GM refines its hybrid powetrains

Over the past two weeks, we saw the unveiling of two mild hybrid powertrains for sport utility vehicles: one from BMW and one from Mercedes-Benz. The two German auto makers worked together on the hybrid powertrain and both hooked the system up to small, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines.

General Motors introduced its first mild-hybrid belt-alternator-starter (BAS) system over two years ago and it is now ready to bring out its second generation unit. While the Germans decided to pair their mild hybrid systems with diesel motors, GM system will instead be paired with cheaper gasoline engines.

GM says that its second generation mild hybrid system now employs a lithium-ion battery which is nearly three times as powerful as the previous generation’s nickel metal hydride (NiMH) battery. The battery is also smaller which could allow the system to be used in smaller vehicles like the Saturn Astra and Chevrolet Aveo.

GM promises a 20% fuel economy improvement over non-hybrid versions of the same vehicle with its latest hybrid system.

“This new system is another important step in our broad-based strategy to reduce vehicle fuel consumption and emissions,” said GM Chairman Rick Wagoner at the Geneva Auto Show.

“In order to have a real impact in reducing oil consumption, oil imports, and CO2 emissions, advanced technologies must be affordable enough to drive high-volume applications,” Wagoner continues. “We plan to roll out this next-generation hybrid technology globally, across our brands and regions, starting in 2010 in North America, and we expect that volumes will eventually exceed 100,000 units annually.”

GM’s first generation mild hybrid system is currently used on the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, Saturn Aura Green Line and Saturn Vue Green Line. The company’s more efficient, two-mode hybrid system is used in the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, GMC Yukon Hybrid as well as the upcoming Cadillac Escalade Hybrid.

GM’s commitment to hybrid vehicles is sure to pay off as the company expects to have eight hybrid models on the market by the end of the year and 16 more over the next four years.