GM's Future Plans

Soon, GM showrooms will be dominated by alternative fuel vehicle models.

Why? This is because the Detroit-based automaker has recently announced that it is planning to move about 500 fuel cell experts from its advanced development laboratories to work with GM's engineering team for future production of fuel cell, hybrid, and other alternative fuel vehicles.

"Eight years ago we said that hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle technology could make a major contribution to solving the energy and environmental challenges facing the automobile industry. Today's announcement signals another important milestone as we move fuel cell vehicles closer to future production." said Larry Burns, GM Vice President, Research and Development.

"Moving our fuel cell experts from advanced development laboratories to our core engineering organizations highlights our strong commitment to developing electrically-driven vehicles using diverse energy sources" added Tom Stephens, GM Group Vice President of Global Powertrain.

More than 400 fuel cell engineers, lead by Dr. J. Byron McCormick, the Executive Director of GM Fuel Cell Activities will report to GM's Powertrain Group to begin the production and engineering of fuel cell systems. There are also 100 fuel cell engineers that will be transfered GM's Global Product Development organization.

GM's future plans for fuel cell and other alternative fuel vehicle production include:

• E85-capable biofuel vehicles - GM is a leading producer with more than 2 million on the road today

• GM's 2-mode hybrid system for large city buses

• GM's Hybrid System in the Saturn Vue Green Line and Saturn Aura Green Line

• Coming this fall, GM's 2-mode hybrid system in the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon full-size SUVs, which provides a more than 25-percent improvement in fuel economy to what is already the industry's most fuel-efficient large SUVs, with no compromises in performance or towing capability

• Due next year, a front-wheel-drive 2-mode Saturn Vue Green Line that is expected to deliver up to a 45-percent improvement in combined city and highway fuel economy compared with the current non-hybrid Vue, based on current federal test procedures

• Plans to produce a plug-in version of the 2-mode hybrid Vue Green Line that has the potential to achieve double the fuel efficiency of any current SUV