Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 10, 2010

A National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) project, funded by GM, found that an ultracapacitor-based energy storage system (ESS) in a Saturn VUE BAS (belt alternator starter) mild hybrid performed at least as well or better than the NiMH battery system in the production hybrid. Power dominates cost in HEV (high P/E ratio) batteries.

NiMH 299

NiMH Energy Storage VUE Saturn 299

Green Car Congress

MAY 5, 2009

Prototype Saturn Vue PHEV plugging in to a Coulomb Chargepoint ( earlier post ) in San Jose, CA. of Energy (DOE) and nonprofit Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). of Energy (DOE) and nonprofit Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Click to enlarge. Earlier post.). Earlier post.).

VUE 150

VUE Plug-in GM Saturn 150

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 11, 2009

GM has simplified the two-mode hybrid system for application in front-wheel drive vehicles—the Saturn VUE being the first instance ( earlier post )—while retaining its functionality and capability, according to Mark Selogie, Senior Manager Power Electronics, GM Powertrain, speaking at the SAE Hybrid Symposium in San Diego (11-12 Feb).

VUE 150

VUE GM San Diego Hybrid 150

Green Car Congress

JUNE 13, 2009

The competition challenges university engineering students across North America to re-engineer a 2009 Saturn VUE to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions while retaining the vehicle’s performance and consumer appeal. The Ohio State’s design was powered by a 1.8-liter liter engine and fueled by E85 ethanol.

Ohio 150

Ohio Universal 2009 Design 150

Green Car Congress

MAY 9, 2009

At the recent SAE 2009 World Congress in Detroit, General Motors engineers presented the first front-wheel-drive (FWD) iteration of their two-mode hybrid transaxle, termed the 2MT70 ( earlier post ), scheduled for its first application in the Saturn 2009 VUE 2-Mode Hybrid light sport-utility vehicle later this year ( earlier post ).

GM 257

GM Saturn Hybrid VUE 257

Green Car Congress

AUGUST 6, 2009

General Motors will debut its two-mode plug-in hybrid technology—originally intended to appear first in a Saturn VUE, prior to that brand’s sale—in a new Buick crossover vehicle in 2011. The conventional version of the Buick crossover will be powered by an Ecotec 2.4L Photo by Jeffrey Sauger for GM) Click to enlarge.

Buick 210

Buick Li-ion Plug-in GM 210

Green Cars News

MAY 7, 2009

Currently Saturn sells two hybrid vehicles - the VUE and Aura with GM hybrid system - and was also scheduled to offer a two-mode hybrid Vue with a Vue plug-in two-mode hybrid version scheduled for 2011 to be used in a test fleet with the US Department of Energy.

VUE 36

VUE Plug-in Saturn GM 36