Former Vice Chairman of GM believes hybrid technology benefits trucks better
06 Jan 2014|4,387 views
The Chevrolet Volt, General Motors' critically acclaimed plug-in hybrid Electric Vehicle (EV), was one of the first few green automobiles to address the 'range anxiety' issues mostly associated with EVs. Equipped with a 1.4-litre engine, the power unit charges the battery on the go, and when needed, aids in providing propulsion to the electric motors.
According to Bob Lutz, he reckons small sedans, by default, are already some of the most economical cars available - and having a hybrid model would not bring about large benefits.
Instead, he believes that if the technology underpinning the Volt was fitted to a truck, a transport medium that possesses poor fuel efficiency and high CO2 ratings, the benefits would be a lot more significant.
"We started at the wrong end. The whole automotive industry made the intellectual mistake of thinking EVs were all about maximum range, so we all started with small vehicles that are basically very economical anyway," Bob Lutz told The Seattle Times.
He went on to add, "The realisation came to me suddenly late that the right place to electrify is at the heavy end, with full-size pickups and SUVs, which America loves but which are a somewhat endangered species with fuel economy regulations."
Bob Lutz is currently a board member of VIA Motors, a firm which specialises in creating hybrid electric trucks. One of their developments is the X-Truck - based on the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck housing a 5.3-litre V8 along with a 24kWh lithium-ion battery.
The hybrid pick-up returns more than 42.5km/L and can cover 56km solely on electric power - almost identical to the Chevrolet Volt, which can cover up to 60km. The generator kicks in when the battery drops below 20 percent and once when it reaches 25 percent, the generator is automatically deactivated.
A production model from VIA Motors is expected within the next few months with a hybrid setup incorporating a 4.3-litre V6 petrol engine bundled to an electric motor for a combined output of 402bhp.
The Chevrolet Volt, General Motors' critically acclaimed plug-in hybrid Electric Vehicle (EV), was one of the first few green automobiles to address the 'range anxiety' issues mostly associated with EVs. Equipped with a 1.4-litre engine, the power unit charges the battery on the go, and when needed, aids in providing propulsion to the electric motors.
According to Bob Lutz, he reckons small sedans, by default, are already some of the most economical cars available - and having a hybrid model would not bring about large benefits.
Instead, he believes that if the technology underpinning the Volt was fitted to a truck, a transport medium that possesses poor fuel efficiency and high CO2 ratings, the benefits would be a lot more significant.
"We started at the wrong end. The whole automotive industry made the intellectual mistake of thinking EVs were all about maximum range, so we all started with small vehicles that are basically very economical anyway," Bob Lutz told The Seattle Times.
He went on to add, "The realisation came to me suddenly late that the right place to electrify is at the heavy end, with full-size pickups and SUVs, which America loves but which are a somewhat endangered species with fuel economy regulations."
Bob Lutz is currently a board member of VIA Motors, a firm which specialises in creating hybrid electric trucks. One of their developments is the X-Truck - based on the 2013 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck housing a 5.3-litre V8 along with a 24kWh lithium-ion battery.
The hybrid pick-up returns more than 42.5km/L and can cover 56km solely on electric power - almost identical to the Chevrolet Volt, which can cover up to 60km. The generator kicks in when the battery drops below 20 percent and once when it reaches 25 percent, the generator is automatically deactivated.
A production model from VIA Motors is expected within the next few months with a hybrid setup incorporating a 4.3-litre V6 petrol engine bundled to an electric motor for a combined output of 402bhp.
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