VIDEO: Larry Nitz talks about the plug-in Saturn Vue hybrid
During the recent Plug-in conference in San Jose CA, Matt Kelly of GMNext talked with Larry Nitz about the new PHEV version of the Saturn Vue. The PHEV Vue is still at least a year away and is based on the Two-Mode Vue that comes out late this year. The nickel metal hydride battery is replaced with a lithium ion unit and a plug-in charger is added. According to Nitz, who is the executive director of hybrid powertrain engineering at GM, the PHEV Vue will average about the twice the fuel efficiency of the regular two-mode Vue for the first 20 miles. GM isn't talking about the electric only range, because the ability to actually operate on electricity alone is limited by the motor power. As what's called a conversion PHEV, the motor is not sized for a significant electric only operational window. The Vue will go up to about 35 mph at light acceleration on electricity. Beyond that the engine starts. Even in around town driving the engine will start with anything other a very light throttle foot. Nonetheless, the plug-in Vue will likely achieve somewhere between 50-60 mpg for the first 20 miles. If you can drive lightly enough to keep the engine off, you should be able to get around 10 miles on the battery. Check out the video after the jump.
[Source: GMNext]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris M 9:54PM (9/01/2008)
Finally, some news of the other GM plug-in hybrid! With all the reporting on the Volt, it is easy to forget that they have another plug-in scheduled o be released at about the same time.
The Vue plug-in won't go as far or use as much electricity as the Volt, and it is still an SUV so the fuel economy in "charge sustaining mode" won't be as good as the Volt, but it just might be cheaper than the Volt since the battery is much smaller.
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Nick 12:07PM (9/03/2008)
I must be missing something. Both the video and article describe the Vue Plug-in Hybrid as only being able to travel up to 35 MPH using the battery only. That seems to be exactly what the existing "full hybrid" vehicles do already (e.g., Escape, Prius, etc.). Still, GM Powertrain claims you'll get double the full hybrids' fuel economy during the first 20 miles. I guess that must be due to the electric motor providing more assist to the engine for a longer time. Somehow, though, I was under the impression the draw of the PHEV is that they would travel up to 20 miles at any speed on electric power only.
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BoneHeadOtto 10:12AM (9/02/2008)
Great tech GM now please put it in the right car. IE something that does not weigh 4300lbs!!!!!! Put this drive train in a car weighing 3000-3500lbs. Or put it in a minivan where you have the practicality of an SUV, with actual aerodynamics and lighter weight. Or better yet a modern wagon.
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GenWaylaid 12:02AM (9/03/2008)
Is that correct, that the next VUE hybrid will use the 2-mode system? If so this is potentially BIG news, because the VUE hybrid uses GM's Ecotec 4-cylinder which is shared by numerous other compact and midsize cars in their range. A 2-mode installation compact enough to go in any Ecotec-driven car has the potential to spawn dozens of new hybrid options.
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Chris M 3:18PM (9/05/2008)
GM designed the "dual mode hybrid" transmission to be about the same size and shape as their regular automatic transmission, making for a relatively easy installation in different models - assuming they can find a spot for the battery pack, that is.
Sam Abuelsamid 8:58AM (9/03/2008)
The two-mode Vue will be paired with the 3.6L V6 with a fuel shutoff system. GM will be selling three different hybrid Vues, the two-mode in plug-in and non-plug versions and the existing mild hybrid all at different price points.
Chris M 3:41PM (9/05/2008)
The plug-in has a much larger battery, thus more electric power reserve than the non-plug hybrid. For that reason, non-plug hybrids can't drive very far on electricity only. It is the extra electricity displacing gas consumption that leads to such high overall fuel economy for the first 20 miles. Hmm, I wonder what the EPA is going to do about fuel economy testing.
Just as there are different hybrid designs, there are different plug-in hybrid designs. Due to the way the dualmode hybrid transmission is designed, it can run EV only or gas/electric at low speeds, but runs on gas with electric assist at higher speeds. It cannot run EV only at high speeds, as that would over-rev one of the motors. Changing the gearing ratio could increase the EV only speed, but that would require more power, and the "20 mile" battery might not be able to supply that much power.
Series hybrids can run EV only at high speeds, limited only by the power available from battery. That is why the Volt series hybrid has a larger "40 mile" battery, twice the size, twice the power, but also twice the cost of the Saturn Vue "20 mile" battery.
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Russ Reeves 9:51AM (10/10/2008)
What about the "Extreme Hybrid" technology from afstrinity.com that was installed into two Saturn Vues recently? It looks like it beats all others on cost and performance. Has anyone licensed it yet? If Honda snaps it up and marries it with its low cost Insight, it would be very hard to beat.
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