GM to develop electrically powered cars
- GM to remove the car from 'environment debate'
- Company to develop petrol hybrids
- Move to hydrogen fuel cell long-term
General Motors, the parent company of Vauxhall, says it is developing technologies that will 'remove the automobile from the environment debate'.
Long-term, that means a wholesale switch from mechanical to electrical power systems with hydrogen fuel cell engines. 'We will accelerate the electrification of the automobile,' the company says.
However, until fuel-cell cars can be made cheaply and reliably and the infrastructure exists to refuel them, GM will increasingly introduce petrol-electric hybrids to make its cars cleaner and more fuel-efficient.
At yesterday's opening of the Los Angeles Motor Show, GM announced hybrid versions of the GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Tahoe and Saturn Vue 4x4s, as well as a hybrid Saturn Aura saloon.
Though none of these cars will be brought to Europe, GM admitted that the technology has 'global applications' and that its engineers in the UK and Germany helped develop it. That means we are likely to see it in future models developed by Vauxhall and Opel.
What Car?
is brought to you by
Haymarket Consumer MediaWhat Car? is part of Haymarket Motoring
© Haymarket Media Group 2010
