Tuesday, November 28, 2006

GM Series Plug-in Hybrid?

In early November, an LA Times story heralding GM’s resurrection of the plug-in car was carried by newspapers worldwide. GM announced it will show some sort of plug-in car at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Speculation has focused on the possibility of a serial plug-in hybrid. GM made a prototype plug-in hybrid EV1 during the 90s.

Rumors had already begun about GM’s electric intentions. In September, Chairman Lutz said that his worst decision was killing the EV1. In July Saab (owned by GM) displayed a reputedly plug-in hybrid bio-diesel convertible in Stockholm, but only after gluing shut access to the plug mentioned in a quickly withdrawn press release. Sherry Boschert, San Francisco chapter President and author of the newly published Plug-in Hybrids: The Cars that Will Recharge America, captured the original press release. I’ll report on any GM announcements or rumors that come out of the LA Auto Show in early December in my next PIA report.

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