European design combined with environmental friendliness was the name of the game for General Motors' Saturn division at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Saturn showed off two vehicles at the show, the production-ready 2009 Vue Green Line 2-Mode Hybrid and the Flextreme Plug-in Concept.
2009 Saturn Vue Green Line 2-Mode Hybrid
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Saturn redesigned its compact Vue crossover SUV for the 2008 model year. Its lineup will expand for 2009 with the addition of the gas/electric Green Line 2-Mode Hybrid. GM's 2-Mode Hybrid system made its debut on the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon large SUVs. This method of propulsion is similar in concept to Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. Electric motors in the hybrid system assist the gasoline engine. In Vue's case, the gas motor is a version of GM's "high feature" 3.6-liter V6. No plug-in charging is necessary. Though official numbers weren't announced, expect output to be greater than 250 horsepower. The hybrid system shuts off the gas engine while decelerating and at a stop, and the vehicle can accelerate on battery power up to about 25 mph. GM says the 2-Mode system provides a fuel economy boost of 50 percent versus a gasoline-only Vue.
The Green Line 2-Mode Hybrid will be offered with front-wheel drive only. Pricing wasn't announced, but figure on a premium of $2000-3000 more than a comparably-equipped front-drive gas-only V6 Vue. Production is slated to begin in late calendar 2008, which means it should arrive on dealer lots in the first quarter of 2009.
GM engineers are also working on a plug-in version of the Vue Green Line. It would be drivable about 10 miles on electric power before switching to a gas engine. Owners would then plug the vehicle into a standard electrical outlet. The system would fully recharge in about 4-5 hours. If GM and its engineering partners are able to develop the appropriate lithium-ion battery technology, production of a plug-in Vue could begin as early as 2010.
Saturn Flextreme Concept
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Saturn's other eco-friendly introduction at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show was the Flextreme Concept. This compact crossover SUV was developed in conjunction with GM's European Opel subsidiary. In fact, the Flextreme was first shown to the public with Opel badging at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show. This concept was another example of GM's "E-Flex" technology, which was first shown on the Chevrolet Volt at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.
E-Flex uses an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery, supplemented by an auxiliary power source, which can be a gasoline or diesel internal combustion engine or a hydrogen fuel cell. The system is designed to provide 30-40 miles of driving range using just electric power. When that runs out, the supplemental engine kicks in to power the vehicle and recharge the batteries. Owners can then plug in the vehicle overnight to completely recharge the system. The Flextreme uses a 1.3-liter turbodiesel engine as its auxiliary power source. Saturn claims a driving range of 444 miles on a single tank of diesel fuel. Like GM's other E-Flex concept vehicles (Chevy Volt and Cadillac PROVOQ), production readiness hinges on the advancement of lithium-ion battery technology, needed in order to make the hybrid system practical and affordable. If all goes well, E-Flex vehicles could reach consumers' hands in the early part of the next decade, well before stringent fuel economy regulations go into effect in 2020.