Holden Looking Closely At Hybrid Drive For Future Commodore's

[JoeT]

Holden Is Going Eco

Paul Gover
23 June 2006
www.carsguide.com.au

A hybrid-powered Holden Commodore could be born out of advanced research being done in Australia for General Motors.

Petrol-electric drive systems are being researched and developed by GM Holden with backing from the Federal Government in a program that is jointly funded with $50 million from the Automotive and Competitive Investment Scheme.

The program includes research on direct fuel-injection for Holden's Global V6 engine, the two-mode hybrid program and alternative fuels. Work's being done on human-machine interface development and global smart-architecture design.

"We want to be ready. We want to do the development work so that, depending on how the fuel price and economics do, we are ready to run," the chairman of GM Holden, Denny Mooney, says.

He admits Holden is looking closely at hybrid drive for a future Commodore, a program that has already come up with a late 1990s teaser concept car, the ECOcommodore, which even did escort duties at the Sydney Olympics. Mooney says: "Absolutely. The big if is, (whether) it is economical. At $70 a barrel (for oil), (hybrid) is still not economical -- but at some time there is a path when it makes sense."

Mooney says Holden's latest dip into the ACIS funding is vital to the company, just as it is to the other three local carmakers.

It has just had its biggest backing after relatively minor projects in the $2-$3 million range.

Mooney says the total ACIS pool is more than $150 million on a range of projects and he says he believes Ford is also using some of its backing to help develop a diesel engine for its Territory.

"The Government looks at the proposals," he says.

"They involve leading-edge technologies. It makes sense."

He says ACIS support gives the companies backing for future products, cements links between industry and government and also shows that Australia is a country where there is a co-operative approach within the motor industry. It's important for us that the government assistance keeps the intellectual property in Australia and keeps us very competitive on doing the work.

"It also shows industry and government can work together.

"That's important to the senior leadership of GM. Around the world you are looking at industry relationships with government and labour ... and you're looking for stability, certainty," Mooneys says.

He also says the ACIS and the GM Holden projects help to build a bank of talented people in Australia and ensure a smooth work flow through departments at its Fishermans Bend design and technical centres in Melbourne.

"We have engineers and a good relationship with the universities. It's important for us to keep all our engineers employed," he explains.

"We go through peaks and valleys with development of new vehicles. We have more than 1000 engineeers working in the organisation and you want to keep that employment level. Otherwise, you have to let some go and then re-hire for various projects. And it also keeps our people motivated.

"Holden is the largest private spender on R&D in Australia -- more than $200 million a year on engineering and ... we've invested $1.8 billion over three years."

More information on the ECOmmodore concept here

[Martino_z]

ha! still remember seeing that thing at the adelaide motor show. I didn't remember how different the shape was to the normal commodore at the time. wow!

Hope holden doesn't go for this hybrid farce. They need stuff like diesel or biofuels. Maybe if that hydrogen buggy guy was alive they could've spoken to him.

[Butz]

Sounds promising. They should offer the Hybrid with the V8. Serious performance.

[FunkyPig]

A 3.6L V6 as part of a hybrid would give great performance, or a 2.8L version of the V6 could give better than 3.6 performce with good economy.

[redTT]

Holden already export E85 capable commodores to south america, they also have LPG capable cars, and cars capable of being modified for LPG.

[asim]

Well hopefully they will share parts and resources with other parts of GM, like GM North America. I wouldn't mind seeing the Hybrid Commodore here, or even just parts of it here in American cars.

[Cammo6791]

Not sure about hybrids myself, but didnt GM buy the patent to a device which reduces fuel consumption by 30%. I thought theyve had it since the 60s or 70s. It was invented by an australian guy.