In a move that reflects General Motors shift towards greener technology, it has renamed it's Powertrain group "Global Propulsion Systems." The name change comes a few weeks after the General announced it was creating a specialized unit focused specifically on the development of electric vehicles.
The Global Propulsion Systems unit will focus on gasoline and diesel-powered engines, as well as GM's new electric and hydrogen-driven projects. While the automaker only has a handful of alternative-powered vehicles, Marc Reuss, GM's head of Global Product Development, has already told TheDetroitBureau .com, that these types of offerings will become the majority of their lineup sooner rather than later. This is out of necessity, as the federal government places more stringent emissions and fuel mileage requirements on manufacturers.
Currently, GM offers the Chevy Volt plug in hybrid (redesigned 2017) , as well as the Chevy Spark EV, an electric version of it's popular Spark sub-compact car. Additionally, Chevrolet recently took the wraps off the Bolt . They predict that this new long-range model will go 200 miles on a charge and go from 0-60 in less than seven seconds.
This new branch of the GM corporate tree might also signal the end of the famous Ford vs. Chevy debate. The two longtime rivals have recently begun working together to develop a 10-speed automatic transmission. GM has also been working with Honda to research hydrogen fuel cell technology.