Saturn Vue Green Line Two-Mode

Description:

The Saturn Vue Green Line Two-Mode will be marketed along with the mild hybrid version, though both the cars will serve different segments. There are people who will prefer the 4 cylinder engine and there are those who would love to have the performance & power that the V6 offers. Boasting of a 3.6 liter direct injection engine that delivers 262 horsepower. The 2 mode hybrid system that has been jointly developed by BMW, Dailmer, Chrysler and GM is mated to the V6. The end result is a compact intersect that can accelerate from standstill to 60 miles per hour in just 7.5 seconds and has the capability to tow 3,500 pounds. It is expected to deliver 28 miles per gallon in the city and 31 miles per gallon on the highway.

Comparatively the 4 cylinder Vue Hybrid delivers 25 miles per gallon in the city and 32 miles per gallon on the highway. The Vue Green Line is able to offer this high mileage due to its dual mode. You will not miss out its solid bulk of 4120 pounds, but despite this fact, the car runs silently and smoothly. Like other hybrids, this car too is tough to identify as a hybrid unless one examines it closely. Take a glance inside the car and you will notice differences. Though the dashboard and the trim are the same, the tachometer has been replaced with an “efficiency gauge” that indicates the maximum fuel economy only when the car is running in electricity only mode.

One has the choice of selecting an optional navigational system that provides a screen seen on the Prius that indicates things like the power flow among regenerative brakes, electric motors, battery and engine. If one does not opt in for this navigational system, they can just observe the basic information that is required for fuel economization on the efficiency gauge. According to the engineers, their toughest task was joining together of the standard friction braking with the regenerative braking and making sure that the engine would switch of and on smoothly under any circumstances. This system works perfectly with the friction braking coming to regenerative mode whenever required without any perceptible transition apart from the light on the dashboard that indicated that the battery is recharging.

Apart from this there are some other nifty features like the emergency brake mode. In this mode, the regenerative braking mode is done away with totally and the normal brakes are put to action to stop the vehicle as fast as possible. The engine switching on and off is hardly perceptible unless one looks out specifically for it. The whining noise that is heard in most hybrids, when driving in all electric mode cannot be heard on the Vue Green Line. One can expect a range of 0.7 to 0.8 miles from this car when running in sole electric mode. Expected to be available at stores around January to February 2009, the estimated MSRP is expected to be under $33,000.