The Chevrolet Equinox has been “amped” up as Ohio-based Advanced Mechanical Products (AMP) revealed a full battery electric version of the vehicle.

AMP specialises in converting new vehicles to full battery electric drive and its electric Chevrolet Equinox can achieve a top speed of 90mph and accelerate from 0-60mph in just eight seconds. It comes fitted with a 37kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a range of up to 150miles; while also boasting dual Remy motors that have been dubbed the “secret source” of the converted vehicle by the company’s CEO Steve Burns.

It was just earlier this month that AMP and Remy International signed a letter of intent for a long-term electric motor supply agreement and now AMP will use Remy HVH250 electric motors in its custom electric vehicle conversions.

According to CEO Burns, for the Equinox, AMP configures the two motors “butt to butt” with one for each rear wheel. There is no need for a transmission or differential and that creates what Burns describes as “the most efficient drivetrain in the market”.

Humbly Burns states that the company didn’t have $3billion “to do a vehicle from scratch” but “even if we did, we couldn’t build a car as good as the Equinox”.

The electric AMP Equinox is expected to retail for less than $50,000 after government incentives are applied and Burns is eager to point out that it will be available ahead of its electric rivals, such as the Nissan LEAF.

The electric AMP Equinox is available for order now and the company should start deliveries by June, 2010. A formal unveiling is expected at the New York Auto Show on April 2, 2010.

As it continues to bounce back from the doldrums of 2008 and early 2009, General Motors (GM) has established a new January sales record in one of the most important emerging automotive markets in the world – China.

The company and its joint ventures sold 219,192 vehicles in the country during the month topping the 200,000 unit sales mark for the first time. The total sales represented a 97 per cent increase compared to the first month of 2009.

Leading the way were sales by Shanghai GM, which jumped 150.1 per cent on an annual basis to 90,202 units. Sales of both Buick and Chevrolet models also reached all-time highs with Buick sales leaping by 90.6 per cent to 46,853 units; and Chevrolet sales rising by 206.8 per cent to 49,475 units. The Buick sales boost was prompted by demand for the new LaCROSSE, which surpassed 9,000 units for the second consecutive month, as well as the launch of the Excelle XT coupe. Chevrolet meanwhile, was boosted by strong sales for both the Lova and Epica, as well as the new Chevrolet New Sail small car, which got off to a solid start selling 6,924 models during its first month. The Chevrolet Cruze however, continued to be the brand’s most popular model with more than 17,000 units sold.

It was a good month too for SAIC GM-Wuling, which recorded January sales of 119,969 units, representing a year on year increase of 59.6 per cent; while FAW-GM enjoyed its best monthly sales figure since its establishment last August with demand for its light duty commercial vehicles totalling 8,795 units.

Cadillac also made a strong start to the year with sales rising by 167.1 per cent, boosted primarily by demand for the new SLS which rose by more than 500 per cent.

It was a momentous day for Chinese motoring as Shanghai GM introduced the Chevrolet New Sail saloon car, the first passenger car created in China by a Sino-foreign joint venture.

The vehicle has been developed by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Centre and Shanghai GM and will be sold in China and exported to other emerging markets. The New Sail comes with a choice of 1.2litre S-TEC II and 1.4litre S-TEC III engines – the former delivers fuel consumption of 41mpg and can travel from 0-62mph in 12.9seconds; while the latter reaches 62mph in 11.9seconds with fuel consumption of 40mpg.

Both engines for the Chevrolet New Sail include a variable geometry intake system that offers smooth power delivery and torque across all engine speeds. As the friction coefficient in the transmission and tyre rolling coefficient are both optimised, there is reduced energy loss from mechanical operation and both engines meet China’s Phase IV emission standard and can be upgraded to meet Phase V.

In order to ensure that the parts and components meet Chevrolet’s international standards, 95 per cent of components have been supplied by members of GM’s global supply chain with more than 40 per cent have come from industry leading component groups and joint ventures.

According to Shanghai GM President Ding Lei, the company made the strategic decision to introduce the New Sail in an effort to broaden its consumer base. He believes improved cost efficiency with new quality and fuel efficiency standards will offer wide appeal. The base price will be around $8,000 (RMB 60,000) and the company is already taking orders for the car.

Tongues have been wagging about the Chevrolet Volt ever since its inception and as it debut draws closer some exciting new innovations are sure to keep it at the forefront of any motoring enthusiast’s mind.

Chevrolet has announced a new deal with OnStar for the auto industry’s first smartphone application that gives Chevrolet Volt owners a 24/7 connection and control of vehicle functions and OnStar features remotely.

The mobile application will allow drivers to communicate with their Volt from a host of popular US smart phones including the Droid from Motorola; the Apple iPhone; and the Blackberry Storm. Real-time data connection allows drivers to perform tasks such as unlocking the doors and setting the charge time. It displays percentage of battery charge level; allows the owner to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times; and sends texts and email notifications with charge reminders.

It is hoped that the smartphone application will enhance the ownership experience of the Volt and create an interactive control that has never been seen before on an electric vehicle.

According to Walt Dorfstatter, president of OnStar, the Chevrolet Volt is “ushering in a new era of automotive technology” and this new smart phone application will make life even easier for its drivers.

What do you think of this technology? Would it influence your decision to buy a Volt? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

Call it the Beat, or call it the Spark, General Motors has now launched its global mini car that will be available in 150 markets including those in Europe and North America.

The vehicle was launched by GM India (where it will be known as the Beat – in Europe and North America it will be known as the Spark) and features an S-TEC II engine that delivers fuel economy of 43.8mpg with peak power of 80.5PS. It comes in three trim levels – 1.2, 1.2LS and 1.2LT and will be available in India with an option pack that consists of ABS, alloy wheels, dual airbags and seatbelts with load limiters.

What’s special about the S-TEC II engine is that it is the first in-segment application of the port de-activation system that ensures high exhaust gas recirculation which brings stability at low speeds as well as optimal performance at high speeds and improved fuel economy. Another first in-segment application is an automatic temperature controller which also boosts efficiency by reducing unnecessary heat loss.

Noise pollution is tackled thanks to a triple acoustic absorbent structure with special underbody structure that prevents noise inflow from the outside. Wind noise is also minimised thanks to the Chevrolet Beat’s aerodynamic body line and detailed door sealing structure. Meanwhile, aerodynamic performance is boosted thanks to an integrated rear spoiler.

General Motors hopes that the Chevrolet Beat will continue its success in India – GM India registered a record growth of 101 per cent in sales in December, 2009 representing its highest ever monthly sales figure.

2009 may have been the year in which General Motors (GM) slumped into bankruptcy but it also marked its most successful 12 months yet in arguably the most important emerging market in the world – China.

GM and its joint ventures in the country announced that their domestic sales in jumped by a massive 66.9 per cent in 2009 to a record of 1,826,424 units. That equates to a market share of 13.4 per cent – an improvement of 1.3 percentage points compared to the end of 2008.

The results were boosted by a strong end of year performance with Shanghai GM and SAIC-GM Wuling joint ventures both reporting record December sales. Added to this were sales from its new FAW-GM joint venture.

According to reports, domestic sales by Shanghai GM rose by 63.3 per cent to 727,620 units with Buick leading the way selling 447,011 units. The Excelle proved to be the most popular model for the sixth consecutive year selling 241,109 units while the New Regal and the new LaCROSSE also proved to be significant hits in the market.

Chevrolet sales also experienced strong growth with 332,774 units sold – an increase of 67.1 per cent compared to the previous year. The Cruze proved to be particularly popular, selling 92,190 units even though it was only on the market for nine months; while the Lova sold 118,935 units.

Much of GM’s success in the country is attributed to an aggressive product launch strategy that saw GM and its joint ventures introduce several new and upgraded models such as the Buick LaCROSSE, the New Regal turbo, the Chevrolet Cruze and the new Cadillac SLS and SRX. GM also brought its most economical engines to the country with the new 1.2 litre engine in the Chevrolet Spark and the ECOTEC 1.6 litre DVVT engine in the Chevrolet Cruze both making the list of the 10 best engines in China for 2009.

After months of turmoil, most people associated with the Opel/Vauxhall brands are just happy they have a future at all – and now they have a clearer idea of what form that future is likely to take.

During a weekend conference call, GM Europe CEO Nick Reilly outlined that developing a mini for the brand “will be our top priority”. He said that Opel will also continue with light commercial vehicles, while discussing funding needs and structure.

To the relief of many, Reilly also confirmed that production of the Ampera (the European version of the Chevrolet Volt) will continue as planned. According to Reilly, the company is looking at “introducing hybrids” and initially the car will be imported from the US, but in the long term they want a local source. Ellesmere Port is believed to be one of the candidates with the company also looking into battery technology and electric vehicles.

The company has restructured with General Motors now having two organisations in Europe: Opel/Vauxhall and Chevrolet Europe. Reilly will be accountable for Opel/Vauxhall while Wayne Brannon will take control of Chevrolet Europe and report to Reilly.

To compete with established models such as the Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, a vehicle better have a lot to offer – and that’s a billing that General Motors is hoping the Chevrolet Cruze can live up to.

The 2011 version of the car will make its North American debut at the LA Auto Show tomorrow and features a new Ecotec 1.4l I-4 turbo with variable valve timing that delivers up to an estimated 40mpg on the highway with a high efficiency model.

The Cruze, which is already established in Europe and Asia, won’t go on sale in the US until the third quarter of 2010. It has already logged more than four million miles in quality and durability testing worldwide, with US and Canadian versions scheduled to be built in Lordstown, Ohio, where $350million has been invested towards production.

The car will be available with three trim levels – the LS, LT and LTZ. It will also feature a new family of efficient four-cylinder engines, which will include a 1.4l turbo and a 1.8l unit, as well as six-speed automatic and manual transmissions. Electric power steering comes as standard, with an enhanced exhaust-driven turbocharger standard on the LT and LTZ models that allows the 1.4l turbo to perform like a larger engine when needed.

The Ecotec 1.8l four-cylinder has the same architecture as the 1.4l turbo and is standard on all LS models. Both engines are part of GM’s family of global small displacement engines that have been designed with fuel efficiency in mind. Indeed with the Ecotec 1.4l turbo, the Cruze has a cruising range of more than 500 miles.

The Chevrolet Volt may grab most of the headlines, but General Motors has other exciting products ready to enter dealerships in 2010.

From the first quarter of the new-year, GM Europe will launch the Chevrolet Spark, an all-new mini-car. As the fastest growing segment of the market globally, the mini-car segment represents almost 10 per cent of the total European passenger car market – up from 6.5 per cent in 2008 and less than five per cent in 2005.

So what does the Spark have to offer?

The vehicle will have a choice of two petrol engines – displacements of 1.0 and 1.2litres. They use a cast-iron block and alloy head, as well as a double overhead camshaft and four valves per cylinder. They also feature multi-port fuel injection and are both Euro V emissions compliant.

Both engines include advanced features such as port deactivation which improves exhaust gas recirculation and leads to optimal fuel efficiency and idle stability. It also helps ensure low maintenance and running costs with the Spark consuming as little as 5.1litres of fuel per 100km and producing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at a meagre 119g/km. 

The smaller of the units can power the car from 0-62mph in 15.5 seconds, with a top speed of 96mph. The 1.0lite Chevrolet Spark has a fuel consumption rating of 46mpg and it produces 93Nm of torque at 4,800rpm. The larger unit, meanwhile, achieves 111Nm at 4,800rpm and accelerates from 0-62mph in 12.1seconds. It can reach a top speed of 102mph and its fuel consumption remains the same as the 1.0litre version.

In addition, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) versions of both engines will be rolled out in select European markets beginning with Italy in February and followed in France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Poland and a handful of additional countries.

The Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle and its battery pack are both converging on the beginning of the product and process validation stage of General Motors’ development process, which is scheduled to start in February, 2010.

According to Andrew Farrah, the vehicle’s chief engineer, and Bill Wallace, the engineering group manager, the vehicle and the pack have undergone some tweaking after testing. On the vehicle side these have included adjustments to address noise, vibration and harshness issues when running in electric mode; while on the pack and cell side, GM has made minor adjustments in the chemistry.

Wallace commented that the adjustments to the cell were “very small” and that they were primarily made for life.

The company has a fleet of 80 pre-production Volts which have logged more than 250,000 miles of testing and have undergone hot weather testing in Death Valley. In terms of battery development, more than 50,000 cells have been on test, all without failure, and GM has built more than 300 prototype battery packs.

GM has conducted more than 150 tests and modules have gone through high dynamic impact testing; static crush; short circuit; thermal stress; seal integrity; and cell penetration tests.