[Jason M. Hendler]

Jaguar / Landrover, recently purchased from Ford by Tata Motors, has announced their product plans for mild, parallel and eventually series hybrids, which they've dubbed range extended hybrid electric vehicles (REEV) (yes, they should have said REHEV, so I don't know where the mistake is.)

Link

Anyways, it seems everyone is following the product plan that GM has been following for a few years now. Mild hybrids first, then plug-in series hybrids.

 

[dagwood55]

"Anyways, it seems everyone is following the product plan that GM has been following for a few years now. Mild hybrids first, then plug-in series hybrids." - Hendler

I congratulate you. You've achieved a new level in "wrong." It is not the case that "everyone is following the product plan that GM has been following for a few years now." Even GM isn't "following the product plan that GM has been following for years... Mild hybrids first, then plug-in series hybrids."

In addition to mild hybrids and the upcoming series hybrid, GM has developed parallel hybrid SUVs (although they don't sell) and has announced parallel hybrid capability to be added to the Vue and reportedly will ship the Vue as a parallel PHEV (references to both on FastLane).

 

[Jason M. Hendler]

"Anyways, it seems everyone is following the product plan that GM has been following for a few years now. Mild hybrids first, then plug-in series hybrids." - Hendler

I congratulate you. You've achieved a new level in "wrong." It is not the case that "everyone is following the product plan that GM has been following for a few years now." Even GM isn't "following the product plan that GM has been following for years... Mild hybrids first, then plug-in series hybrids."

In addition to mild hybrids and the upcoming series hybrid, GM has developed parallel hybrid SUVs (although they don't sell) and has announced parallel hybrid capability to be added to the Vue and reportedly will ship the Vue as a parallel PHEV (references to both on FastLane).

I thought that we had agreed that "parallel" hybrids are no better than mild hybrids, so I now use the terms interchangeably. The E-REV or REEV is really an EV, which is where the whole market is headed, with or without Toyota.

 

[dagwood55]

"I thought that we had agreed that "parallel" hybrids are no better than mild hybrids,..." - Hendler

All the voices in your head might be in accord on this but that doesn't mean the rest of the real world has bought in. The proof - disproof of your notion, really - is that the Malibu mild hybrid performance is hardly better than the stock Malibu whereas the true parallel hybrids rack up impressive mpg gains in city driving.

Yes, even the giant unsellable GM two-mode SUVs get impressive gains in city driving. They just do it at a cost that's unsupportable.

 

[Jason M. Hendler]

Well, regardless of whatever side of the line you prefer to play on, GM is working all paths, as quickly as they can be realized, mild, parallel and series, and now Nissan and Jaguar / Land Rover are on board. The rollout sequence is a function of ease, feasibility and risk, so it will play out the same - bolt on mild hybrid options first, parallel systems next, then series.

Toyota will smell the coffee eventually. How many Scions and Prius's need to be converted with Li Ion packs before Toyota finally announces an EV or series hybrid? The flacid and poorly endowed CEO of Toyota can no longer depend on Kaisan to carry his visionless ass - it is time Toyota found new "leadership".

 

[Jason M. Hendler]

I spoke too soon, another poster provided this info:

Link

Nardelli said in addition to hybrids, Chrysler was looking at extended-range electric vehicles, similar to what General Motors Corp. will attempt with the Chevrolet Volt, with help from suppliers or partnering with other manufacturers.

Nissan, Jaguar / Land Rover and now Chrysler will develop an REEV.

 

[dagwood55]

"Nardelli said in addition to hybrids, Chrysler was looking at extended-range electric vehicles..." - Hendler

Hilarious. With what for money? Unless they're going the captive Chinese import route, Chrysler has close to zero chance of getting anything done.

"The ... CEO of Toyota can no longer depend on Kaisan to carry his visionless ass - it is time Toyota found new "leadership". - Hendler

Yes, if they don't boot him quick, poor Toyota could suffocate under massive piles of cash.

"GM is working all paths, as quickly as they can be realized,..." - Hendler

Yes, all paths that are consistent with avoiding the nuisance of actually building and selling the hybrids that they allegedly have available today.

They dribble out meager allotments of the giant two-mode in an unsellable configuration, rather than offer large quantities at a price and trim that people might actually want. The mild hybrids, which dealers find will actually sell, can't be obtained from the corporate mothership for love or money.

In theory, GM offers 5 hybrids at this time, with total sales of all last month at about 1100 units. Pitiful. This is the company that's going to change the world? Not likely.

 

[Jason M. Hendler]

"Nardelli said in addition to hybrids, Chrysler was looking at extended-range electric vehicles..." - Hendler

Hilarious. With what for money? Unless they're going the captive Chinese import route, Chrysler has close to zero chance of getting anything done.

You answered your own question - Chrysler is already looking to partner with foreign producers of small cars, so, as they don't possess any REEV tech internally, they will partner with REEV component vendors for to produce an REEV - I will leave it to you as a homework assignment to do the Google search for EV motors, batteries and controllers.

"The ... CEO of Toyota can no longer depend on Kaisan to carry his visionless ass - it is time Toyota found new "leadership". - Hendler

Yes, if they don't boot him quick, poor Toyota could suffocate under massive piles of cash.

Toyota will quickly burn their cash, as they can no longer count on growth to sustain themselves. If the CEO announces cutbacks, without a change of vision, the company is doomed. I still recommend that Toyota offer a small car powered by their Atkinson cycle engine with no hybrid components - they would steal biz from Honda.

"GM is working all paths, as quickly as they can be realized,..." - Hendler

Yes, all paths that are consistent with avoiding the nuisance of actually building and selling the hybrids that they allegedly have available today.

They dribble out meager allotments of the giant two-mode in an unsellable configuration, rather than offer large quantities at a price and trim that people might actually want. The mild hybrids, which dealers find will actually sell, can't be obtained from the corporate mothership for love or money.

In theory, GM offers 5 hybrids at this time, with total sales of all last month at about 1100 units. Pitiful. This is the company that's going to change the world? Not likely.

I refer you to GM's product plan:

Link

Although you never bother to read, comprehend, nor address my links, there is the info you need to understand GM's multi-threaded approach. Quarter by quarter, year by year, GM continues to deliver against this plan. By 2010, GM will offer more hybrids and plug-in hybrids than all other automakers combined. More importantly, they will be offering the type of hybrids buyers prefer - E-REV, hybrid SUV's, trucks and cross-overs, and hybrid sedans like the Malibu, which all have styling and performance people prefer, in addition to high mileage.