General Motors To Make Chevy Green

By Anthony Fontanelle

At the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, General Motors Corp. will showcase a green Chevrolet by launching the gas-electric Silverado, the nation's first hybrid pickup. This is GM’s effort to make its best-selling brand, the center of an urgent attempt to cast the automaker as a progressive, environmentally friendly company to consumers around the globe.
The largest American automaker is battling with the industry’s craving for a greener image to improve mileage and at the same time respond to environmental issues.

"In the past, we haven't told our story as well as we could," said Larry Burns, GM's vice president of research and development. "And this is a competitive game." The approach will involve a massive, worldwide marketing campaign and a lineup of vehicles that uses a variety of fuel-saving technologies - including some that have yet to be created.

As part of GM’s announcement, the automaker will also introduce the iconic Silverado. The Detroit-based automaker is under pressure to beat a less-than-stellar reputation when it comes to the environment, and trying to do so minus the legendary Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius hybrid. Just like Bilstein, the automaker is expected to exude efficiency with sacrificing flexibility.

Toyota's success with the Prius has boosted the brand synonymous with environmental consciousness, an image that has propelled the Japanese automaker's success worldwide, said The Detroit News. "That bought them an image every other automaker would die for," GM's Burns said.

On the contrary, the new strategy for the Chevy brand intends to take a portfolio of complex technologies, some that exist and some yet to be realized, and transform it into something marketable and digestible to American shoppers.

The marketing piece of the strategy will tout Chevrolet's five "Fuel Solutions:" more efficient internal combustion engines; biofuels such as E85 ethanol; gas-electric hybrids; electrically driven vehicles; and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The brand's new tagline is "Chevrolet, from gas-friendly to gas-free," the report continued.

Additionally, GM plans to eventually offer a green version of virtually every Chevy model. Taking the center stage is the Chevrolet Volt, GM's much-hyped, ambitious plug-in hybrid car launched at the Detroit auto show in January.

But the Volt and the fuel cell project remain veiled in uncertainty. The automaker is still working to develop a lithium-ion battery durable and affordable enough to power a Volt for the mass market, and an infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles does not yet exist, DetNews revealed. But a number of other technologies are either on the market or on the way.

"They don't have a strong history of being as environmentally focused as Toyota or even Ford (Motor Co.) with its Escape" hybrid SUV, said Michael Robinet of CSM Worldwide, an automotive forecasting firm in Northville.

Robinet said that GM has the product to become credible, even among import-loving East and West coasters who want to drive green vehicles. "It all has to do with product," he said. "There is no reason, as long as the product is right, that someone like General Motors can't do well there, too."

Saab's 9-3 BioPower delivers Renewable, Economical and Responsible power

By Evander Klum

Recently, the new 9-3 BioPower series of Saab was launched in Australia to offer a wide variety of choices from renewable bioethanol, economical diesel or petrol power engines to the Australian drivers.

The unveiling of the 9-3 series is an addition to Saab’s line-up of E85 flex-fuel vehicles giving most environmental advantages. The 9-3 series includes the Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, SportCombi and the Convertible model priced at a $1,000 premium more than its petrol model which is already on sale.

Riding with Saab’s launch of the 9-3, United Petroleum, Australia’s largest fuel retailer confirmed their plans of building two Australia’s first E85 fuel pumps in Melbourne and Sydney.

With a vehicle powered by the E85 fuel, CO2 emissions will be largely reduced by 80 percent according to Saab estimates. Saab also said that the most fuel efficient small capacity diesel engines releases between 120-130 grams of fossil CO2 per kilometer. Compared to the 9-3 BioPower, emissions are just 40 grams of fossil CO2 per kilometer and with a bonus of a more desirable performance.

Parveen Batish, Director of General Motors premium brands praised United Petroleum and said that its commitment to supplying the consumers with E85 will change the face of transport in Australia.

"With the launch of BioPower, Saab set out to break the chicken and egg cycle that prevented Australian drivers from choosing a renewable fuel alternative," Mr Batish said.

"Saab took the first leap and United Petroleum is taking the same bold leadership position with its commitment to make E85 commercially available to flex-fuel car drivers.

"This is a big investment by United Petroleum. We think with this support BioPower will be a success in Australia and will stimulate other manufacturers to bring their flex-fuel vehicles to this country as well. This is the tip of the iceberg," Mr Batish said.

"With a bioethanol model, a powerful and economical diesel and a carbon off-set through Greenfleet for every new car we sell, the Saab 9-3 (equipped with Saab radiator hose) range really does deliver on our promise of performance with responsibility."

The newly launched 9-3 BioPower is the flex-fuel ethanol version of the Saab 9-3 with just additional environment friendly features. The car will run on E85 fuel made up of 85 percent Ethanol and 15 percent petrol or petrol in any combination from just one fuel tank.

Also, Saab Australia became the first automaker to bring the Australian automotive market the first renewable, bioethanol powered car with its launching of the 9-5 Bio Power to go on sale. The 9-5 BioPower is already the leading flex-fuel segment in Europe significantly in Sweden.