About 40% of GM vehicles sold rated at least 30 mpg on highway, up from 16% three years ago
02 April 2012
GM expects to post 100,000 units of more of the 12 GM vehicles that are EPA-rated at 30 mpg US or better on the highway—the highest total in company history—when it reports March sales on Tuesday.
Three years ago, about 16% percent of the vehicles GM sold carried the 30 mpg or better highway rating, according to Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. Today, that number is about 40%.
GM’s strategic investments in four-cylinder and turbocharged engines, advanced transmissions and vehicle electrification have been very well timed, and we have more new fuel-economy leaders on the way, including the Chevrolet Spark, Cadillac ATS and the Buick Encore.
—Mark Reuss
By the end of 2012, GM will have all-new or significantly freshened Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac cars and crossovers in segments that represent 60% of the US light vehicle industry. This includes the all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.5-liter and 2.0-liter turbo I-4s, the all-new Chevrolet Spark and the four-cylinder 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, all of which are expected to achieve EPA estimates of 30 mpg highway or better when the ratings are released later this year.
This is good news , specially if this trend can be maintained.
Relatively effective and efficient ICEVs where not built over night:
1. First steam engine (1678) by Father Ferdinand Verbiest.
2. Early high pressure steam engines (1712) by Thomas Newcomen; (1765) by James Watt; (1806) by Trevithick.
3. First steam engine vehicle (1769) by Joseph Gugnot)
4. First steam carriage (1825) bu Sir Goldsworthy Gurney
5. First ICE (1860) by Étienne Lenoir.
6. First ICEV (1862) by Étienne Lenoir.
7. First Otto Cycle ICE (1876) by Nokolaus Otto.
For those of us who want Hevs, PHEVs and EVs to outperform and out sell all ICEVs after a few years should have a closer look and the above info.
Posted by: HarveyD | 02 April 2012 at 09:07 AM
Gas-free vehicles include the 1997 Toyota RAV4 EV and later 50 mpg Prius, so GM leadership bought and marketed 10 mpg Hummers and SUVs.
Posted by: kelly | 02 April 2012 at 09:31 AM
You forgot the EV1, an early electric and early recyclable electric car.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 02 April 2012 at 11:50 PM
This is all good stuff.
Nothing dramatic, just evolution, I suppose being driven by expensive gasoline and the fact that most of it has already been done in Europe / Japan.
Combined with the $295 stop/start system from Ford, we can see a viable non-hybrid being mapped out. (Or "not quite hybrid" ), which could evolve into a more electric vehicle over time.
Posted by: mahonj | 03 April 2012 at 06:03 AM
TT....the EV-1 was and excellent idea but was 130+ years latter and it died after 2 short years. New generations of EVs will evolve over the next 10-20-30+ years. Ultra light weight EVs with very high performance batteries will become affordable in the not too distant future. Tata-India (and a few groups in Japan) has the culture required to do it.
Posted by: HarveyD | 03 April 2012 at 07:42 AM