Hybrid News

The alternative fuel movement has uncovered a major difference between GM and Honda, and possibly between U.S. and Japanese automakers.

Of course, one major difference is that Japanese cars such as Honda and Toyota are frequently built in the United States, while GMs and Fords are often built in Mexico. But that’s another thread.

The difference regarding alternative fuel vehicles is that U.S. automakers talk about them, while Japanese companies actually produce them. Here are some examples:

In 1996, GM (Saturn) released the EV-1, an electric-only vehicle. Zero emissions, but limited range, and limited appeal with $1/gal. gasoline. Still, buyers lined up to lease the thing for $400/month. So when the boys in Detroit discovered that the EV-1 actually worked and that owners liked them, they seized and destroyed all of them (except one, which sits in a museum).

Suspicions abound as to the motive for scrapping the EV-1. And GM’s current actions seem curious, too. They make a Saturn Aura Hybrid with a 4-cyl. engine that they dishonestly compare to the standard Aura with a V-6. And GM just announced a Chevy Malibu Hybrid for 2008. The new Malibu Hybrid will achieve 2 mpg more than the standard Malibu.

2 mpg.

Meanwhile, Honda and Toyota have been producing hybrids for more than a decade that achieve 40-60 mpg. Toyota recently sold it 1 millionth hybrid.

On the alternative fuels front, GM keeps hyping its Volt concept, promising that it’s only a few years away (same thing they said a few years ago, same thing they’ll say a few years from now). Honda, on the other hand, is actually producing its FCX hydrogen powered car.

Southern California car buyers can begin leasing the FCX this summer. It will have a range of 270 miles, and a choice of two dozen hydrogen filling stations around the southern and northern parts of the state. It will have 135 hp and 189 ft-lb torque. The three year lease will cost $600/month, including scheduled maintenance and collision insurance.

Such specifics as time of release, cost, specifications, etc. come from companies that actually produce innovative vehicles. Conversely, generalizations and platitudes come from companies that don′t produce, such as these from GM vice-chairman Bob Lutz regarding the Chevy Volt:

"We’ll have four battery packs in test cars by the end of the year…"

"GM was 90 percent committed to the Volt concept, now we’re 100 percent committed."

GM is &quotcommitted&quot to building innovative cars. Honda actually builds them. That’s the difference.