American Hybrid Carmakers: Racing Against Time

In the 1990s, the U.S. Department of Energy joined forces with GM, Ford, Chrysler, to challenge the dominance of their Japanese and European counterparts in the development of hybrid cars. Millions of dollars were invested into the sizeable project of producing American hybrid cars.

Ten years later, Ford arose with one model entry into the market, competing against six Japanese hybrid cars. Ford started selling the Escape SUV Hybrid in September of 2004. The other two American hybrid cars makers are having a difficult time in delivering their hybrids to the consumer world.

Whatever happened to the large American hybrid dream cars can be anybodys guess.

Beneath is a short update on the condition of American hybrid car makers.

Ford

The public release of the Ford Escape Hybrid was at last materialized in September 2004. The original schedule however, was in 2003. The Fords respond to the call for American hybrid cars is a fully hybrid electric vehicle, capable to work on its gas or its electric motor, or both. This is to fulfil the demands set up by driver requirement to optimise performance and restrict fuel consumption.

The Ford Escape was first ever among American hybrid cars. It grows less than one pound of smog-forming pollutants for every 15,000 miles. This is more evidential when compared with all light trucks average of 105 pounds of smog-forming pollutants for every 15,000 miles. The average for passenger cars, with the same amount of miles, is 67 pounds.

Now, hybrids, in particular, American hybrid cars are the hottest topic in the U.S. The public is interested in seeing how hybrid will welfare the environment, including their tiny as well as their own budget for fuel. And possibly, the consumers are curious if the hybrids would truly consume small amount of fuel.

And Ford is clever enough to build the first American hybrid car as SUV. For obvious reason, SUV is seen as very American, which help the Ford hybrid to sell.

The Ford Hybrid has the looks and operating capabilities of a normal car. This permits the American hybrid car to evade the image-look problem of Hondas older version of hybrid cars. The amended fuel economy usage of the Ford Escape has also impressed American purchasers.

To prove its commitment to environment issue, has installed 10.4 acres-wide purifying implants in its factory in Dearborn. The plants server as insulators to the building, and is bettering the water runoff. Ford is also on its for developing Mercury Mariner Hybrid next year. A hybrid smaller-sized sedan will follow, and a hydrogen-powered Ford Focus is being developed.

Daimler-Chrysler

When Evan Boberg, an automotive engineer for Chryslers hybrid program resigned over the presumed incompetency of program officers in the early 1990s, some thought that the hybrid program of Chrysler is good as dead. Last year however, Daimler-Chrysler has foretold the release of its prime hybrid offering in the market, named as the Dodge Ram Contractor Special. As patterned after other hybrid pickups, Dodge Ram will emphasize utility, instead of fuel saving system. The hybrid however, failed to meet the foretold mass production, and available only to fleet owners.

In a separate interview by a German auto industry paper in 2004, Thomas Weber, DaimlerChrysler board member, stated that it will need five years to come up with a Mercedes hybrid. So before the present decade finishes, a newborn Mercedes will take the road of major cities in the world.

General Motors

GM began putting up American hybrid cars with Sierra and Silverado, for fleet and common clients in May 2004. In October of the same year, GM started offering the hybrid pickups to six states : Washington, California, Nevada, Alaska, Florid, and Oregon. The limited offering was based consumer demand for American hybrid cars in those States.

GM as well developed 2,000 of their Silverado and Sierra hybrid trucks for 2005. For the year 2006, the accessibility of the hybrid pickups has been broadened to include the entire nationwide demand. Before the present year ends, GM is contemplating a volume of 3,000 units.

Aside from a new hybrid vehicle Saturn VUE this year, GM is also offering up Chevrolet Malibu for next year, 2007. Next year, GM is also set to come up with two-mode full hybrid. This project is being prepared with Daimler Chrysler and BMW. The leading America hybrid car is expected to have got 25 percent more fuel economy than the standard SUVs, the Chevrolet Tahoe, and the GMC Yukon.