Saturn VUE Plug-in Hybrid to Begin Production in 2010
GM has announced it is making progress on the Saturn VUE plug-in 2-mode hybrid, and that they expect production in calenday year 2010.
The vehicle is expected to have 10 mile all-electric driving range and will use a lithium-ion battery pack. I had a chance to speak with Bob Reuter who is the chief engineer. Bob advised that packs from several companies were being evaluated for the vehicle but in the end only one will be chosen for production.
He also mentioned that early test mules are indeed already in operation.
The plug-in VUE will have a 2-mode hybrid drivetrain, and can function in charge sustaining as well as charge depleting modes. After the 1st 10 miles of charge is depleted, the battery can be restored by regeneration to be able to run the car again if possible in charge depleting mode.
Read full release below.
For release: Jan. 14, 2008, 12:01 a.m. EST
SATURN VUE GREEN LINE PLUG-IN HYBRID SUV MAY BEGIN PRODUCTION IN 2010
Expected to be First Commercially Available, OEM-produced Plug-in Hybrid
DETROIT – Saturn announced today at the North American International Auto Show that production will may begin as soon as 2010 on a plug-in hybrid electric version of the Saturn Vue Green Line, expected to be the first regular production plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Depending on a consumer’s drive cycle, the Vue plug-in hybrid will be the most fuel-efficient vehicle offered by a major automaker.
This Vue Green Line will use a modified version of GM’s two-mode hybrid system and plug-in technology, a lithium-ion battery pack, highly efficient electronics and powerful electric motors to achieve significant increases in fuel economy. When the lithium-ion batteries are fully charged, the Vue plug-in hybrid will potentially double the fuel efficiency of any current SUV. After electric-only propulsion depletes the lithium-ion energy storage system to a specified level, the battery is replenished by utilizing the two-mode hybrid system’s electric motors and regenerative brake systems.
“We announced late in 2006 that a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle was a top priority, and the fact that we’re now announcing production timing to bring the industry’s first plug-in to market, while tackling many technology hurdles along the way, demonstrates our commitment to diversifying from petroleum and reducing emissions,” said Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak.
In early testing, the Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid is capable of electric-only propulsion for more than 10 miles at low speeds. At higher speeds or when conditions demand it, such as brisk acceleration, a combination of engine and electric power or engine power-only drives the vehicle.
The vehicle’s lithium-ion batteries can be fully recharged in four to five hours by simply connecting the vehicle to any standard 110V household electrical outlet. The connection port on the vehicle will be integrated into the front fender. By recharging rather than refueling, the Vue Green Line plug-in hybrid reduces petroleum consumption.
A plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle differs from a non-plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle by offering extended electric-only propulsion, additional battery capacity and the ability to be recharged from an external electrical outlet.
The two-mode hybrid system to be introduced on the 2009 Saturn Vue Green Line 2 Mode will be altered for use with plug-in technology. In addition to plug-in capabilities and the modified two-mode hybrid system, the Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid SUV’s powertrain will feature two interior permanent magnet motors within the two-mode transmission and GM’s 3.6L V-6 VVT gasoline engine with direct injection. The lithium-ion energy storage system will be replenished by utilizing the two-mode hybrid system’s electric motors and regenerative braking systems.
The Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in maintains two driving modes – one for city driving, the other for highway driving – and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance. In addition, special controls will be utilized to enable higher speeds during electric-only propulsion and maintain electric-only propulsion for longer periods of time.
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29 Responses to “Saturn VUE Plug-in Hybrid to Begin Production in 2010”
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January 14th, 2008 at 4:28 am
There comes a point where the amount of battery range becomes too small to warrant even the minor inconvenience of plugging in, not to mention the increased up-front cost. At 10 miles, it just doesn’t seem worth it. That’s less than the distance to the mega-mart and back for many (if not most) Americans.
Before I’d ever heard of the Volt, I thought about how much battery range I’d want in a plug-in vehicle. I imagined 50 miles being a nice even number that would be fairly substantial. The Volt’s 40 miles is good enough, but I’m not interested in anything lower than that.
January 14th, 2008 at 4:46 am
I am a simple man.
To me that vue looks like a pretty traditional small suv fitted with a battery and dual mode hybrid..11 miles…ok ive got the idea.
Why cant we take an aura and do the same..bigger car..more space for the battery, may only do 30 miles on a charge but no fuss about fancy software.
Dont have a battery? There are a couple in the lab right now.
Should have it in production about the same time as the vue.
January 14th, 2008 at 5:49 am
OK Bruce, you are right that would be my choice.
January 14th, 2008 at 7:49 am
I’m not really ready for another sedan & I don’t want a full-size SUV …that leaves out the Volt as well as GM’s large 2-mode hybrids. However, THIS vehicle, a CUV (crossover/compact utility) is PERFECT for me. In terms of power & hauling capability, it’s got the new direct-injection 3.6L V6 GM used both by the Caddy Provoq CUV concept and by the celebrated new CTS. It tows 3,500 LBS (plenty for my boat) & lots more gear than a sedan …hey, it’s the same size as the Provog!
And since the controller keeps it operating in the battery-only mode by sensing the battery’s state of discharge, it may be very easy to extend the electric-only range by simply adding battery capacity. If so, I’m betting after-market battery makers will offer plug-in VUE range extender kits that anyone can install behind the rear seats.
In any case, at least 75% of my travel is local & less than 15 miles, so this nicely-styled CUV will fit the bill perfectly for me even without extending it electric-only range!
PS: This car will benefit from lessons learned from the nearly-identical drive train of the 2009 VUE 2-mode hybrid to be introduced a year earlier, which should help Saturn get any bugs out of this plug-in version; i.e., you might say the 2010 Plug-in VUE’s heritage will include not only MULES, but STALLIONS (2-mode 2009 VUEs).
January 14th, 2008 at 7:54 am
It looks like this slipped as well. The original date was 2009.
January 14th, 2008 at 8:12 am
[quote comment="26975"]There comes a point where the amount of battery range becomes too small to warrant even the minor inconvenience of plugging in, not to mention the increased up-front cost.[/quote]
The 10mpc isn’t the only bad part. From the press release above:
“At higher speeds or when conditions demand it, such as brisk acceleration, a combination of engine and electric power or engine power-only drives the vehicle.”
For these reasons, Bob Lutz doesn’t want the Volt called a PHEV. I agree. The first PHEVs out will make most people think they’re not worth it. I don’t want the Volt to be associated with that.
The name GM gave to vehicles like the Volt is “Extended Range Electric Vehicle”, or E-REV. Details here:
http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/10/20/bob-lutz-insists-chevy-volt-is-not-a-plug-in-hybrid/
and here:
http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/11/23/gm-calls-the-volt-an-e-rev/
Note that Tesla is also distancing themselves from the PHEV label. They’re calling their next car model (Whitestar) a “Range Extended Electric Vehicle” or REEV.
January 14th, 2008 at 8:41 am
[quote comment="26975"]
Butters, #1:
There comes a point where the amount of battery range becomes too small to warrant even the minor inconvenience of plugging in, not to mention the increased up-front cost. At 10 miles, it just doesn’t seem worth it. [/quote]
I completely agree. 10mpc just isn’t worth it for me either Build an EREV SUV that gets the kind of MPC that the Volt gets, or just buy out “AFS Trinity”. http://www.afstrinity.com/
January 14th, 2008 at 8:53 am
What is this thing going to cost?
January 14th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I like the size of the Vue a lot, tho I like the Volt’s 40 mpc and styling better. If the Volt doesn’t come out in 2010 or early 2011, I will be probably buy the PHEV10 Vue, plug in at work and buy the nearly inevitable aftermarket batteries to augment the range. If any PHEV10+ with room for 4 comes on the market in the next few years, it will be hard to wait more than 7 or 8 months for the Volt even tho I think as described it would be just about a perfect compromise of engine and motor/battery, given current technology.
From here on, if it doesn’t plug in, I won’t buy it.
January 14th, 2008 at 9:16 am
10 miles might not be a lot, but figuring in MPC compared to price, how much are you willing to pay for your car?…. Think of it this way… 30 MPG normal without plug-in feature. 10 mile drive to work. All electric 1 way; 30 MPG the other, in theory you’re getting 60 MPG. Sure beats anything else out there. While the Volt is a dream machine with plenty of room for problems, this car is doable and a good first shot into the future of production PHEV’s.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:07 am
First off- if it reduces oil consumption, and it is sold is large enough numbers, then GREAT.
Now, I think this program is important for a couple reasons.
-It puts further pressure on the battery suppliers to increase production, reducing prices for future vehicles like the Volt.
-It puts GM and TOY in even more direct competition, since it is the only working lithium ion prototype from a major manufactures (one-upping the NiMH plug-in priuses), and is now confirmed for production and sale instead of LEASE like the phantom lithium Toy plug-ins.
-The more research on the Vue is finalized, the more engineers can shunted into the volt project.
January 14th, 2008 at 11:13 am
With regards to cost and size of the pack- if the Vue does 10 miles all-electric, and conservatively assuming 300Wh/mile, that’s 3kWh of energy. Add on the 1.5kWh of energy needed for charge-sustaining operation as a normal hybrid (which also prevents deep-cycling), that’s 4.5kWh.
At $1000/Wh, that’s a $4.5k premium over a standard two-mode.
January 14th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
ATTENTION LYLE: From re-reading the Caddy Provoq description, I find that it’s virtually identical in size (180.3″L x 67″H x 72.8″W) to the 2009/10 VUEs. And studying a cutaway of the Provoq (at http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/detroit-2008-cadillac-provoq-fuel-cell-concept/560979/ ) reminded me it has two HUGE hydrogen tanks under/behind the rear seats that the plug-in VUE won’t have. The Provoq uses a 9KWh Lithium Ion battery pack under the center tunnel that’s said to give it a battery-only range of 20 Miles. This tells me there should be space for GM to up-size the VUE battery to AT LEAST the VOLT’s 16KWh pack by adding a “T” section under the rear seats as with the VOLT, which should give the VUE ~35 miles/charge (not 10)!
…So GM must be either deliberately down-playing the plug-in VUE’s battery-only range for some reason, or they’re actually planning to keep the VUE’s cost down by using a smaller battery. You might ask them about this, Lyle. I’m sure there are many others like me that would prefer a CUV like the plug-in VUE to the much smaller VOLT sedan …IF IT GOT MORE LIKE 35 MILES/CHARGE!
January 14th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
2+ years away AND only 10 miles?
NO SALE!
I was looking forward to this in 2009 by the latest, and would buy it next summer with only a 10 mile range, as it would still be early in the Volt’s testing cycle, and I’d at least feel like I was helping with some early real-world testing. But by 2010, the Volt’s pack should be well along, so there’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to get a VUE by then with at least 20 miles!
To take nasaman’s point above, my drive to the nearest big shopping is 10-15 miles one way, and almost 25 miles to work, again one way. 10 miles does very little for me (especially as my employer would never let me plug in) - 20 miles would get me to shopping and back on mostly electric, and cover almost half my commute, but 10 miles? No thanks, GM… By then, I’ll just keep holding out for the Volt!
January 14th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
[...] The Saturn Vue Green Line plug-in maintains two driving modes one for city driving, the other for highway driving and four fixed mechanical gears to maximize efficiency while maintaining performance. In addition, special controls will be utilized to enable higher speeds during electric-only propulsion and maintain electric-only propulsion for longer periods of time. [...]
January 14th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Oneiric #10,
Your math is correct only if you drive slowly and conservatively in the first direction. This isn’t a full-power EV. In order to go fast or accelerate quickly, it transitions (partially or fully) to the ICE for propulsion.
January 14th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
[quote comment="26991"]The vehicle is expected to have 10 mile all-electric driving range and will use a lithium-ion battery pack.[/quote]
Is this some kind of joke?
January 14th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Don’t knock it just yet. It may have only a 10 miles all electric, but my guess is it will have addition range in an electric assistant mode. Calcars Prius PHEV testbed works in this manner. This Vue might have a higher percentage of electric assist until the batteries reach a minimum SOC, before reverting to a standard hybrid mode. My point being this vehicle makes sense if it has a 10 mile all electric range, then can travel another 30-40 miles in electric assist mode and average 50 MPG, and then finally revert a standard hybrid mode when the batteries reach 30% SOC and average 30 MPG until it is plugged in again. Most people average 40 miles or less per day, so they could have in essence a SUV that gets 50+ MPG the first 40-50 miles on a full charge.
I’d be interested. Does anyone know the details for sure?
January 15th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Judging by the above comments, it seems that 20 miles would be a better sweet spot. Easy to say, though that would double the battery cost. With a starting price of about $22,000 for the non PHEV version, how much more would people pay for 10 electric miles? or 20?
Perhaps GM is thinking of it in terms of: with an average commute (about 30 miles), it would still be the most fuel efficient SUV on the market. And, in fact, at 45 mpg (10 electric miles and 20 miles @30 mpg) would beat most cars sold in any category.
Plus, it will be the 1st PHEV in mass production. And, it will certainly pull in some of the PHEV fans who don’t want to wait any longer.
January 16th, 2008 at 11:02 am
Research indicates that many Americans drive less than 10 miles per day on an average day. This vehicle will allow them to operate petroleum free on many days. I see 10 miles of charge as being one of the most perfect numbers. After all, why should I buy a 40-mile battery system if I rarely drive that far? This car will double the mileage of any SUV on the market when introduced, and one would be led to believe that the technology could be used for other duel-mode hybrids as well. This is a Grand Slam for GM and a happy day for me.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
[quote comment="27680"]Wise Golden said:
Research indicates that many Americans drive less than 10 miles per day on an average day.[/quote]
Thats a bunch of baloney.
True research indicates the average American drives 29 miles per day.
January 16th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
[quote comment="27680"]Research indicates that many Americans drive less than 10 miles per day on an average day.[/quote]
Thats a bunch of baloney.
True research indicates the average American drives 29 miles per day.
January 16th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Guy Incognito Says:
January 16th, 2008 at 2:19 pm Quote
Research indicates that many Americans drive less than 10 miles per day on an average day.
Thats a bunch of baloney.
True research indicates the average American drives 29 miles per day.
Wise reply: No, in fact, GM research indicates that as many as 30% of Americans do not drive more than 10 miles on an “average” day. That is to say home to work and back. The average American may well drive 29 miles per day, but that’s not what I said. I said, “many” Americans drive less than 10 miles per day.
January 16th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Folks this is a step in the right direction. From regenerative breaking… to 10 miles electric… to 40 miles electric. Remember the volt isn’t even close to coming out yet. The good news is once Li batteries become more and more widespread incorporation into more and more cars will occur at a much faster pace.
Before long we wont be telling our kids about the days before microwave ovens an such but instead will be talking about the time when all cars weren’t electric and ran instead on gasoline.
January 16th, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Re…
“Wise reply: No, in fact, GM research indicates that as many as 30% of Americans do not drive more than 10 miles on an “average” day. That is to say home to work and back. The average American may well drive 29 miles per day, but that’s not what I said. I said, “many” Americans drive less than 10 miles per day.”
This is INDEED a “wise reply” (sorry for the pun) and it’s CORRECT!!! In fact, I’m one of those millions who drive
January 16th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
…less then 10 Mi/day!
(Don’t know why these last few words dropped off my prior post prior post #25)
January 16th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
PS: I also like the VUE’s overall size & styling! Cadillac liked it enough to use it for the identically-sized (180.3″L x 67″H x 72.8″W) Cadillac Provoq they exhibited on stage at the Detroit Auto Show this week.
The VUE is also a really handsome design…
http://www.motortrend.com/auto_shows/coverage/detroit/112_2008_detroit_auto_show_p1/photo_150.html
January 18th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Folks this is a step in the right direction. From regenerative breaking… to 10 miles electric… to 40 miles electric. Remember the volt isn’t even close to coming out yet. The good news is once Li batteries become more and more widespread incorporation into more and more cars will occur at a much faster pace.
Before long we wont be telling our kids about the days before microwave ovens an such but instead will be talking about the time when all cars weren’t electric and ran instead on gasoline.
Wise says: Agreed, totally. In fact, I would go as far as saying that any car that got even 2 miles on electrical charge would be a most significant advance in automotive technology. If the average car got 20 miles to the gallon, and recieved the benefit of two electric miles and was driven 10 miles each day, then it could be said that that car’s milage improved by 20%. If the person driving that car 10 miles had the ability to recharge at work after having driven 5 miles, then that person would recieve a benefit of about 40%. Under many conditions, driving 1 mile to the store and back home, that driver would move without using gasoline. It’s all good and GM deserves credit.
July 8th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I agree, a 10 mile range JUST DOES NOT CUT IT. Get back to the drawing boards GM!!! Why is it that LionEV can make a better plug-in hybrid with superior range???
http://www.lionev.com/LionEV_PHEV.html
Somebody at GM needs to get REALLY SERIOUS about advanced battery technology (e.g. lithium ion, sugar batteries, etc.). We’re tired of the same old combustion engine crap. Ditch the combustion engines or I’ll design my own PHEV from scratch.