May 06, 2008
February 06, 2008
Corporate Greenwashing
General Motors hosts online conversation today, February 6 at 12noon EST, on the topic of greenwashing. ... General Motors Live Chat
January 23, 2008
Chevrolet Equinox "Fuel Cell" Wins Award
" ... Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell has received Green Car Journal's ... Green Car Vision Award(TM), which honors the vehicle that best envisions the road ahead. ..."
"The Equinox ... is visionary on many levels," ... Powering a popular crossover model with a future fuel such as hydrogen, and doing so seamlessly with an efficient powerplant that creates no CO2 greenhouse gases, is exemplary and Chevrolet should be commended for this."
"An important element that weighed in the Equinox Fuel Cell's favor is the way in which GM is enabling consumers and fleets to experience its advanced hydrogen technology. Through "Project Driveway," the world's largest fuel cell demonstration fleet, more than 100 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles will be driven by consumers and others for three months at a time in California, New York City, and Washington D.C."
Via: Sys-Con.Com LinkContinue reading "Chevrolet Equinox "Fuel Cell" Wins Award" »
September 13, 2007
General Motors Solar Warehouse in California
General Motors takes creative approach to solar power at its Service and Parts Operations (SPO) warehouse in Fontana, California, where a solar array will provide about half of the electrical power needed to run the facility. ...
... "This new array continues the automaker’s leadership in both the use of solar energy and in innovative business arrangements that blur old distinctions between energy user and energy supplier. The Fontana solar array will be atop GM’s 300,000 square foot warehouse facility and will become operational in December. It joins a similar sized solar installation at another GM Service and Parts Operations warehouse eight miles away in Rancho Cucamonga. Constellation Energy and Project Services has partnered with GM and will design, build, own, and operate the Fontana solar array. GM has a long-term contract with Constellation to purchase electricity generated from the system.
The solar array provides General Motors a clean, reliable source of energy from its rooftop, without an investment of its own money. General Motors estimates that the solar array at its SPO facility in Fontana will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 355 metric tons each year, while reducing its electricity costs by about 10 percent a year. The system will generate about 1.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, about the amount needed to power 500 homes for one year. Electricity generated by the solar array not used by the GM facility will be fed back to the grid for sale to other area residents and businesses. During spring and fall, which are periods of high sunshine combined with low air conditioning needs, the system will generate extra electricity for the grid. " ...
Via General Motors: General Motors Adds More Solar Power
September 12, 2007
GM E85 Days of Summer Tour
See General Motors' E85 ethanol-capable promotional tour in the Miami area. ...
... "Miami is one of seven stops on the E85 Days of Summer tour that runs through the end of this month. The Miami stop will coincide with the opening of South Florida’s first public E85 ethanol pump located at U-Gas, 210 Northwest 79th Avenue, in Miami. CleanFUEL Distribution will be the provider of E85 ethanol for the new pump. To celebrate the opening, GM and U-Gas will sell E85 ethanol for 85 cents per gallon from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 13 and Friday, September 14. E85 ethanol regularly sells for about $2.55 a gallon. Additionally, the first 75 customers driving a GM FlexFuel E85-capable vehicle will receive a $20 U-Gas refueling card. Drivers of FlexFuel vehicles also will have the opportunity to have a yellow gas cap installed on their vehicle at no charge as a reminder that their vehicles are E85 capable. Stickers inside the fuel door and owner’s manuals also identify whether a vehicle has flex-fuel capability. Experts from GM and CleanFUEL Distribution will be on hand at the pump promotion to answer questions. " ...Via General Motors: Days of Summer Tour
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June 16, 2007
Light Duty V-8 Clean Diesel
General Motors Corp. plans to ship the 4.5L V-8 Duramax turbo-diesel engine for trucks and Hummers. The diesel engine technology improves fuel efficiency by 25 percent, reduces CO2 emissions by 13 percent, and cuts particulates and NOx emissions by at least 90 percent. ...
... "Environmental benefits of the new engine include a 13-percent reduction in CO2versus gasoline engines, and at least a 90-percent reduction in particulates and NOx compared to diesel vehicles today. This will be GM’s first engine to use a selective catalytic reduction NOx aftertreatment system with a diesel particulate filter to help achieve the Tier 2 Bin 5 and LEV 2 emissions standards. Technical highlights of the engine include aluminum cylinder heads with integrated manifolding; a variable-vane turbocharger with intercooling; a Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) block for a stronger and lighter engine base (compared to lower-strength aluminum or heavier grey cast iron); and fracture-split main bearing caps and connecting rods for a precise fit. An electronically controlled, ultra-high-pressure, common-rail fuel system is used, which has the ability to inject fuel five times per combustion event to control noise and emissions. " ...
Via General Motors: Light Duty V-8 Clean Diesel
June 14, 2007
Jay Leno Turbine EcoJet Runs on Biodiesel
Interview of Jay Leno's garage manager ...
Challenge X Sustainable Mobility Video
Video of student Challenge X to modify crossover SUV for energy efficiency and improved performance. ...
June 06, 2007
GM Pursues Battery Development For Chevy Volt
GM awards contracts for battery development to CPI and Continental Auto Systems to power its Chevy Volt, electric car. CPI was formed in 2000 to become the supplier of choice for state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery technology for automotive and industrial applications. The Automotive Systems Division of Continental AG covers the full range of systems and specializes in the
development of innovative technologies for vehicles. ... ... "GM selected two companies out of the 13 technical proposals it considered to provide advanced lithium batteries for both range-extender electric and fuel cell variants of the E-Flex architecture. The E-Flex electric vehicle architecture underpins the Chevy Volt concept car shown earlier this year and is being developed as part of GM's strategy to diversify transportation away from petroleum. One contract will go to lithium-ion battery supplier Compact Power, Inc., based in Troy, Mich. CPI is a subsidiary of Korean battery manufacturer LG Chem. A second contract has been awarded to Frankfurt, Germany-based Continental Automotive Systems, a division of Continental A.G., a tier one automotive supplier that will develop lithium-ion battery packs. GM continues to assess other solutions to quickly bring lithium-ion batteries to production.
These suppliers demonstrated solutions that best met the specific energy, power, mass and durability requirements for the battery in the E-Flex range-extender variant. The battery for the fuel-cell variant requires half the energy and power, but must be integrated and connected to the vehicle in a similar way. " ...
Via GM: Advanced Development Battery Contracts For Chevrolet Volt E-Flex System
May 30, 2007
Sequel Hydrogen Power: Renewable Energy Lifecycle
Chevy Sequel fuel cell vehicle reaches 300 miles without refueling. ...
... "Three hundred miles on the road and the only thing that came out of the tailpipewas pure water. In addition, the hydrogen used to power the Sequel, was derived from hydropower at Niagara Falls - a clean, renewable resource. This means that the entire process - from the creation of the hydrogen to the use of the fuel in the vehicle - was virtually carbon dioxide free. " ...
Via GM FastLane Blog: 300 Miles ... and Counting
March 26, 2007
GM Committed to Chevy Volt Concept
Bob Lutz expresses his committment to the Chevy Volt concept and maintaining a open dialogue on the challenges of development. ...
... "We are 100 percent committed to making this happen. We are invigorated by thechallenge. We are going to continue to be as transparent as we can in this process, knowing that there are some proprietary technology issues we will have to keep veiled. " ...
Via GM FastLane Blog: GM Charging Ahead with Volt
March 23, 2007
GM CO2 Emission 40 by 10 Reduction Goal
General Motors has set a goal to reduce CO2 emissions from its North American manufacturing facilities by 40 percent by 2010. This 40 in 10 program is being set in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Climate Leaders program. The Climate Leaders program will develop long-term comprehensive climate change strategies. Partners are encouraged to set
aggressive, corporate-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals, such as GM's 40 by 10. While GM has made progress, it has many opportunities to reduce CO2 emissions. ... ... "GM’s CO2 reductions can be largely attributed to numerous efforts by the company to increase energy efficiency, reduce waste, increase the use of renewable resources such as landfill gas and solar power, and optimize efficiencies across all aspects of the manufacturing process. For example, GM is the largest corporate user of landfill gas in the U.S. This effort results in significant reductions of CO2 emissions. Another example is the gold certification that GM's Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant recently earned from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program for superior energy and environmental design and construction. Among other things, the facility is expected to save over 30 million kwh of electricity over the first ten years of operations. It is initiatives like these that have helped GM to make real strides in reducing CO2 emissions. " ...Via GM: GM Pledges to Reduce CO2 Emissions by 40 Percent
March 20, 2007
Chevrolet Sequel Concept Discussed
Chevy Sequel discussed by Dr. Lars Peter Thiesen, GM Europe Manager of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Deployment Strategy, in this video. ...
March 19, 2007
Saturn Aura Hybrid
2007 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid MSRP will start at $22,695. ...
... "In addition to its value-focused price, the Internal Revenue Service has certified that Aura Green Line buyers will qualify for a tax credit of $1,300. The Aura Green Line's EPA fuel economy rating of 28 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highwayrepresents up to a 30 percent improvement in EPA combined fuel economy compared to the non-hybrid Aura XE model (depending on driving conditions). The Aura is assembled at the General Motors Fairfax Plant in Kansas City, Kan. and Green Line hybrid models are beginning to arrive at Saturn retail facilities. The hybrid system in the Aura combines sophisticated controls with a precise electric motor / generator mated to a 2.4-liter engine. The system delivers fuel economy gains by providing electric power assist during acceleration, through early fuel cut-off during deceleration with torque smoothing and by shutting the engine off at idle. The system also captures electrical energy through regenerative braking. " ...
Via GM: Saturn Aura Green Line Hybrid
January 27, 2007
Hybrid Electric Plug-In: Chevy Volt Video
Chevrolet Volt Concept Demonstration. This video is meant to show how the Volt can be plugged in/out from a standard electrical outlet in a home. ...