Lutz says. The backup engine could be a diesel or gasoline internal combustion engine. Backup energy also could come from a fuel cell.

"Tom Stephens (group vice president of GM Powertrain), Rick Wagoner and I believe in the ultimate electrification of the automobile," Lutz said in an interview with Automotive News. "We believe that's where it's going."

Such a vehicle would require "a much smaller fuel cell stack" than a vehicle in which the fuel cell powers an electric engine, Lutz said. It would be less complex than a parallel hybrid system, which constantly shifts between an electric and gasoline engine to power a vehicle.

Lutz said lithium-ion batteries must be improved to hold a bigger charge and deliver the charge gradually. Lutz believes there will be rapid battery development over the next three to four years that will provide more energy storage.

But, he said, for GM, "what started as a fuel cell project is now an electric vehicle project."

212990[/snapback]

so basically the driveline of a Uboat or diesel electric locomotive

am I missing something? what's so new about this?

[SimonDavid]

New Step, Same Direction 

No way GM will kill the electric car says Lutz 

By JAMIE LAREAU | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

AutoWeek | Published 11/06/06, 12:37 pm et 

Link to Original Article @ Autoweek

DETROIT -- General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner will reveal a new step in GM's alternative-fuel vehicle programs at the Los Angeles auto show this month.

While not saying which direction GM will take, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz says GM executives believe electric vehicles are the future. GM's work on fuel cell vehicles may first bear fruit as a "series hybrid" vehicle, he says.

A series hybrid could run primarily on electricity from lithium-ion batteries, with an engine as backup to replenish batteries, Lutz says. The backup engine could be a diesel or gasoline internal combustion engine. Backup energy also could come from a fuel cell.

"Tom Stephens (group vice president of GM Powertrain), Rick Wagoner and I believe in the ultimate electrification of the automobile," Lutz said in an interview with Automotive News. "We believe that's where it's going."

Such a vehicle would require "a much smaller fuel cell stack" than a vehicle in which the fuel cell powers an electric engine, Lutz said. It would be less complex than a parallel hybrid system, which constantly shifts between an electric and gasoline engine to power a vehicle.

Lutz said lithium-ion batteries must be improved to hold a bigger charge and deliver the charge gradually. Lutz believes there will be rapid battery development over the next three to four years that will provide more energy storage.

But, he said, for GM, "what started as a fuel cell project is now an electric vehicle project."

212990[/snapback]

so basically the driveline of a WW2 Uboat or diesel electric locomotive

am I missing something? what's so new about this?

[AAS]

so basically the driveline of a WW2 Uboat or diesel electric locomotive

am I missing something? what's so new about this?

213378[/snapback]

Packaging the entire thing in a fraction of the size!

[regfootball]

Go GM! God I hope they cream toyota and ecoweenie whiners with this to make them shut up.

[Matt276]

But how long before it goes on sale? 4-5 years?

[David]

I will take this in a Denali Package Yukon XL PLEASE!!!

[Mr.Krinkle]

+1 - it's funny the way many people react when you tell them that there is no mechanical connection between a diesel locomotive's engine and wheels. 

213090[/snapback]

too bad you cant see my reaction. wow.

waggoner said something along the lines that cancelling the ev1 program was one of his regrets. i wouldnt be surprised if he in fact he did fast track some of the other programs and technologies.

rick wagoner probably will be the guy known for saving General Motors.

[ellives]

too bad you cant see my reaction.  wow.

waggoner said something along the lines that cancelling the ev1 program was one of his regrets.  i wouldnt be surprised if he in fact he did fast track some of the other programs and technologies.

rick wagoner probably will be the guy known for saving General Motors.

213793[/snapback]

Being as the alternative is being known as the guy who bankrupted GM, I hope you're right.

[Mr.Krinkle]

Being as the alternative is being known as the guy who bankrupted GM, I hope you're right.

213916[/snapback]

when you realize what exactly it was wagoner walked into when he accepted this

job you gotta give him some credit. hes a business man by credential. all of his

schooling and experience points towards numbers crunching.

nevermind the bloated cost structures, unions, decreasing market share, and an overwhelming public poo pooing of gm cars(some of it very justifiable) he had and has a lot to deal with. and so far hes been rather successful. a lot more to get done but the basic core or foundation seems to be undergoing the necessary repair to make GM competetive and successful.

unlike little nero over at the blue oval.

i give him a lot of credit and by the time the next guy takes over he will have

a great framework to accomplish even more and go to the next level.

baby step towards fiscal solvency.

[FAPTurbo]

I'm likin' what I'm hear'n.

I do hope that GM gets this technology on the market. Global Warming is on almost everybody's minds these days, and this can only help the situation.

[4gm]

It's a shame no one ever though of that before...

213112[/snapback]

Isn't that similar to the wheel-hub motors GM talked about for all of 2 seconds a few years ago?