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Chevy tops Honda and Toyota for Green Car Vision award

1K views 34 replies 7 participants last post by  Bitter 
#1 ·
Chevy has Green Car Vision
Chevy tops Honda and Toyota for Green Car Vision award
By GreenCar.com Editors
provided by:
Chevrolet Equinox



WASHINGTON, DC -- The Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell has been honored with Green Car Journal’s Green Car Vision Award™, the first time the auto enthusiast magazine has recognized limited production vehicles for their forward-thinking technologies. The award, which recognizes a vehicle that best “envisions the road ahead,” was presented at the Washington Auto Show by Green Car Journal and GreenCar.com editor Ron Cogan.

Featuring General Motors’ fourth-generation fuel cell propulsion system, the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell won out over the BMW Hydrogen 7, Honda FCX Clarity, Phoenix Electric SUT, and Toyota Prius Plug-In.

The Equinox Fuel Cell offers the ability to start and operate in sub-freezing temperatures, overcoming one of the fuel cell’s major challenges. It is also designed for a 50,000 mile service life. Cleanly integrated into the Equinox crossover platform, the fuel cell powertrain is engineered to be a real-world driver. While showcasing what many expect to be the automotive powerplant of the future, the Equinox Fuel Cell is also planted firmly in the present. It’s designed to meet U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and offers StabiliTrac, front and roof rail side-impact air bags, four wheel ABS, and OnStar as standard equipment.

Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell



GM is producing over 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles and placing them in consumer hands as part of the world’s largest fuel cell vehicle test fleet. This process has already begun. The ambitious program, dubbed “Project Driveway,” is part of GM’s ongoing fuel cell development that started more than 40 years ago with the hydrogen fuel cell powered Electrovan. Over the past four decades this development has featured such high profile fuel cell concepts as the Hy-wire, AUTOnomy, Sequel, and the recently announced Cadillac Provoq.

Project Driveway will take place in metropolitan areas on both coasts including New York City, Washington DC, and in California, chosen in part because these locations offer good access to hydrogen refueling facilities. The Equinox Fuel Cell has an estimated range of 200 miles between fill-ups and a top speed of 100 mph. Observant motorists will notice something missing from the rear of the car: in place of usual exhaust pipe are four slots in the rear fascia that dispense this vehicle’s only emissions … water vapor.

Chevy-has-Green-Car-Vision- Yahoo! Autos

Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Wins 2008 Green Car Vision Award | Green Car .com
 
#3 ·
Owned? Hardly. Lutz just proclaimed that ethanol is the way to go in the future there is no sense in diesel. Good thing the rest of the other auto makers in the world are bringing diesel models in this year. Not hybrid, not ethanol, diesel.

Automotive News said:
Bob Lutz's prediction is that diesels, at least as far as the US is concerned, won't be much of a factor.

His reasoning is simple: "I think customers are going to say, 'Wait a minute. At equal fuel prices I'm paying $4,000 more for this." Unlike many countries in Europe, the US offers no incentive for people to buy diesels. In the States the price of a diesel vehicle is often more than $1,000 higher than that of a gasoline-engined car, and diesel fuel is just as expensive as gas (throughout California and other states, it's slightly more expensive than premium unleaded). In that case, Lutz's opinion is that just about all the customer will glean from an oilburner is a higher car payment.

Lutz sees diesel uptake in the US hovering at about eight-percent. The technology he sees as winning the day: ethanol. It's clean, it's easy to integrate into the refueling infrastructure, and it "doesn't require a change in consumer behavior." (Except for the people in emerging markets who've seen the price of corn skyrocket.)
True to form, GM will continue on their own road no one is likely to follow; then trying to create an impractical infrastructure for a fuel system no one but GM is going to support, all the while continuing to make gas hogs like the Buick sport ute pig you keep posting in here.

Owned, yeah.
 
#7 ·
Owned? Oh Mav, how I love you so...

So GM is so far advanced in their hybrid technology that they have a green car? Can you answer two things for me?

1) Where did GM get their hybrid engine design from?

2) Have they decided how much the Volt will be yet? Or if they are planning on selling the car and then have the customer just lease the batteries?

Let's face it, GM has only dabbled in the business of producing electric cars. Toyota has OWNED it for the last 8 years.

The great Lutz is telling everyone that ethanol is the way to go. He couldn't be more wrong. It takes alot more fuel to get the same horsepower, which leads you to hitting the gas pedal harder, reducing your fuel economy. This, in turn, causes your wallet to be thinner. Which is his exact point as to why people will shy away from diesel. I'll skip over the rising cost of corm right now too.

And let's not get into resale value on a chevy vs. toyota. That is something everyone already knows about.

This just sealed it for me. Lutz is the greatest thing that has ever happened to Toyota. I think I will send him a box of chocolates.
 
#16 ·
Owned? Oh Mav, how I love you so...

So GM is so far advanced in their hybrid technology that they have a green car? Can you answer two things for me?

1) Where did GM get their hybrid engine design from?

2) Have they decided how much the Volt will be yet? Or if they are planning on selling the car and then have the customer just lease the batteries?

Let's face it, GM has only dabbled in the business of producing electric cars. Toyota has OWNED it for the last 8 years.
.
Are you forgetting the Insight? GM dumped 2 BILLION in R&D into that car. Don't think they just tossed out all of the work they did and didn't apply it to the Volt. GM has built electric cars, Toyota has not - a hybrid is not an electric car.
 
#4 ·
sam said:
True to form, GM will continue on their own road no one is likely to follow; then trying to create an impractical infrastructure for a fuel system no one but GM is going to support, all the while continuing to make gas hogs like the Buick sport ute pig you keep posting in here.
That is why Toyota and Honda both came out this year with plug-in concepts at this years auto show. They're stepping up to the game GM came out with at last years show with the Volt.
 
#8 ·
Holy crap. As I read further into your GM rah rah article, it states that the car that won has only a 50,000 service life? Are you guys that stupid at GM as to announce that? Most people realize a GM can only go 100k until you have to dump it off on someone, but now you announce it is half of that? I wonder what the resale will be on onoe that has 45k miles on it? And that is only 3 years of normal driving.

And it only has a range of 200 miles? Mav, PM me when GM actually produces a vehicle that will benefit the market.
 
#9 ·
Look I dont have time to reply to all of your banter. What I can tell you is that lutz was here last week and he said with the redesign of the volt, and the advancements made just last month in lithium ion batteries, that the volt could literally go 700 miles without using a drop of gas. It will be out in 2010.
 
#10 ·
What do you mean you don't have time. You work for GM. It's not like you are actually working on producing a better vehicle :fawk2:

But you never did answer my question... who did GM buy the hybrid engine technology from? It shouldn't take that long to type the answer....
 
#12 ·
not even close Mav, and you know it. Toyota buying a malibu to learn about their competition is good business sense. It isn't our fault that you guys can't afford to buy a Camry to really see how to build a car.

GM buying a technology to USE AS THEIR OWN is something entirely different. And why the 2 trannys? You guys couldn't figure out how to make a decent CVT work with both systems?

I'm going to stop bashing GM when they have an original thought and you stop posting rah rah crap about how much better GM is than Toyota. Especially when you guys had to buy it from us.

BTW, I had a chance to drive in a new Malibu today. There isn't a single thing toyota wants to learn from that car. It was an LT2 package car. Most plain looking car out there. The sport model looks ALOT nicer, but it still doesn't come close to a camry SE.
 
#13 ·
not even close Mav, and you know it. Toyota buying a malibu to learn about their competition is good business sense. It isn't our fault that you guys can't afford to buy a Camry to really see how to build a car.
I stopped here. . . mainly because honda did the same thing. Lutz said that they actually received phone calls from honda to congratulate GM on such a solid vehicle in the malibu. Good competition. Don't start spouting off your camry shit to me. Ive been to plenty of ride and drives and yes the camry is present. Dont be a fool.
 
#15 ·
The Malibu has a ton going for it pricewise and featurewise. But only if you get the LTZ model. Let's not compare sticker prices, because no one in their right mind will pay sticker for either car, we both know that.

As far as price goes, you can get a few of them under 20 grand. Invoice on an LS model is about 18,400. Invoice on a Camry is 18,000. I am sure either can be had for invoice. Which would a normal consumer choose? A malibu or a camry given the pricing? Don't like the LS vs CE comparo? Let's go LT vs LE... Camry is 700 cheaper. LT2 vs XLE? You got me. By about 800 bucks. But I give you so much more equipment, it is an easy sale. Come on, no moonroof in the upscale LT2 package standard?

I am not saying that the Camry is perfect. But I was not the one to start praising the Malibu in the first place.
 
#25 ·
I would simply appreciate a, "wow, good job GM" or something along those lines. instead this site insists on bitching and trying to tell me that GM is still in the past.

anyway, I dont receive direct paychecks from GM. So until that time Ive decided I could give a rats ass. In other words, Im not going to waste my time on here trying to justify my rationale.

edit:

asshole.
 
#27 ·
The 6-speed auto in the 6.0L is only available in the 3/4 and 1 ton. Again, when toyota comes out with their version, we'll revisit this.

The 6.2L is only available in the Sierra Denali. A truck which starts out at $40K and goes up from there. So, I guess you are correct there.

The bed bounce... Since it is a ford video, you are right, the bed moves around a ton on the Toyota. What they don't tell you is that it is the softest suspension available. 90% of the Tundras come with the TRD package, which makes it look more like the ford or chevy box.
 
#29 ·
It is a good vehicle in a very competitive market. My opinion which is going to be somewhat fanboy-slanted is its still not quite as good as the 3 domestic makes, based on having driven all 4, viewed the stats on paper, seen what the construction crew prefers, read about the quality/design issues, and reading the mag reviews.

Now to prove that I don't totally wear blinders, I do think the Tacoma is far and away the best midsize truck and would reccomend it in a heartbeat. The Canyon/Colorado are ugly inside and out, and the I4 and I5 motors kind of stink. The Ranger was good at one time, but it has been left by Ford to age and pass on. And I don't know what Dodge was thinking with the current Dakota, pretty much ruined a once good truck.
 
#34 ·
My buddy bought an 07 Extended cab 2wd V6 Tacoma last November, and it has turned out to be the biggest rattling piece of shit I have ever ridden in. It rattles worse than my 3g did with 2 15" subwoofers in it after a few months. It makes weird noises, and always smells like something is burning.

I wouldn't have one. But what do I know... I've owned a Land Rover Discovery for 30k trouble free miles... I think it is more luck of the draw these days.
 
#35 ·
i hate to say it, but toyotas quality control seems to be slipping.

http://www.corolland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20802

that forum is a very small slice of the corolla market, and theres 4 or 5 members with pcm failures that had to wait 2-6 weeks for repair.

however, i'd still take a 5 yr old toyota over a 5yr old chevy, ford, chrysler, or nissan.
 
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