Lurking beneath the hood of this seemingly stock is GM's new dual-mode hybrid system mated to a 2.0-liter turbo flex fuel four that has the capability to run on biofuel mixes up to and including pure ethanol. The vehicle is rated at 260 bhp from its combination of conventional engine and 148 kW from the two electric motors in the dual mode hybrid transmission and a third motor mounted on the rear axle. says the car is capable of accelerating to 60 mph in 6.8 sec.
The dual mode transmission packages two electric motors that provide low- and high-speed electric continuously variable transmission power to the front wheels, while the third motor in the back drives the rear wheels to provide additional boost from a standing start. This third motor, called the RDU for rear drive unit has a 38 kW motor coupled to a 300 volt battery that can briefly generate up to 490 lb ft of torque to assist acceleration.
In urban driving with speeds below 50 mph, the driver can also select "Zero Mode" on the center console, which switches the car over to pure electric power via the RDU. That motor also provides regenerative braking power on deceleration, which helps to recharge the vehicle's battery pack. The hybrid system also features an integrated start/stop system that turns the vehicle off when its at rest, thereby saving fuel used during idling.
Further fuel savings come from running all auxiliary systems, such as the water pump, air conditioning and power steering, directly on electricity from the hybrid's power pack instead of driving them with pulleys off the engine. Operation of the system is seamless with discreet icons located in the instrument cluster to notify the driver if the vehicle is being driven in engine or electric mode, while an additional readout provides information on the battery pack's charge status.
