GM To Build A Hybrid Vehicle In China... For PR Purposes

[JoeT]

GM To Build A Hybrid Car In China

Australian Car Advice
29 November 2007
www.caradvice.com.au

With the Beijing Olympics just around the corner, China faces one big problem - pollution.

The air quality in the capital has reached such drastic levels that some athletes feel they won’t be able to get the necessary oxygen to perform.

In August this year an air quality survey in Beijing found 200mg of particulate matter in every cubic metre of air, which is four times worse than the level considered safe in Europe and Australia.

China feels that addressing climate change and pollution will hinder its industrial and social growth which includes the enormous desire for China’s middle class to own a car.

One small way to address the issue is via hybrid cars. Toyota was the first with the Prius but so far sales have been well below expectations with only 2000 of the cars sold last year.

Now it’s General Motors’ turn. Martin Murray, manager of Asia-Pacific hybrid engineering for GM Asia Pacific today announced plans to produce a hybrid car in China beginning in 2008. The aim is to have the car ready for the Beijing Olympics in August.

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2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid

[Z28x]

Wow, that is quick turnaround. They only have 9 months.

[Slowrider5]

There is definitely a lot of potential here for a big PR boost. Already the problems with air quality and Olympics is making the news, that will only increase as the games get closer. Just like Toyota got all the credit for hybrids in the U.S., GM can swoop in and claim all the credit in China.

Interesting comment by one of the readers who I assumes lives in China....the Chinese don't want to buy the Prius because it's made in Japan.

[AndrewGS]

I'm sure they'll have the air all cleaned up by opening day.

[mgescuro]

I don't see how this is "for PR purposes."
Get a hybrid Buick in there... and that should be good.

[Quickening]

We are concerned about the air quality, but currently we are too busy trying to take over the world (economically) to care. 4x times worst.

Ok here is an environmental question. So Europe and America went through the big Industrial Revolution that apparently poured all sorts stuff into the air. Would these emissions of dissipated by now, or they just floating up there? If so, would they still in the general area?

I'm just wondering, because I know in the Kyoto China was given till 2012 or w/e before they would start getting penalized for their air pollution and such. The theory behind is that, that all the developed countries had their time when they were developed and did similar things. But if China's air quality is 4x as bad as Europe's and such, seems they have taken things to a new extreme and I can only imagine it only getting worse until they start getting pressured to clean up.

Just kinda rambling, hopefully someone gets what I'm saying.

[Porkfriedrice]

Originally Posted by Slowrider5

There is definitely a lot of potential here for a big PR boost. Already the problems with air quality and Olympics is making the news, that will only increase as the games get closer. Just like Toyota got all the credit for hybrids in the U.S., GM can swoop in and claim all the credit in China.

Interesting comment by one of the readers who I assumes lives in China....the Chinese don't want to buy the Prius because it's made in Japan.

theres very bad history there. some call it the chinese holocaust, though it was never really widely publicized. In jsut the Rape of Nanking, horrible atrocities were commited, including genocide and actual rape if you didnt guess. In that invasion of one city, more chinese were killed than all the japanese in the dropping of the atomic bombs. the Japanese still deny it ever happened to this day.

As for pollution, i think China is just poised to overtake the US in pollution this year.

[skylark68]

Originally Posted by Porkfriedrice

theres very bad history there. some call it the chinese holocaust, though it was never really widely publicized. In jsut the Rape of Nanking, horrible atrocities were commited, including genocide and actual rape if you didnt guess. In that invasion of one city, more chinese were killed than all the japanese in the dropping of the atomic bombs. the Japanese still deny it ever happened to this day.

Good point. I don't know if the world will ever know just how many Chinese and Koreans were killed by the Japanese during occupation. The Nazis were notorious for keeping extremely accurate records but the Japanese didn't follow suit.

I think GM could really entrench themselves even further into the Chinese market with a hybrid Buick like mgescuro said.

[Quickening]

I think its a little ridiculous, that Japan still to this day denies the happenings of Nanking.

[jtrav91]

Originally Posted by Quickening

I'm just wondering, because I know in the Kyoto China was given till 2012 or w/e before they would start getting penalized for their air pollution and such.

Wrong type of pollution. Kyoto addresses carbon emissions, which are not what affect breathing. Smog emissions are quite different. That's the type which GM does not address with their hybrids. BAS provides no improvement. Two-Mode is actually dirtier.

Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just pointing out the reality of the situation.

[samkung]

Originally Posted by Slowrider5

Interesting comment by one of the readers who I assumes lives in China....the Chinese don't want to buy the Prius because it's made in Japan.

I think they are just not ready to pay such a premium price (Hybrid) for something (environment) they dont really cares at the moment Japanese cars are selling pretty good in China, so i doubt it has to do with the "anti-Japanese" thingy

All to the honest, the only people will buy these GM hybrid car will be the government OR if GM could keep the price really cheap.

PS: Prius cost RMB 289,000 which is like $40,000

[notacarguy]

OT, but skylark68, what Will Ferrell movie is your avatar?

[Quickening]

Originally Posted by jtrav91

Wrong type of pollution. Kyoto addresses carbon emissions, which are not what affect breathing. Smog emissions are quite different. That's the type which GM does not address with their hybrids. BAS provides no improvement. Two-Mode is actually dirtier.

Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just pointing out the reality of the situation.

Haha why would I shoot the messenger? No I'm glad you corrected me, as I'm pretty clueless to all the details, so thanks for the response. Glad someone answered my ramblings as I procrastinated on a paper.

[chakis24]

Originally Posted by notacarguy

OT, but skylark68, what Will Ferrell movie is your avatar?

zoolander

[TKR]

Originally Posted by jtrav91

Wrong type of pollution. Kyoto addresses carbon emissions, which are not what affect breathing. Smog emissions are quite different. That's the type which GM does not address with their hybrids. BAS provides no improvement. Two-Mode is actually dirtier.

Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just pointing out the reality of the situation.

As an auto tech and being very familiar with the operation of engines and emmission controls, I would have thought that a vehicle that uses less fuel (especially in the city) and uses the same controls as other vehicles (cat converters etc) would therefore produce less emissions of all types - CO2, NOX, HC's and soot (amongst others).
Maybe I'm wrong but I would love an explanation of your theory.