GM Hybrids Increase Vehicle Line-up Pricing

Hybrid vehicles. A compromise that is becoming more and more present in our daily driving life, as the industry tries to reduce the impact of motoring on the environment.

Some hate this kind of electric and internal combustion relationships, others love it (albeit for personal marketing purposes) and General Motor’s vice-chairman Bob Lutz says that their complexity draws high manufacturing costs which will force the automaker to increase the retail price of normal cars, as whatcar reports.

“GM will lose money on hybrids,” he told whatcar. “We will continue to build them - and the cost will be spread across other cars,”, Lutz added, presenting the company’s future hybrid vehicle production plans.

Lutz also added that, in his view, hybrid vehicles will never manage to reach a market share higher that 10 percent in the US. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, on the UK market, hybrid cars have a market share of only 0.8 percent.

The manufacturer’s viability plan given to the U.S. authorities during the bankruptcy procedures showed that GM promises to increase its hybrid vehicle range to 26 models in the following years.

The carmaker wants to divide its hybrid vehicle line-up into three categories: an entry-level belt-alternator starter system like the one used in the current Chevrolet Malibu and a Two Mode system, which will have two layouts: one for rear-drive trucks and one for front-drive cars.