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CNET Networks/Sarah Tew)
Hummer doesn't embody environmentalism, but that's the spin GM CEO Rick Wagoner gave when he introduced the Hummer HX concept at the 2008 Detroit auto show. The Hummer HX is smaller and lighter than Hummer's other three models, but, more importantly, uses an E85-capable 3.6-liter V-6 engine. Wagoner extolled the virtues of ethanol as fuel during the press conference, punctuating the point by announcing a partnership between GM and Coskota Inc. to produce ethanol fuel using a new, cost-effective process.
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CNET Networks)
As for the Hummer HX, it is a rugged-looking concept that brings Hummer design cues into what looks like a Dakar rally competitor. It sits high up on 35 inch off-road tires, and is well-armored underneath with skid plates. Front and rear overhangs are minimal, giving it steep angles of approach and departure. Many of its body components, such as fender flares and roof, are removable. The HX doesn't have a radio or CD player, instead featuring a simple USB port for an iPod or other MP3 player. In good concept style, it has three LCD gauges in the center of the dashboard which can be used for a variety of different displays, including both on- and off-road navigation. To keep weight down, the interior uses such aircraft construction techniques as drilled aluminum frames supporting the seats. Smaller and lighter is a direction we wouldn't mind seeing with Hummer, but we're not sure it would play with the brand's fans.
Honda is upping its production of gas-electric hybrid cars, but has no immediate plans to develop the kind of hybrid that would recharge from an electrical outlet, the company announced Tuesday.
Honda CEO Takeo Fukui also publicly criticized General Motors for its pursuit of the Chevy Volt at a press conference on Tuesday in Japan.
If that kind of high-performance battery power is possible then carmakers would be better served making a completely electric vehicle from an environmental standpoint, said Fukui, according to the The Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
Honda is scheduled to release several environmentally friendly vehicles at the 2007 Tokyo auto show this week. Among them may be a hybrid sports car and a diesel-engine car that gets 60 mpg.
GM has been touring its Chevy Volt, a plug-in hybrid electric car that it plans to make available to consumers by 2010, across the U.S. since its debut at the Detroit auto show. The Volt could possibly run off lithium-ion battery power alone for about 40 miles, according to GM.
Many critics have raised questions as to whether that battery type, more commonly used in laptops, could be cost effective and energy efficient for car use. GM has said it's developing the necessary technology to make a lithium-ion battery hybrid successful and plans to test out the Volt as soon as spring 2008.
The news follows statements made Monday by Toyota that it's taking its time to develop a plug-in hybrid to address questions of cost, efficiency and consumer interest.
Chevy Equinox fuel cell vehicle
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)Chevrolet is in the midst of launching "Project Driveway," an ambitious program where more than 100 fuel cell electric vehicles will be put in the hands of select consumers for the largest market test ever of its kind.
Fuel cell power train
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)Testing will take place over the next several months in the Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., metro areas. Drivers range from average consumers to business owners to policy makers. Chevy reps also promise that some cars will go into the hands of "celebrities," but no names have been dropped yet.
The cars are modified Chevy Equinox crossover SUVs that draw hydrogen from three on-board, carbon fiber tanks to power an electric motor. In addition, a nickel-metal hydride battery pack captures and stores energy from a regenerative braking system to provide extra power when needed. The fuel cell Equinoxes get a range of about 150 miles on a single fill-up with 700-bar hydrogen.
The Equinox fuel cell cars run solely on hydrogen, which, at this point in time, is a drawback for the average consumer. Although we produce 40 billion kilograms of hydrogen globally every year--enough to power 130 million fuel cell-powered cars--hydrogen fueling stations are still scarce.
Interior display
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)The three test metro areas were chosen, in part, because drivers have access to hydrogen filling stations within a reasonable radius of their homes and/or places of business. General Motors reps say building a hydrogen fueling station infrastructure wouldn't be as difficult as some might think; they say the initial investment of about $10 billion to $15 billion required to put 12,000 stations within two miles of the top 100 urban areas is close to the amount of money being currently spent on maintaining existing oil pipelines and gasoline manufacturing equipment.
The specs for the vehicle aren't overwhelming--it goes zero to 60 in 12 seconds and has a top speed of about 100 miles per hour. But that's still impressive considering the only thing that comes out of the quad exhaust is water vapor.
Carbon fiber quad exhaust
(Credit: Donovan R. Unks)Features include antilock brakes (ABS), driver and passenger front air bags, roof rail side-impact air bags, and StabiliTrak stability system. The cars are also equipped with the OnStar navigation system, which testers are encouraged to use to ask questions and provide feedback as they drive.
But don't get in line at the local Chevy dealership just yet; the test fleet won't be available for sale to the public. However, the information gleaned from this market test will help shape the next generation of fuel cell vehicles, which GM is working on now.
For a further look at the Equinox vehicles, see "Photos: GM's Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell."
Will a new anti-theft tool from General Motors and OnStar be enough to make your car not worth the hassle of stealing?
The Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, a new feature added to OnStar, takes away the ability to use a car's gas pedal, while allowing braking and steering controls to work.
OnStar, which already communicates with a car's engine through software, will now use that platform to bypass a driver's foot on the gas pedal and automatically slow down a car by preventing any further acceleration.
OnStar said it will only enable the service if a situation meets a "required criteria," such as a police request while pursuing a stolen vehicle, or if a child has accidentally been kidnapped by a person stealing what they assumed was an empty idling car.
Protocol for activating the service will require a car owner to first report the vehicle stolen to the police, then call OnStar and request the Stolen Vehicle Slowdown service be activated. OnStar will then use GPS-tracking to first locate the vehicle and give police a chance to get in its vicinity. Once police have reported the vehicle in sight and requested a slow-down, OnStar will activate a signal that causes a car's powertrain system to reduce engine power and ignore acceleration from the gas pedal.
"Safeguards will be in place to ensure that the correct vehicle in slowed down," OnStar said in a statement.
The new feature, which will be implemented in about 1.7 million of GM's 2009 model year vehicles, is an extension of OnStar's pre-existing Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance feature that first came out in 1996.
OnStar is also giving owners the choice to opt out of the service if they don't want it on their car.
OnStar currently receives about 700 requests to activate the Stolen Vehicle Location Assistance feature each month and has used it on over 28,000 cars since 1996, according to a company statement.
General Motors Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner will be a keynote speaker at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show, the Consumer Electronic Association announced Monday.
This will be GM's first keynote at the trade show, which is known for attracting celebrities eager to see the latest in high-tech gadgets, as well as the world press.
Wagoner joins technology leaders Bill Gates of Microsoft, Paul Otellini of Intel, and Panasonic's Toshihiro Sakamoto, who have also confirmed as speakers for the international trade show that takes place annually in Las Vegas.
While Wagoner might seem like a stretch for a consumer electronics trade show, the choice makes sense given the increase in computer technology being implemented in cars.
The 2008 car model year is poised to be the year when things like touch screens, hands-free Bluetooth communications, entertainment centers and high-tech navigation go from after-market add-ons or high-end options in luxury models to optional or even standard equipment for entire car lineups, according to a recent report from the Telematics Research Group (see PDF).
GM has been struggling for market share with Asian competitors like Toyota, which recently surpassed GM as the world's largest automaker in terms of world sales. As part of its effort to move forward and stay competitive, the company has announced the Chevy Volt, an electric car it says will be ready for sale by 2010.
And while is hasn't named names, GM maintains that it's partnering with "top names in the software industry" to help it develop the tools for evolving its cars into computers on wheels.
"In fuel economy or safety or telematics, software plays a major role," Hans-Georg Frischkorn, executive director of global electrical systems, controls and software at GM, told CNET News.com.
Frishkorn said that GM sees software "as one of the next frontiers."
General Motors may lease the battery packs for its Chevy Volt electric car to make it more affordable, according to a news report.
The Volt is unveiled at the 2007 Detroit auto show.
(Credit: CNET Networks)GM's electric car will take lithium-ion batteries which are known to be expensive and have a limited lifespan compared with the life of a car.
Bob Lutz, GM's global product chief, has said that the company hopes to make the car available in the $30,000 price range.
While GM has several leading battery technology developers and manufacturers onboard in its effort to build an affordable, long-range rechargeable battery for the car, critics have pointed out that the price point could be a challenge given the technology needed to go into it.
To achieve that price point, GM may rent the battery packs needed to run the Chevy Volt, The Financial Times has reported.
GM announced in early August that the company will be ready to test the Chevy Volt in spring 2008 and is still on track for a late 2010 sales availability.
Chevy Tahoe hybrid
General Motors is banking on the increasing demand for fuel-efficient cars by launching hybrid versions of two of its full-size SUVs: the GMC Yukon and the Chevy Tahoe. And although the cars aren't slated to go on sale until this fall, GM is already busy building buzz.
The new models, available in both two- and four-wheel drive, use a "two-mode" powertrain designed jointly by GM with BMW and Daimler-Chrysler. This Hybrid Operating System (HOS) allows the car to operate either on electricity or gasoline, depending on the power needs of the car.
Allocation of electric power versus gasoline power is determined by a combination of factors, including driver input, speed and terrain. GM claims the Tahoe can run with gentle throttle input (that is, no punching down on the gas pedal) up to about 32 miles per hour purely on electric power. If the driver reaches higher speeds, accelerates quickly or starts up a steep grade, the internal combustion V8 engine will kick in to deliver more power. The two-mode system also provides enough juice to tow up to 6,200 pounds.
Like other hybrids, the Tahoe and Yukon use regenerative braking to help recharge the car's 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery when the car stops or slows down. Two electric motors power an electronically variable hybrid transmission.
GM hasn't released numbers in any detail yet, but the company claims the new hybrids are 40 percent more fuel-efficient in city driving alone, and 25 percent more fuel-efficient overall than their nonhybrid counterparts. The big discrepancy between city and overall performance is due, in part, to the fact that the car relies more heavily on electric power at slower speeds, and because city driving requires more braking, which charges the battery more often.
GMC Yukon hybrid
While the two-mode system seems to provide ample power, it's hard to believe the typical full-size-SUV owner would use these cars in a manner that would achieve maximum fuel efficiency. Passengers and cargo, as well as towing, affect gas mileage drastically. Even with a light load, fuel efficiency can vary greatly from driver to driver -- lead-footers will see that fuel gauge needle drop much faster.
Even under optimal driving conditions, a mere 25 percent overall improvement in fuel quality is a little disappointing. The 2007 nonhybrid models of the Tahoe and Yukon are rated between 15 and 22 miles per gallon, depending on the trim level. That means, at their best, the new hybrids will perform 3.75 to 5.5 miles per gallon better overall (although GM says city driving alone yields an improvement of 6 miles per gallon).
That said, continued consumer demand for horsepower and a simultaneous increase in environmental awareness must make it incredibly difficult for designers and engineers to strike a balance between fuel efficiency and performance, especially with vehicles this size. With these seemingly conflicting interests in mind, the Tahoe and Yukon do a fair job pleasing some without alienating others. And while GM's hybrid models are a step in the right direction, the reality is, at this point in time, gigantic SUVs still aren't good for the environment.
GM plans to unveil hybrid versions of other cars and trucks over the next couple of years, including hybrid Saturn and Cadillac models. Could a fuel-efficient Escalade be on its way?
General Motors announced Thursday that it will begin testing for its electric rechargeable car, the Chevy Volt, in spring 2008.
The lithium-ion battery packs planned for the
The company still maintains that the Chevy Volt it introduced at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show will be ready for sale by late 2010.
The company also announced Monday it has signed another contract with battery manufacturer A123Systems to help it develop the lithium-ion battery cells for its E-Flex electric drive train.
GM already has contracts with other major battery technology companies and suppliers.
Korean-based LG Chem is working on battery packs with cells provided from its subsidiary Compact Power. Continental Automotive Systems is working on a battery pack using the cells developed by GM and A123Systems. All four of the companies are working toward the goal of making GM an affordable, powerful and long-range rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
It's unknown at this point which battery technology will ultimately make it into the Chevy Volt.
GM's electric competitors have already announced their testing plans. Toyota's household plug-in has been approved for public road testing in Japan with plans to apply for U.S. approval. And Ford has started a program to test hybrid plug-in vehicles with Southern California Edison in California, the company announced in early July.
The second-annual Hybridfest takes place in Madison, Wisc., on July 21 and 22, so if you love your hybrid and need a summer vacation idea, consider sharing the love with a bunch of other hybrid owners. The organizers want to get 200 hybrid owners to bring their cars and put them on display. Last year, they had more than 160 from 21 states and Canada show up, plus 2,000 people interested in seeing hybrids in action. Toyota, GM, and Ford are sponsors of the event, and should have some of their latest hybrids on hand for test-drives. This year there will also be information on ethanol, biodiesel, hydrogen, and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The event has a strong environmental focus, and will present various speakers on these issues.
The most interesting part of Hybridfest is the MPG Challenge, a 20-mile course where hybrid owners can compete to see who gets the best mileage. Last year's contestants ranged from 73mpg all the way up to 150mpg.
No. 2 overall & online
No. 3 overall
More advertising dollars are flowing to the Internet, in a trend that started years ago. Advertising Age has come out with its annual look at the United States top-100 advertising spenders. There are few surprises, but it's confirmation of what you've probably been seeing and expecting. Internet ads now account for 5.5 percent of total spending by the top 100 advertisers in the U.S. That adds up to nearly $10 billion, and the Internet's about even with radio and ahead of outdoor.
What are the biggest losers? TV's share of ad spending has been dropping annually for 16 years, after it peaked at nearly 70 percent. TV now accounts for less than 59 percent of American ad revenue. Newspapers had a serious drop of revenue in the 1960s, then slowly began to recover, only to fall off a cliff following 2000. That year papers collected 16 percent of all ad revenue; in 2006 it was less than 12 percent. Since 1970, magazine ad revenue has been fairly flat, but that means not keeping ahead of inflation. Glossy print still is No. 2 in total ad dollars garnered. That leaves the Internet as the only clear winner among major ad media.
The big advertising spender is Proctor & Gamble, which leads at $4.9 billion. Second and third are AT&T with slightly more than $3.3 billion and General Motors with just less than $3.3 billion. These are followed by Time Warner, Verizon Communications and Ford Motor.
Other carmakers on the list are Toyota Motor at No. 12, DaimlerChrysler at No. 14, Honda Motor at No. 21 and Nissan Motor at No. 23--all spending well more than $1 billion annually. Other big spenders are No. 12 Sony at nearly $2 billion and No. 15 Sprint Nextel at more than $1.7 billion.
Tech brands? Microsoft is No. 45, Dell is No. 47 and Hewlett-Packard is No. 51. Each company spends less than $1 billion. Apple ranks No. 89, while Philips Electronics barely makes the list at No. 98.
Of the big 100 spenders, Vonage spent the most online in 2006 with $185 million, more than a third of its total amount spent. The No. 2 online spender was AT&T at nearly $170 million. They were followed by Dell, Walt Disney and Verizon.
TV is still leading the Internet by more than $50 billion. Anybody predicting the Internet and TV ad dollar curves will ever intersect? That'll depend on whether TV retains control of the most prized copyrighted material or whether Internet sites begin to compete with live sports and original programming with big-name stars.
