Observation on GM and the new CAFE standards.

[HoosierRon]

We all recall how GM (and Toyota!) were against the new CAFE standards. We repeatedly were told it could not be done. In the short time since the law has passed, look at what we have been discussing on GMi:

Cobalt XFE on sale now and gets class leading mileage.

Tahoe and Silverado two mode hybrids on sale now and get class leading mileage.

1.4L turbo on the way for small cars.

The Traverse (and presumably all Lambdas) will get DI standard. If I recall correctly, it is estimated to get 27 mpg highway.

BAS+ will soon be here. It is promised to get significantly better mileage than the current BAS. I am not aware of any other company that has announced li-ion BAS.

The Volt is on track for a 2010 introduction. No other manufacturer has announced a similar product.

By next year, the 4 cyl/6 speed Malibu will be offered on all trim levels. It gets class leading mileage.

By next year, GM will be selling diesel half tons. Toyota also may be selling diesel Tundras, but it will not be beating GM to market.

Within a few years, GM will be offering alternatives to the body on frame truck: the Pontiac El Camino and the GMC unibody thing. Toyota has not anounced any similar products.

The Vue plug-in will be on sale within 2 years. It will offer class leading mileage, and there is no sign that the Prius will be plug-in or li-ion by that time.

Right now, GM is testing 100 fuel cell Equinoxes. The only other company currently testing fuel cells is Honda, and its program is not nearly as aggressive as GM's.

GM is selling more flex fuel vehicles than anyone.

I think all of this shows that GM is being very responsive not only to the CAFE law, but more importantly, to the demands of the marketplace. Again, all of these developments have come to light just in the last 1-2 years. More importantly, this is not the GM of old, which was always catching up to the competition. In all of the categories I listed, GM is class leading either in performance or in the introduction of new technology.

Keep up the good work, General. I look forward to the next two years during which time I predict some form of hybrid transmission or diesel power will be offered on every model, every model will be offered with a flex fuel engine, we will see significant weight reductions as platforms are redesigned, and turbos and direct injection will migrate to all platforms.

[psece]

Nicely written but you would have to make some changes to this to get into a car magazine.

[big swede]

I definitely like the way GM is headed with all of the items Ron posted. I'm not sure you can give credit to CAFE's ruling a couple of months ago for this much action though. Most of these progresses have been in the works for a very long time. The main complaint about CAFE from the manufacturers is not at hitting the targets but in more of the costs. All this technology and research comes at a hefty price that will inevitably get passed on to the consumer. It's all roses right now but in 10 years when the average car has jumped $10,000 dollars and your pay hasn't it might be a little less rosey.

[psece]

Originally Posted by big swede

I definitely like the way GM is headed with all of the items Ron posted. I'm not sure you can give credit to CAFE's ruling a couple of months ago for this much action though. Most of these progresses have been in the works for a very long time. The main complaint about CAFE from the manufacturers is not at hitting the targets but in more of the costs. All this technology and research comes at a hefty price that will inevitably get passed on to the consumer. It's all roses right now but in 10 years when the average car has jumped $10,000 dollars and your pay hasn't it might be a little less rosey.

CAFE in one fell swoop restricted the only profitable vehicles GM is making (And the lead they had in front of the imports in SUV/Trucks). GM was already moving in the efficiency direction as BAS, Turbos, DI take years to implement.

On a note, isn't it weird that Legislation and Rising Gas Prices happened at the same time? Conspiracy?

[SirRaven]

That is a good list of things that GM has done lately to help increase their fuel economy, but some of those things have been in the works for quite a while. Although they have been implemented around or after that, some of the things like the Two-modes as well as BAS+ were being developed for quite a few years now. Same with plug-in hybrids, the desiels and the fuel cell Equinox. Might want to do a little more search to to see if those things were really influenced by CAFE, Im sure some of it was helped by CAFE to make SURE it gets out. Also I think a lot of this would have happened even if CAFE was not passed, just look at the trend in what people are buying, thats what the car companies will put out.

But hey this is just as good as any car mag would put out, they wouldnt really put that much thought into a list like this either. Like I said, good work on the list.

I will also put in that GM is now MUCH more mass aware now that CAFE has come out.

[Smaart Aas Saabr]

I don't think these things are really in response to the CAFE standards but more in response to $122 oil that looks like it's going upwards still.

[ZR1-S10]

I don't think CAFE or anything else has forced GM to do jack (except kill ultra V8). Bob and Rick (unlike the guys from the '80s) are the type of men who want to improve themselfs and eveything around them, just on the PRINCIPLES of it. They will contiune to improve all parts of cars and the industry and help GM up sales and profits.

[psece]

Originally Posted by SirRaven

But hey this is just as good as any car mag would put out, they wouldnt really put that much thought into a list like this either. Like I said, good work on the list.

I am sorry, but Toyota was mentioned once in a negative and Honda wasn't mentioned once. This would not be printed in a car magazine.

Now if HoosierRonwould change the first sentence from:

Originally Posted by HoosierRon

We all recall how GM (and Toyota!) were against the new CAFE standards. We repeatedly were told it could not be done. In the short time since the law has passed, look at what we have been discussing on GMi:

TO

We all recall how GM was against the new CAFE standards and how Toyota is now, not only the number one seller of hybrids but number one in car sales period. And Honda is now the Greenest Car Company while GM sales way too many Trucks and SUVs. While GM is down, it isn't totally out. In the short time since the law has passed, look at what we have been discussing on GMi: