GM announcment hypocritical
Hybrid cars aim to attract consumers, not save environment
GM announced their future Saturn Vue Green SUV at the marquee auto show held in Los Angeles this week - but the auto manufacturer is motivated by profit, not idealism.
The vehicle promises to be the most fuel-efficient SUV yet, thanks to a plug-in rechargeable battery. While it at first seems laughable to have a 110V plug coming out from under your hood, the idea actually makes sense.
Drive home, put the car in your driveway and plug it in. Power is drawn directly from the grid and into the electric battery, ensuring that it'll be fully charged next time you get behind the wheel. That means you're guaranteed to use as little gas possible on each drive - and could drive almost 20 km without using any gas whatsoever.
The system improves upon current Hybrid models. Those recharge batteries by transferring kinetic energy when you brake, and by burning gas when the batteries run too low.
So GM is a virtuous company for offering up a green SUV, right? Wrong.
GM isn't as worried about saving the environment as they are about attracting a wide customer base. This humongous company has many lines of vehicles, and this latest "green" vehicle is but one of them.
It is a branding effort to attract conscientious consumers - the real good guys here - and win their cash as a result.
A look through the fuel efficiency of most of the SUVs produced under the auspices of GM reveals that almost all of them are the gas-guzzling atrocities you'd expect. In fact, a few of these vehicular behemoths are amongst the worst greenhouse-gas emitting offenders.
Take the C1500 Yukon FFV for example, it burns 22.1 L per 100 km - more than double the fuel consumption a Saturn Vue Green would require, and the second-highest gas-guzzler on the road, next only to a Dodge Durango SUV according to Natural Resources Canada's fuel efficiency guide.
Go ahead and buy a fuel efficient car. You'll save yourself a buck at the pump, and ease the burden on the environment as a result of your driving. But don't be fooled by any claims GM makes as to ushering in the next era of eco-friendly automotive technology.
