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.

In an effort to make its vehicles more fuel efficient, General Motors (GM) is willing to splash the cash by investing more than $494million in three US plants that will produce its next generation of petrol direct-injection Ecotec engines.

The investment will be split as follows:

- $425million to add capacity for the next generation Ecotec engine at 370,000 per year at the Tonawanda plant.

- $59million to support precision sand cast block at a capacity of 188,000 annually at Defiance.

- $10.5million in Bay City to bring the new product to the plant.

The investments will be used to support new machinery, special tooling and facility renovation.

Currently, there are no specifics available about the engine’s capabilities – they are expected to be released in the coming months. However, it is expected to be a significant upgrade on the current Ecotec 2.4l with direct injection and variable valve timing that has already been recognised as one of the world’s best engines.

Extended range electric vehicles and full battery electric vehicles place much steeper technical demands on motors than mild and full hybrids.

That’s the verdict of Pete Savagian, GM Engineering Director of Hybrid and Electric Architecture and Electric Motors, who was speaking at the SAE 2010 Hybrid Vehicle Technologies Symposium.

Mr Savigan presented a study highlighting the different power and thermal demands on electric motors in a demanding drive cycle with a strong focus on highlighting the thermal benefits of bar wound stator technology compared to a conventional wire wound stator. He noted that greater electrification means higher peak torque and power densities and that the levels of power density required by an all electric drive application is “very different” than that of a hybrid application.

During the study, GM took an aggressive drive cycle with hard acceleration to about 20km/h, followed by wide open acceleration to 130km/h, followed by a cruising and slowdown. It found that a mild hybrid motor would have an average power requirement of about 3.4kW compared to a full hybrid motor at 5.2kW. However, extended range vehicles and battery electric vehicles had an average requirement of more than four times that level at 24.9kW.

GM also set up a thermal analysis meant to compare conventional wire wound stators to bar wound stators and found that bar winding lowers winding resistance 30 per cent or more, which lowers overall losses compared to conventional wound stators.

According to a spokesman for GM, the company will manufacture bar wound motors at its plant in Baltimore.

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.

Following its agreement to acquire Saab Automobile from General Motors, Spyker Cars has revealed its strategic plans for the brand.

Saab is expected to stand alone as a niche manufacturer with three to four model lines: the 9-3 (saloon, hatchback, sports estate, X and convertible), 9-5 (saloon, sports estate and X) and the 9-4X for both the European and US markets.

According to the plans, Saab will investigate the potential of adding a fourth smaller car line under the 9-1 name depending on how the smaller car segment continues to develop. However, as the model is not currently envisaged in the business plan, additional financing may be required. It is expected that Saab’s product portfolio will be renewed completely beginning with the launch of the 9-5 over the summer.

Production and sales volumes are expected to be rebuilt to pre-crisis levels of about 100,000-125,000 vehicles produced at Trollhaten and the 9-4X which is built in Mexico. The dealer network is expected to be re-energised with a new sales and distribution approach.

The plan requires around $1billion in peak funding in advance of the return to profitability, which is expected to occur in 2012. The funding will be provided in part by GM and through other contributions – $326million in redeemable preference shares will be issued by Saab to GM; a $556million European Investment Bank loan must be secured as a condition of the sale; and $200million will come from estimated cash at bank at the time of closing.

The purchase of Saab amounts to $74million with the first instalment of $50million to be paid on closing.

Lowered costs, improved performance, quality, and reliability: those are the advantages General Motors is suggesting it will enjoy by expanding its in-house electric vehicle development capabilities to become the first US car manufacturer to design and manufacture electric motors.

The first GM designed and built electric motors are expected to debut in 2013 as part of the company’s next-generation, rear-wheel drive, two-mode hybrid technology. The machines are expected to be about 25 per cent smaller with efficiency increased and output up around 20 per cent; they are also expected to be applied to a range of vehicles smaller than the full size trucks and SUVs of today.

According to Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman of global product operations, the firm will invest $246million in the next generation hybrid system, as well as a manufacturing site for the motors – details of which will be revealed later this week.

It’s not the first step for GM, which has actually been enhancing its in-house capabilities for electric motor research and development for years. It was selected by the US Department of Energy in August for a $105million grant for the construction of US manufacturing capabilities to produce electric motors and their related components.

To begin with, GM will commit to building all the motors for the next generation two-mode transmission. However, for other programmes, such as its extended range electric vehicles, as well as plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles, it may choose to buy the motors from other suppliers or elect to make them.

After months of negotiations and fears that the Saab brand was effectively doomed, General Motors and Spyker Cars NV have now confirmed that they have reached a binding agreement on the purchase of Saab Automobile AB.

Under the terms of the agreement, Spyker will form a new company called Saab Spyker Automobiles. Details of the sale, which is still subject to closing conditions, such as the receipt of applicable government and court approvals, are expected to be revealed in “due time” according to GM.

According to Nick Reilly, president of GM Europe, it has always been GM’s intention to find a solution for Saab to avoiding winding down the brand and the company will continue to support Saab and Spyker as they move forward.

Meanwhile, the Swedish government is reviewing the transaction, which is expected to close in mid February – wind down activities at Saab will be immediately suspended pending the close of the transaction.

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.

Having already confirmed plans to produce a range extended Cadillac Converj (see article), General Motors has now unveiled a brand new hybrid car at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.

Stepping up is the Cadillac XTS Platinum Concept which showcases the brand’s top of the line Platinum series of models and is powered by a 3.6l V-6 direct injection petrol engine with a plug-in two-mode hybrid system.

After building experience with the Escalade Hybrid and Escalade Platinum Hybrid models, the XTS Platinum further showcases GM’s plug-in capabilities and offers additional battery energy capacity that allows it to be recharged from a standard external electrical outlet in just five hours.

According to GM, drivers may be able to experience efficiency that doubles that of conventional hybrids in select conditions, such as urban commutes. The combination of the direct injection V-6 engine and the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle system provides an estimated 350hp and 295lb-ft of torque while magnetic ride control allows the XTS Platinum Concept to deliver superior road holding performance.

The concept also marks a preview for a new integration philosophy that will guide future models in terms of in-car electronics. The number of traditional buttons and switches has been minimised with designers blending display screens to form a flowing instrument panel.

Currently, GM has not announced any plans to produce the XTS Platinum two-mode plug-un hybrid saloon car for consumers.

The Chevrolet Volt isn’t the only range extended vehicle under wraps from General Motors – now the company has announced plans to produce a Cadillac Converj in the same mould.

GM vice chairman Bob Lutz announced the production of the Cadillac Converj range extended electric vehicle as part of the Society of Automotive Analysts on the eve of the North American International Auto Show. The Converj concept car was originally unveiled at last year’s show and it had been previously reported in the Detroit News that it had received board approval for production.

Now Lutz has confirmed that the car is starting development although it is at least a couple of years away from going on sale. He said it will use a future generation of the Voltec system that uses a small petrol engine to recharge the lithium-ion batteries to extend the range of the electric vehicle from the initial 40 miles it can run on electricity alone.

The Converj will be the third range extended electric vehicle from General Motors, following on from the Chevrolet Volt and the European version of the Volt, the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera.