"Narrowed focus
Barra said she has worked with her global team over the past few months to narrow GM's electrification focus. In the past, GM sought to "cover the waterfront" by pursuing myriad powertrain technologies, but that approach is too costly and inefficient, she said."
"Through October, GM has sold more than 26,000 eAssist vehicles, Barra said. By 2017, GM expects to sell 500,000 vehicles a year globally with some form of electrification, from mild hybrids to pure electrics, Barra said. That would equal about 6 percent of the roughly 9 million vehicles GM sold globally in 2011."
I don't get what GM is trying to say here. We'll focus on the plug but will make whatever works, sells or does not... That's one hell of a strategy.
Why not develop or license a parallel hybrid powertrain from or similar to Toyota's and then gradually add kWhours of storage and a plug as Li-ion cells become more and more affordable? Just make use of what works and makes money, instead of being an old and arrogant self. Look at what the same Toyota did when they needed a good "compliance" plugin - they got Tesla make a new Rav EV. There is no shame in getting the best for your customer.
Instead, from the sound of it, for the sake of looking "green", GM will continue with the lame mild e-assist; heavy, expensive, not too efficient and subsidized Volt design; and finally a small city car with a limited range and prospects a.k.a. Spark.
Speaking of the latter, this should be the one to focus on in the long term as pure EV as simple in design and should be reliable, while the battery prices will inevitably come down and the charging infrastructure become more common. Meanwhile - diesels, light H.S. Steel and aluminum bodies and more efficient transmissions are the way to stay competitive on a budget.
