Chrysler Canada has decided that they will attempt to replicate the success of the General Motors’ “Cash For Clunkers” event. The GM rebate program promised to purchase old but usable cars as a credit towards a new GM vehicle.
The U.S. government collaborated with GM to make the financing possible. And it seems to have worked as a record number of people decided to take advantage and purchase a new vehicle. Some dealerships even had to hire more help to take care of the influx of customers.
The Chrysler Canada “Cash For Clunkers” is just starting but they are already falling …read more

GM CEO Fritz Henderson announced last night that Pontiac will be shut down indefinitely. Executives say that the move is just the first in many drastic measures needed to help the company survive the recession.
Pontiac is scheduled to be shut down next year after inventories are eventually cleared. This news comes as a surprise to many analysts who know that Pontiac was GM’s third best selling make. Other GM subsidiaries like Saturn, Saab, and Hummer are also on the razors edge as they too may be downsized or closed completely. The reason why Pontiac was chosen for the axe was …read more

GM’s solar power projects

We were just reading about Chang’an Automotive Group’s hybrid innovations in China, and now Honda, Toyota and GM are bringing their hybrid cars into what may be the world’s fastest growing green market.

Two reps got their panties in a bunch when House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, sent the latest energy bill to President Bush in a Toyota Prius.

In the face of Toyota’s criticism, GM has converted one of their technical centers into a station solely focused on the development of their electric cars. Formerly the Warren Technical Center, in Warren, Michigan, the 8.2 million square foot structure is now home to all Volt-related business.

The Current Offers and Rebates allows you to search car groups, like Hybrids. :)

Who would have thought the company responsible for burying electric car technology in the 1990’s would have THREE cars in the top 5 finalists for the Green Car of the Year awards?

From MarketWatch:

 ”It is both quick and quiet since it is an electric vehicle with a lot fewer moving parts than the traditional internal combustion-powered truck.
GM believes that the cost of filling up with hydrogen would be competitive with gasoline.
Of course, the key advantages are reducing the nation’s dependence on oil, and the fact that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles emit only water vapor.”

The bad news, and the reason why these cars won’t be on the market by next year? (Or the year after.) Though fourth generation, the current hydrogen cells being used by GM have an estimated 50,000 mile lifespan. Experts …read more

Slow and steady wins the race between big autos’ electric dreams, according to Toyota’s hybrid project general manager, Yoshitaka Asakura.