While seeing Chinese cars on display at the Detroit Auto Show has become somewhat common these past few years, there is one place they were hardly expected: Costco!

Yes, the big-box discount store Costco could be selling the Chinese-designed and Mexican-built vehicles says one auto exec. The CEO of GS Motors — Kathleen Ligocki — told the Hybrid Cars website that she thinks the US will follow in Mexico’s footsteps. GS Motors sold 4,000 China-made vehicles in Mexico last year at…Costco and Wal-Mart.

My first thought: If they are sold at Costco, will they come individually wrapped and in a pack of ten?

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Mercedes-Benz plans to unveil all electric plug-ins next month at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, according to Hybrid Cars. All models go zero to sixty in under 11 seconds!

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/12/13/mercedes-to-unveil-all-electric-plug-ins-at-detroit-auto-show/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/12/02/fisker-reveals-production-version-of-luxury-electric-car/ http://gas2.org/2008/12/02/fisker-reveals-production-version-of-luxury-electric-car/#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:35:13 +0000 Nick Chambers http://gas2.org/2008/12/02/fisker-reveals-production-version-of-luxury-electric-car/

Gearing up for an offical public debut at the 2009 North American International Auto Show next month, Fisker Automotive has released photos of what they’re calling the final production version of the Fisker Karma luxury plug-in hybrid electric sedan set to start rolling of the production line at the end of next year.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/12/02/fisker-reveals-production-version-of-luxury-electric-car/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/chevy-volt-where-is-gms-electric-car/ http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/chevy-volt-where-is-gms-electric-car/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:04:05 +0000 Clayton B. Cornell http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/chevy-volt-where-is-gms-electric-car/

During the frenzy of PR announcements yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit down with Tony Posawatz, Vehicle Line Director for GM’s Chevy Volt. If you aren’t familiar with the Volt, here’s a short introduction: it’s a plug-in electric hybrid vehicle, capable of 40 mile trips before relying on a small internal-combustion generator to repower the battery system. For more background, see Jeff’s posts from last year (Will GM Revive the Electric Car? Part 1).

Here’s a summary of our 10 minute conversation (believe me, I had to be torn away from this interview):

What major issues are keeping the Volt from an earlier release date (I’ve been told 2010):

Posawatz: GM is relatively certain it will be the first auto manufacturer to produce a plug-in hybrid model (regardless of the actual release date), but we want it to be right. The two major factors holding back the Volt’s release are extensive testing requirements and lithium ion battery technology. The batteries aren’t cheap, and they’re produced out of country. They also require extensive testing both in and out of the car before things go into production. Basically, GM won’t release the Volt until it’s proven safe and the batteries work.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/chevy-volt-where-is-gms-electric-car/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/gm-unveils-the-e85-green-hummer/ http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/gm-unveils-the-e85-green-hummer/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2008 03:58:53 +0000 Clayton B. Cornell http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/gm-unveils-the-e85-green-hummer/

The words ‘green’ and ‘Hummer’ don’t usually occur together, except when compiling a complete list of oxymorons. But earlier today at the Saab/Hummer press conference, GM debuted it’s concept H-X Hummer, calling it the “Green Hummer”. The new model is smaller, lighter, and intended for a younger demographic, with the added capability of running on E85 ethanol. It also has an interesting modular construction that allows you to reconfigure the cab at will. Martin Walsh, General Manager of the brand, told us that the new model could get mileage in the mid-20s (although no hard numbers were available).

Ok, this isn’t exactly the 60 mpg Hummer I’ve mentioned before, but that’s a 10 mpg increase in efficiency over previous models. To be honest, it also looks a lot less like a Hummer, being smaller and sportier-more like a lunar explorer than the H2 (that’s my take). But Mr. Walsh said Hummers will continue to decrease in size as customers demand greater fuel efficiency and continue to voice environmental concerns.

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]]> http://gas2.org/2008/01/14/gm-unveils-the-e85-green-hummer/feed/ http://gas2.org/2008/01/11/gearing-up-for-the-detroit-auto-show/ http://gas2.org/2008/01/11/gearing-up-for-the-detroit-auto-show/#comments Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:51:49 +0000 Clayton B. Cornell http://gas2.org/2008/01/11/gearing-up-for-the-detroit-auto-show/ Tomorrow I’ll be traveling to Detroit, MI to cover the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Judging by the itinerary and the documented experiences of Jeff McIntire-Strasburg from last year, it should be a busy trip.

I’ll be reporting on the latest developments in greener personal transportation with a particular focus on new gas-electric hybrid models, as well as concept vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells and other electric technologies. I’ll also report on advances in fuel efficiency represented by new production and concept vehicles, and, hopefully, get responses from auto industry executives and other insiders about their plans to meet the requirements set forth in the recently-passed US Energy bill.

Be sure to check back on Sunday for a potentially groundbreaking announcement from the show (that’s all I can say at this point). But I should also add a disclaimer: GM will be covering my expenses for the trip (as they do for a handful of bloggers) with the understanding that I may report freely.

So stay tuned…it should be an exciting week.

GS Motors is hurrying to get the first Chinese cars to America via Mexico—but they are not alone. BYD (Build Your Dreams) showed plug-in hybrid and electric model in Detroit last month and promised to bring them to the US as early as next year.

Many of China’s 80 or so auto companies have made similar gestures, with varying degrees of seriousness.

FAW also produces the Miles ZX40, a small van-style neighborhood electric vehicle, developed by Miles Electric Vehicles, based on Santa Monica, Calif. Miles Electric started selling its small electric truck in 2007, raising $15 million last year to further research and development.

While Ligocki and other industry executives believe Chinese cars will inevitably enter the US market, a lot of these plans have halted due to the economy.

Source: Hybrid Cars

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