GM to unveil new, more powerful batteries in an all-new gasoline or diesel hybrid (even if the LA TIMES insists on confusing its readers, headlining the story on this vehicle "Electric Car") sometime early next year, possibly even at the LA Auto Show (this year and into the future to be held the first week of December) ... DaimlerChrysler shows off (publicly, this time) the Smart fortwo which Penske-affiliated dealers will be selling next year in the good ol' USA ... And did you know that American President George W. Bush (aka "W", "Bush 43" --- Be on the lookout!) supports hybrids, alternative fuels and weaning America off its oil addiction? Well, he does NOW, as of November 8th! He hee heee! Nothing like an election to change someone's mind, no matter how small that mind may be!
General Motors will likely unveil a prototype plug-in hybrid at either the LA Auto Show (week of 
December 5, 2006) or January's 2007 Detroit Show.
It's not known whether the prototype's internal combustion component will be a gas- or diesel-powered engine. Andrew Frank, a professor at the University of California-Davis who developed some of the first plug-in hybrids, believes it's likely to be a 'series hybrid' rather than the more common 'parallel-type' hybrids that are sold today. The on-board internal combustion engine will act as a generator to charge the batteries when they're low, and perhaps not used at all to actually drive the vehicle. This technology is common on locomotives and submarines, and it could also be used on heavy-duty consumer-level pickups to increase torque.
SMART INTRO'S fortwo MODELS HEADED FOR THE USA.
These (finally) official shots of the SMART fortwo show the actual 2007 car bound for Penske dealerships in the US. The USA-bound fortwo now sits at 8.82 feet long. It will be powered by a three-cylinder motor a full liter in size and available with 61, 71 or 84 throbbing bhp. A diesel option will generate 45 bhp, and the single tranny choice is a five-speed manual. SMART fortwo will also cut the engine at full stops much like some hybrids and other high-mileage vehicles. Each fortwo will be virtually jammed with safety stuff, well-stocked with front airbags, ABS and ESP. Anyone want to buy a ton or so of SMART fortwo "spy shots"? We got a million of 'em! (Photo - SMART fortwo interior).
FUN AND COMEDY AT THE WHITE HOUSE!
Did everyone see W's face when he finally had to fire his buddy Rummy? If looks could kill --- Every Democratic vote they normally steal would have retroactively aborted its vote-caster. But in all that good fun going in in DC this week, imagine W and Tony Snow working on the wording on W's hatred of the oil companies ... Now that W is meeting with the Former Big Three heads this coming week, a meeting he put-off until after the election and the oil company chiefs told him what to say to the American people ... REUTERS reported that it went a little something like this ...
Spokesman Tony Snow said Bush will tell the chiefs of Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group on Tuesday (November 14, 2006) that he wants to see their businesses grow. But Snow would not say whether the Bush administration was poised to offer any help to the struggling companies.
Ford, General Motors and Chrysler have for a year sought a meeting with Bush on things they think the government could do to help them. Two previously scheduled meetings were postponed.
Ford and General Motors, especially, have sustained staggering financial losses due to declining market share at the hands of foreign rivals and overwhelming legacy costs for worker and retiree health care and pensions.
Among other things, the U.S.-based companies would like more government incentives to retool factories and help lower their costs.
Detroit has stressed that it does not want a government bailout. And the White House has been cool to any suggestion of substantial government help and has encouraged the auto companies to work out their problems on their own.
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