GM Responds To Environmental Critics By (You Guessed It) Cranking Up PR

[hatrack]

"It's understandable why, when it comes to environmentally friendlier vehicles, the public would think that General Motors is bringing up the rear. After all, Toyota has the hot-selling Prius, Honda has the popular Civic Hybrid sedan, and Ford's getting so many calls on its upcoming hybrid Escape SUV that it looks like it's going to be a fast-seller, too. But GM officials insist they are eco-friendlier, too, and have ramped up the auto giant's PR machinery in hopes of getting the word out.

One reason the company's fuel-saving image has lagged the competition, they said in recent interviews, is that the company is relying on a mix of technologies and options to answer the call for cars and trucks that pollute less and get better mileage. Hybrids represent only part of GM's solution to the problem.

"People have criticized GM for being late to market on this issue and that's just not true," Larry Nitz, executive director of hybrid powertrains for GM, said in an interview last week. "We've just chosen to attack the problem a bit differently than others have."

EDIT

And, Nitz said, GM also has developed hybrid pickup trucks that are starting to hit the market, including 50 Chevrolet Silverado extended-cab hybrid pickup trucks that have been delivered to the Miami-Dade County government. Hybrid pickup trucks -- Chevy Silverados and GMC Sierras -- will be available for purchase by the public in the fall, he said."

EDIT

It's worth noting that the hybrid pickups he's touting can boast of mileage improved to the tune of 1.5 mpg. Whee.

http://www.evworld.com/view.cfm?section=communique&newsid=5681