"Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid SUV Packing 260-HP, 30-MPG V6 Delayed Several Months" Green Car Advisor

Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid SUV Packing 260-HP, 30-MPG V6 Delayed Several Months

By Scott Doggett, Contributor

The 2009 Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid sport utility vehicle packing a V6 engine will be available in dealerships the first quarter of next year, not on the first day of next month as parent company General Motors had earlier announced.

"We regularly review the status of our vehicle programs and have decided to re-time the Vue 2-Mode launch for Q1 2009," GM spokesman Brian Corbett told Green Car Advisor in a email earlier today. No explanation for the "re-time" was given.

GM and Saturn representatives have touted the all-new hybrid model as delivering an estimated 50-percent fuel economy over the comparably powered and capable XR V-6 model.

The new hybrid will come fitted with a 3.6-liter V6 with direct injection achieving 260 horsepower, a 0-60 time estimated at 7.3 seconds and a 3,500-pound towing capacity.

It will come with GM's first front-wheel-drive two-mode transmission, a driving range exceeding 500 miles on a tank of gas, and get 28 miles per gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

The price has not been set, but Saturn Communications Manager Steve Janisse told Green Car Advisor that it will retail for less than $33,000. Moreover, it will likely qualify for a tax credit--probably no less than $1,550--but the government has yet to announce the amount.

One Model, Two Hybrids

With the launch of the vehicle, Saturn will become the first brand to offer two hybrid options in the same model.

Saturn has for two years offered a Vue Hybrid fitted with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine providing an EPA-rated 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway--the best fuel efficiency of any SUV in production, but lacking the power many SUV owners have come to expect.

The 2009 Vue Hybrid is priced at $28,265 and comes with $1,550 tax credit.

The Vue 2-Mode Hybrid is designed for customers who want the outstanding fuel savings of an advanced hybrid and the full power and towing capability of an SUV.

How 2-Mode Works

The two-mode system maximizes city and highway fuel economy by integrating two electric continuously variable modes with four fixed mechanical gear ratios. The system consists of twin electric motors integrated into an automatic transmission. Energy to power the motors comes from a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack.

In the first mode, at lower speed and lighter loads, the Vue 2-Mode Hybrid operates in one of three ways depending on conditions and battery charge level: all-electric power, internal combustion engine power, or a combination of the two. All reverse operation is driven solely by the electric motors.

The second mode is used primarily at highway speeds to optimize fuel economy. It provides electric assist in addition to six-cylinder power when conditions demand it, such as trailer towing and climbing steep grades, and to allow the engine to run at its most efficient point under less-demanding conditions.

GM's two-mode hybrid system also improves fuel economy through engine off at idle, low-speed electric-only propulsion, cutting off fuel to the engine during vehicle deceleration, regenerative braking, energy-efficient accessory systems and a specially tuned chassis.

An efficiency gauge replaces the tachometer, informing drivers of when they are achieving maximum fuel economy; whether the vehicle is in electric-only mode, engine-only mode or a combination of the two; and, because of the silent start as the key is turned, a telltale indicates when the vehicle is on and ready to drive.

Update: Saturn Vue Plug-In Hybrid

Saturn had originally hoped to launch a third hybrid in the Saturn Vue series, one that allows its batteries to be charged from a wall outlet, in late 2010 or early 2011--and remains on track with that timeline, despite some recent erroneous press reports.

"It's going to be here somewhere around the end of 2010 or early 2011," Janisse said. "Engineering and testing is going full speed ahead."

He said he couldn't provide mileage figures for the vehicle, because "we're working with the EPA on how plug-in vehicles are going to be rated."