GM Alternative Fuel Vehicles: Embracing Tomorrow's Transportation Solutions Today

Furniture World Magazine

For the 2002 model year, General Motors expanded its portfolio of alternative fuel vehicles to include cars and trucks powered by natural gas (CNG), ethanol (E85) and propane (LPG), to offer customers vehicles that meet U.S. EPA and DOE mandates. GM's wide range of alternative fuel offerings indicates that the company remains firmly committed to maintaining a broad portfolio of alternative transportation options and to establishing leadership in advanced technology research. "We believe in applying innovation and technology to our energy challenges," said John Gaydash, marketing director for GM Fleet and Commercial and brand manager for Alternative Fuel Vehicles. "We're investing in a broad portfolio of technologies to do what makes sense for the environment and to meet our customers needs. We don't think there's a single solution. And we're trying to apply solutions first in high-volume vehicles, where we can make the greatest impact." A broad range of vehicles GM's sales of alternative fuel vehicles increased by approximately 30 percent year-over-year from 1999 to 2000, and GM's share of the alternative fuel vehicle market grew by four percent over the same period. For 2002, GM introduced two new additions to its alternative fuel portfolio. The Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra are both available as either a dedicated and bi-fuel CNG vehicle. The dedicated full-size pickup is certified to ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) emission levels. Also, the 5300 Vortec engine in GM's full-size SUVs (Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, GMC Yukon/Nukon XL) is E85-compatible as a standard vehicle feature. GM produced the industry's first vehicle built specifically to run on E85, the 1992 Chevrolet Lumina, and GM currently has the highest fuel economy ratings for E85 pickups on the market. GM also has the only OEM-supported propane-powered medium duty truck on the road. And the combination of flexibility, versatility and affordability of GM's bi-fuel Chevrolet Cavalier sedan, which can run on either CNG or gasoline, is unmatched in the alternative fuel vehicle market. Advantages for the fleet buyer. Many of the buyers in the alternative fuel vehicle market are fleet customers. GM's offerings are particularly attractive to them because they more easily can meet government mandates and qualify for vehicle incentives and tax credits. In addition to those cost savings, their monthly fuel expenditures may show a drop as well because many alternative fuels cost less per equivalent gallon than conventional gasoline. For more information on GM's Alternative Fuel Vehicles, visit www.gmaltfuel.com. The Web site includes information such as a listing of GM's Alternative Fuel Vehicle dealerships and pertinent refueling sites. General Motors (NYSE: GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide. In 2000, GM earned $5 billion on sales of $183.3 billion. It employs about 372,000 people globally. GM also operates one of the largest and most successful financial services companies, GMAC, which offers automotive, mortgage and business financing and insurance services to customers worldwide. GM is investing aggressively in digital technology and e-business within its global automotive operations and through such initiatives as e-GM, GM BuyPower, OnStar and its Hughes Electronics Corp. (NYSE: GMH) subsidiary. More information on General Motors can be found at www.gm.com.