Shanghai GM to boost vehicle efficiency 15 percent, performance 14 percent by 2015

Shanghai GM, a joint venture between General Motors and China's SAIC, has outlined plans for the next phase of the company's "Drive to Green" strategy. Phase two includes several fuel economy-related targets that the company hopes to achieve by 2015. The broad goal for Shanghai GM is to improve fuel efficiency by 15 percent while also boosting engine performance by 14 percent.

To accomplish this goal, Shanghai GM will roll out 12 new, low-displacement engines by 2015. As Shanghai GM's official statement is:

Vehicles with engines that have displacements of between 1.4 liters and 2.5 liters will account for 95 percent of Shanghai GM's total sales in the future.

Several key engine introductions will include a 1.5-liter VVT powerplant and the even smaller 1.4-liter turbocharged engine. In addition to engine downsizing, Shanghai GM will also focus on improving hybrid technology to increase efficiency of existing models like the Buick LaCrosse Hybrid and Cadillac Escalade Hybrid. Shanghai GM's "Drive to Green" strategy includes several additional plans for improving efficiency across the model lineup and it's all laid out in great detail after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

PRESS RELEASE

Shanghai GM Announces 2011-2015 Green Product Strategy
Aims to Reduce Fuel Consumption 15%, Improve Performance 14%

Shanghai – Shanghai GM's Drive to Green strategy, which was launched in January 2008, is aimed at introducing products that offer better performance, consume less energy and generate lower emissions than vehicles currently on the road.

The strategy is based on improving and optimizing the performance of traditional internal combustion engines and transmissions, continuing the roll out of hybrids, promoting electric vehicles, and supporting the development of hydrogen and other zero-emission products. Several targets announced in 2008 have already been achieved.

The joint venture's green product strategy for 2011-2015 will build on that success, further reducing fuel consumption and improving overall performance.

Advanced Powertrains

Shanghai GM will introduce 12 new engines through 2015, including several with small displacements, such as a 1.5-liter VVT engine and 1.4-liter turbocharged engine. Vehicles with engines that have displacements of between 1.4 liters and 2.5 liters will account for 95 percent of Shanghai GM's total sales in the future. Its goal is to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 15 percent, while enhancing performance by 14 percent by 2015.

Engine technologies such as SIDI and turbocharging, as well as new transmissions such as the S6, will be applied in Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet products offered by Shanghai GM. They will cover all market segments, from compact vehicles to luxury products. Shanghai GM's current lineup of engines with medium displacements and turbocharging will also be upgraded.

In addition, Shanghai GM will intensify the application of energy-saving technologies in its new models. New products will feature a lower drag coefficient and more aerodynamic design, be lighter in weight, and incorporate automatic start-stop engine technology to further improve fuel efficiency. By 2012, all models sold in China will have the capability of being upgraded to comply with the Euro V (China Phase 5) emission standard.

Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

Additional hybrids and vehicles powered by electricity will be rolled out by Shanghai GM over the next five years. The automaker will show a Chevrolet New Sail electric vehicle prototype this year. In 2011, the new Buick LaCROSSE Hybrid, which will have 20 percent better fuel economy than the standard model, and the Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle with extended range capability will be introduced. The Volt will be able to run solely on electricity for up to 60 kilometers. Its 1.4-liter on-board engine will give the Volt a maximum driving range of more than 480 kilometers.

Green Achievements

Since the Drive to Green strategy was initiated, Shanghai GM has recorded many achievements in the development of green products. Between 2008 and 2009, Shanghai GM invested almost US$1.1 billion in powertrain development, launching 10 engines and two hybrid systems, which have been applied in 25 new vehicles. The highly efficient S6 automatic transmission has also been adopted in several premium and luxury models. These green products offer improved fuel efficiency of between 8 percent and 13 percent. The Buick New Regal 2.0L, Buick New Regal 1.6T, Chevrolet New Sail 1.2L and Chevrolet Aveo 1.2L all have class-leading fuel economy.

Shanghai GM also has focused on reducing engine displacement without sacrificing power. The 1.2-liter and 1.4-liter engines in its new Chevrolet products offer power of over 53 kW/L, while the SIDI engines applied in Cadillac and Buick products generate power of more than 62.5 kW/L. The 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged engines that have been adopted in several Buick products generate power of more than 81 kW/L.

Over the past two years, Shanghai GM has also launched two hybrids: the Buick LaCrosse Eco-Hybrid and Cadillac Escalade Hybrid. The fuel efficiency of the Buick hybrid is 15 percent greater than the fuel efficiency of the standard model, while costing only RMB 20,000 more. The LaCrosse Eco-Hybrid is part of the official taxi fleet for World Expo 2010 Shanghai. The Escalade Hybrid SUV is equipped with a two-mode hybrid system that boasts fuel efficiency of 11.1 liters per 100 kilometers. This is 40 percent better than the standard model and equivalent to the fuel efficiency of a sedan equipped with a 2.4-liter engine.

Shanghai GM sold 334,000 "green products" in 2008 and 2009. Assuming each of these vehicles has been driven 20,000 kilometers per year, these vehicles have saved 13,500 tons of fuel over the past two years, which would fill up 310 train cars.

General Motors, one of the world's largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 205,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in some 140 countries. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 31 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM is the joint global automobile partner of World Expo 2010 Shanghai along with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC). More information on the new General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.