Chevrolet Trucks Blog

With the worsening global warming situation, General Motors Corporation (GMC) has developed a lithium-ion battery for its vehicles and future models with hopes of producing more environment-friendly products.

The western automaker is currently collaborating with A123Systems in developing this exceptional vehicle feat. The A123System’s nanophosphate battery chemistry will be able to produce a long-lasting, safe, and powerful battery for the E-flex electric drive of GMC-produced brands such as Chevrolet, Ford, and Saturn.

“Breakthrough battery technology will drive future automotive propulsion, and the company that aligns with the best strategic partners will win. That’s what is so important about this deal,” said Bob Lutz, GM vice chairman of Global Product Development. “Whether you are talking about the Chevy Volt, a fuel cell or even a plug-in hybrid such as our planned Saturn Vue, we need to understand the fundamental battery cell performance.”

The Chevy Volt concept car, which was introduced earlier this year, was the first vehicle that was equipped with the E-flex electric vehicle architecture. This Chevrolet wonder can run up to 40 miles with zero gasoline and produce zero emissions. A high-technology like this could nearly eliminate going to the gas station altogether.

“The Chevy Volt will lead the automotive industry in a new direction,” said Lutz. “We see a future where vehicles run on electricity and are equipped with clever ways of making electricity on board, making us less dependent on gasoline. It’s the next great paradigm shift in our industry, an opportunity largely due to the rapid advancement in battery cell technology by companies such as A123Systems and LG Chem.”

GMC is really is committed in manufacturing these safer and friendlier vehicles, thus the company has named a diverse lineup of upcoming hybrid models such as the Saturn Vue and Chevrolet Malibu. Chevrolet Tahoe, a medium-duty pick-up truck, and GMC Yukon will be the world’s first two-mode hybrid system in an SUV. This technology will guarantee up to 40 percent improvement in city driving fuel economy to what is already the industry’s most fuel-efficient full-size SUVs. The system will surely improve the fuel efficiency of these trucks, which are usually utilized for hauling and towing.

From Chevrolet trucks to cars to sport utility vehicles, the brand has been a favorite in Nigeria since 2005, thanks to the franchising prowess of the InterMotors and Chevrolet’s excellent products.

A Nigeria Motors Industry (NMI) division, InterMotors, which has been lead by Graham Lowe has handled marketing the Chevrolet brand to the locals. InterMotors has had several phases before achieving the current management in the later months of 2005. Ever since Lowe took over managing InterMotors, Chevrolet has become a household brand for Nigerians and other residents.

“You will have seen the advertising done by Intermotors in the press, at motor fairs, direct marketing and by supporting specific company events but the best advertising that is available is the growing number of Chevrolet vehicles on the roads of Nigeria,” said Lowe.

Aside from Chevrolet, InterMotors also manages General Motors Corporation (GMC) products. Intermotors manager Lowe revealed that working on Chevrolet’s reputation was and is the key for the automobile brand’s continuous rise in the highly competitive Nigerian auto market.

“InterMotors has built the Chevrolet reputation mainly by sales to the general public who are a very discerning group as they are spending their own money but sales to the corporate sector are growing strongly. Both sectors have, and are, responding positively to our range of Chevrolet vehicles,” said Lowe

With Chevrolet’s quality products and the needed local push of InterMotors, the automaker has been enjoying a strong presence in the Nigerian auto market. Chevrolet takes pride in outstripping its 2006 product sales of Chevrolet trucks, cars, and SUVs. The automobile company has been greatly encouraged by its performance, which was able to meet expectations and demands of a wide array of customers in this country.

The after sales facilities put up by the company and InterMotors were highly appreciated by customers. Chevrolet truck or car owners can easily look for efficient spare parts. InterMotors has also put up quick service centers for Chevrolet customers in Nigeria. Moreover, Chevrolet’s good vehicles with just the right tag prices and excellent aftermarket sales support proved really costly for this positive output.

The worsening state of global warming has pushed General Motors Corporation (GMC), which is the producer for Chevrolet trucks and other vehicles, to develop green technology for vehicles especially to trucks, such as the hybrid vehicles.

By the third quarter of next year, eight hybrid models will be released. These models will be equipped with three different systems. If that is not enough, GMC plans to have a plug-in hybrid before the decade closes.

The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, however, will be already released. These trucks will be installed with hybrid systems that are still capable of towing heavy loads and deliver a 25 percent boost in fuel economy. These vehicles will take pride in the 320-hp, 6.0-liter V-8 and a four-speed automatic transmission that has two electric motors. The motors propel the vehicle from a stop to 20 mph. Moreover, the engine incorporates cylinder deactivation, and the vehicle body has aluminum panels to reduce weight. Another Chevrolet truck, the Chevrolet Silverado will follow suit by 2010.

Engines that burn diesel generally are more fuel-efficient than gasoline models. This is why General Motors Corp., the largest U.S. automaker and manufacturer of Chevrolet, plans to introduce a range of diesel-powered vehicles in the United States.

Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, in a video conference posted Thursday on GM’s FastLane blog, said that they are already doing a bunch of them. He adds that Detroit-based GM will offer cars, sport utility vehicles and crossover SUVs with diesel engines. Diesel engines for Chevrolet are currently available only on some large, heavy-duty pickups and medium-duty trucks. This will all change in the coming years.

People in General Motors believe that selling more vehicles with diesel engines would help Chevrolet vehicle owners not have such a hard time with the constant rise in gasoline prices. The introduction of a wide range of diesel-powered vehicles is alleged to meet the possible increase in U.S. fuel economy rules.

According to Lutz, diesel engines are not a “panacea” for meeting proposed higher fuel economy standards. The legislation now being considered in Congress would raise the requirement across each automaker’s fleet to an average of 35 miles per gallon by as early as 2018.

As of this date, the GM sells eight-cylinder turbo-diesel models of its heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra large pickups; Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana large vans; and GMC TopKick and Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty trucks.

They plan to offer a six-cylinder diesel engine for cars, light trucks and crossover SUVs, and an eight-cylinder, 4.5-liter engine on SUVs in the coming years. This was all that GM disclosed for now. They didn’t provide the specifics.

After opening its first Chevrolet assembly line in the country, General Motors plan to launch its first Kazakh-produced Chevrolet onto the Kazakh market next month.

The new assembly plant, together with a partnership between Asia Avto and GM Daewoo, was opened at the Asia Avto plant near the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk. The opening ceremony was attended by Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

President Nazarbayev said that the “launch of the Chevrolet production line is a great achievement. These new competitive products will, I hope, both by price and quality win the Kazakh market and make it outside. The plant is a pioneer in the production of light vehicles in Kazakhstan and keeps developing. I support your venture”.

Chevrolet models Lacetti, Epica and Captiva, the first to be assembled by the line, were put on show in the Kazakh capital of Astana last weekend.

The number of units assembled by the line is expected to reach 1300 in 2007 and over 3000 in 2008, which are assembled from parts provided by GM Daewoo.

Kazakhstan’s annual vehicle sales exceeded 60,000 for the first time in 2006. This figure is expected to increase to 250,000 within five years.

Shares of General Motors Corp.  rose 94 cents, or 2.5 percent, to $38.35 in afternoon trading.