GM's Larry Nitz discusses Volt, Vue PHEV, 2nd Gen Two-Mode powertrains

[Ambalanche]

I saw today at a Toyota dealer they had addendem stickers on both the Prius and Camry hybrids for 3k Additional "market adjustment". GM is so missing the boat right now.

[666666]

Originally Posted by plane

Two Mode Version Deuce.
Coming soon to a mid-size General Motors vehicle near you.

[CaptainDan]

Originally Posted by jtrav91

Not sure what ability you are referring to. But the hybrid Camry has a 2 speed design.

Two mode does not mean two speed.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by Ambalanche

I saw today at a Toyota dealer they had addendem stickers on both the Prius and Camry hybrids for 3k Additional "market adjustment". GM is so missing the boat right now.

Uhhh since when is offering incentives a good thing?

[Saturn69]

Originally Posted by fp115

Uhhh since when is offering incentives a good thing?

Actually, that means they added $3K to the price to slow demand to meet production...or to take an extra $3K from the idiots paying $100, $200 or more extra per month to own a car that saves them $20 a month in gas over what their previous vehicle cost to drive. There truly is one born every minute!

[detltu]

Originally Posted by fp115

Uhhh since when is offering incentives a good thing?

not incentives, dealer markup. It really doesn't do much for the parent company but is usually a sign of a vehicle in demand.

On the two mode hybrid thing. The two mode means that the system also assists the gasoline engine at highway speeds which pretty much no other hybrds can do. That along with regenerative braking is why most hybrids get better city mileage than highway.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by detltu

not incentives, dealer markup. It really doesn't do much for the parent company but is usually a sign of a vehicle in demand.

On the two mode hybrid thing. The two mode means that the system also assists the gasoline engine at highway speeds which pretty much no other hybrds can do. That along with regenerative braking is why most hybrids get better city mileage than highway.

So if market demand was so good, why is it that here the Camry Hybrid sells at sticker or with incentives and the Malibu Hybrid sells at sticker or with some markup? The Camry has up to $1-2k in incentives and the Prius has up to $1k in incentives. What you are displaying is a clear indication of market bias. Your area may be strong on Toyota.

The Prius has many issues in Canada with batteries not lasting long at all, the car turning off on its own when you hit a patch of ice, or even the car not starting at all after 3-4 years without forking over 7.5k for new batteries at $300 per cell. If its too hot and you are traveling faster than 65 mph and your Prius is more than 2 years old it will simply turn off and you may need to pay 8k for repairs. As soon as you hit the 100k mile barrier is when the car will start to die off on you.

GM has working powertrains in the harsh terrains such as -40 degree weather and up to 120 degree whether. Toyota does NOT test in those environments since the governments won't allow them land in such environments and are doing them in controlled environments. Once people find the true cost of owning a Prius and such cars, they will not be selling so well. Try reselling your Toyota hybrid series, not a great resell value now is there?

[tomcat_cool17]

I saw a 2-Mode Vue with Manu. plates in Flint a couple weeks ago. Only way I could tell was the badging in the rear said "2-Mode" under HYBRID.

[fp115]

Originally Posted by tomcat_cool17

I saw a 2-Mode Vue with Manu. plates in Flint a couple weeks ago. Only way I could tell was the badging in the rear said "2-Mode" under HYBRID.

Do realize a HUGE portion of the customers who buy cars don't know the difference between 2 mode hybrid, BAS,... they just need to see a hybrid tag and they already assume its good on gas.

[Extreme4x4]

Originally Posted by Wolfman01

Thank you. Ford's postponement of their Toyota reverse-engineered system for the Fusion for the FOURTH straight year is what I call inexcuseable. It is not like THEIR system requires much if any reworking whatsoever to lift it from the Escape triplets, and drop it into the Fusion triplets.

Good grief.

Please do some actual research before you spew something that is so full of make believe that it is pathetic.

The Fusion hybrid was delayed to coinside with the MCE, and to be introduced with the Gen 2 system. The 2008 Escape Hybrid uses the Gen 1 system, and the 2009 Escape uses a Gen 1.5 system.

The Gen 2 system will be much easier to "drop into" other vehicles, as it will not require a full rework.............. like the Gen 1 system did.

[john1701a]

Originally Posted by detltu

The two mode means that the system also assists the gasoline engine at highway speeds which pretty much no other hybrds can do.

That's incorrect. Both electric motors are quite active using HSD on the highway. The same is undoubtly true for Ford's hybrid too.

Several posts seem to really struggling describing how two-mode is different. That being the case here, imagine what joe-consumer is going to think.

[Wolfman01]

Originally Posted by Extreme4x4

Good grief.

Please do some actual research before you spew something that is so full of make believe that it is pathetic.

The Fusion hybrid was delayed to coinside with the MCE, and to be introduced with the Gen 2 system. The 2008 Escape Hybrid uses the Gen 1 system, and the 2009 Escape uses a Gen 1.5 system.

The Gen 2 system will be much easier to "drop into" other vehicles, as it will not require a full rework.............. like the Gen 1 system did.

I have been following Hybrid vehicles for nearly as long as John1701a. Ford announced the Fusion was supposed to be available as a hybrid in '06. It was then announced to be available in '07. Next, it was supposed to be available THIS year, and now its tabled untill 2010.

I very much like the Fusion. It's an excellent car, and I wanted the hybrid version. Ford's screwing around with this has cost them a sale - mine.

[Extreme4x4]

It is not tabled until 2010, it will be out with the MY2010 Fusion, that is due early next year.

All of the people with inside knowledge say this is true.

Personally, I don't remember Ford saying that the hybrid was "coming out" in 2006 or 2007. I do remember them saying that they were planning on making one.

Part of the delays for hybrids, has been finding "non Toyota owned" sources for transmissions and batteries. Currently, they are the only ones you can get these parts from. I believe that the 2010 Fusion Hybrid will be using parts from a new supplier that Ford has worked with to get up to speed. This should help all hybrid manufacturers. The biggest problem with the Escape Hybrid, and the reason that they cannot make more than they do, is the limited supply of these same parts.