February 2006
The Ecology Center welcomes you to its
Green Machines Tour e-newsletter, providing updates of tour events and other news about
fuel-efficient, union-made vehicle technologies produced here in the U.S. We invite you to
forward the e-newsletter to your friends and colleagues, who can also sign-up to receive
future e-newsletters at: www.greenmachinestour.org/list.shtm
|
 |
Big-3
Need Bush's Buy-in, Not Bailout
Gettelfinger
calls for manufacturer incentives |
UAW
President Ron Gettelfinger has been speaking out about the federal
government's role in addressing issues facing the domestic auto
industry. He recently highlighted three steps the government must
take to level the playing field between foreign and domestic companies.
One key step is creating manufacturer incentives for the production
of advanced, fuel-efficient, and alternative -fuel vehicles. Gettelfinger
said promoting such incentives is the UAW's top legislative priority
for 2006.
Read
more: http://www.greenmachinestour.org/gettelfinger.shtml
|
 |
Big
Plans for Ethanol
Bush
Administration and U.S. automakers push alternative fuels
|
In
recent weeks, President Bush and U.S. automakers have announced
strategies for reducing the nation's dependence on foreign oil,
and have highlighted increasing production of ethanol and ethanol-capable
vehicles as one key approach. The increased use
of ethanol would also increase investment and income in Midwest states
and create thousands of jobs.
Read
more: http://www.greenmachinestour.org/fuels.shtml
TECHNOLOGY
NEWS |
 |
GM
to Build Two-Mode Hybrid Transmission
First transmission of its kind
to be built in U.S. |
GM
recently announced that it will produce a new two-mode hybrid transmission
at its Baltimore Transmission plant in Maryland. Production of the
transmission will mean an $118 million investment to upgrade the
facility and the creation of 87 new UAW-organized jobs at Local
239. The transmission will be the first of its kind built in the
U.S. and will be featured on hybrid versions of the GMC Yukon and
Chevrolet Tahoe in 2007.
Read
more about the transmission: http://www.greenmachinestour.org/hybridgmtrans.shtml
Read more about the the Yukon and Tahoe Hybrids:
http://www.greenmachinestour.org/hybridgmc.shtml
|
 |
Saturn
Vue "Green Line" Hybrid SUV
The first of GM's value hybrids |
GM's
new Saturn Vue "Green Line" is scheduled to go into production
this summer and will built by members of UAW Local 1853 at the Spring
Hill Assembly plant in Tennessee. The vehicle will use mild-hybrid
technology to provide a 20% increase in fuel-economy, and is expected
to have a lower cost premium than other hybrids currently on the
market. GM plans to use the same system on future GM vehicle models,
including the Chevrolet Malibu.
Read
more about the Saturn Vue "Green Line": http://www.greenmachinestour.org/mhybridsaturn.shtml
|
 |
Ford
to Produce More Hybrids
Five Hundred and Montego Hybrids
coming soon |
In
January, Ford announced plans to produce hybrid versions of the
Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego beginning in the 2008 to 2010
timeframe. The hybrids are expected to
be built by members of UAW Local 551 in Chicago.
Read
more about the Five Hundred and Montego:
http://www.greenmachinestour.org/atford500.shtml
|
