Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Daimler considering cancelling hybrid 'ute]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/daimler-considering-cancelling-hybrid-ute/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/daimler-considering-cancelling-hybrid-ute/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/07/daimler-considering-cancelling-hybrid-ute/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above to enlarge the Mercedes-Benz ML 450 Hybrid

Batteries are an integral part of any hybrid automobile. No batteries means no electric assist, which means no point in lugging around all that extra hardware. So Mercedes-Benz is in a world of hurt as it alleges that Cobasys, the chosen battery supplier for the upcoming ML 450 hybrid SUV, has decided not to fulfill its obligation to the German automaker. You might recall that General Motors had problems with leaky batteries from Cobasys, reportedly leading the automaker to consider purchasing the supplier outright from its current parents, Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices.

For its part, Mercedes-Benz has sued Cobasys and petitioned the court to order Cobasys to supply the batteries in had committed to. Cobasys CEO Thomas Neslage has denied that his company ever agreed to supply the batteries in the first place. If this situation isn't resolved in a timely manner, Mercedes-Benz may be forced to delay the introduction of its first-ever hybrid vehicle.

Update: Mercedes has told AutoblogGreen that cancellation is a worst case scenario and the company is still planning to introduce the ML450 Two-Mode hybrid in late 2009. A mild hybrid S400 is also arriving earlier in the year.

[Source: Tuscaloosa News, Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Daimler considering cancelling hybrid 'ute originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 ml 450 hybrid2009Ml450Hybridcobasysmercedes-benzmercedes-benz ml 450 hybridmercedes-benz ml-classMercedes-benzMl-classMercedes-benzMl450Hybridml 450ml 450 hybridMl450Ml450HybridThu, 07 Aug 2008 07:56:00 EST<![CDATA[General Motors plans to purchase Cobasys outright]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/05/general-motors-plans-to-purchase-cobasys-outright/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/05/general-motors-plans-to-purchase-cobasys-outright/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/05/general-motors-plans-to-purchase-cobasys-outright/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Shortly after reports of leaky batteries coming from Cobasys, which greatly slowed the production of GM's mild hybrid vehicles, such as the Saturn Vue and Aura hybrids and Chevy Malibu hybrid, comes a report from Automotive News which suggests that General Motors may just purchase the troubled battery maker outright. That's one way to manage the problem, wouldn't you say? Though GM would own 100-percent of Cobasys, some sort of partnership is said to be in the works, though that other entity remains unknown. Before this announcement, Chevron and Energy Conversion Devices, co-owners of the battery supplier, had been fighting over ownership of the company.

What effect this news may have on GM's future hybrid plans remains unknown. Currently, Cobasys supplies nickel metal hydride batteries to the General. The upcoming Chevy Volt will use the newer lithium ion batteries. Still, General Motors recently showed off a new version of its mild hybrid technology, and therefore may have extended plans for future batteries from Cobasys.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

General Motors plans to purchase Cobasys outright originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cobasysgmgm hybridGmHybridhybrid batteriesHybridBatteriesmild hybridMildHybridThu, 05 Jun 2008 18:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Doh! Battery leakage hurts GM hybrid production]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/03/doh-battery-leakage-hurts-gm-hybrid-production/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/03/doh-battery-leakage-hurts-gm-hybrid-production/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/03/doh-battery-leakage-hurts-gm-hybrid-production/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,



As much as General Motors would like to sell more hybrids, we'd imagine it would be pretty tough to do so without having the batteries on hand. It turns out that since December of last year, GM has had to recall some nine-thousand battery packs produced by its supplier, Cobasys, which were due for installation in mild hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Vue and Saturn Aura. The culprit was reportedly an internal leak in the pack which caused the entire unit to be inoperable. This setback hurts even more in the face of record gasoline prices and the resultant record sales of hybrid vehicles.

Chevrolet plans to begin production of the 2009 Malibu hybrid on June 23. Cobasys says that it has resolved the leaky battery problem and that current units are shipping without defects. Unfortunately, some damage has already been done, especially for the Saturn brand, as sales of the hybrid version of the Vue have gone down from 2,683 units by this time last year to just 326 units thus far this year to go along with just 69 retail sales of the Aura hybrid.

[Source: Detroit News]

Doh! Battery leakage hurts GM hybrid production originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aura hybridAuraHybridcobasysgm hybridGmHybridmalibu hybridMalibuHybridmild hybridMildHybridvue hybridVueHybridTue, 03 Jun 2008 08:28:00 EST