Saturn hybrid
Why a Saturn hybrid by : Anthony Fontanelle
Recent spikes in the price of gasoline made American car buyers
opt for fuel efficient vehicles. This demand for fuel misers was
responded to by car makers like the Toyota Motor Corporation by
offering the hybrid technology.
Essentially, these cars combine an internal combustion engine
with an electric motor to consume less fuel. This technology has
been widely appreciated by American car buyers evident on strong
sales of the Toyota Prius which is the first hybrid vehicle to
be offered in the United States.
The only drawback to buying a hybrid electric car is that it is
priced considerably higher than conventional gasoline engined
vehicles. But developments in the auto industry paved the way
for Saturn, GM's marquee, to sell a Saturn hybrid car at a price
considerably less than other hybrids on the market.
The subsidiary of General Motors producing an entry-level
vehicle recently announced that the sticker price for the Saturn
Aura Green Line starts at $22,695. That figure already includes
destination charge, which makes the car the lowest-priced hybrid
today.
Aside from the relatively low price, buyers of the Saturn Aura
can also avail of the $1,300 tax credit certified by the IRS.
This good news to car buyers looking for a hybrid is announced
by Saturn hybrid General Manager Jill Lajdziak. "The Aura Green Line is
a great value among the hybrids in the mid-size car segment.
With a starting sticker price over $2,000 less than any
mid-sized hybrid sedan and a $1,300 tax credit, it makes true
hybrid fuel savings available to more people than ever before,"
Lajdziak claims.
Saturn Hybrid What else does it offer?
Aside from the tax credit that car buyers can take advantage of,
the vehicle can give good savings at the pump with its 28 mpg for
city and 35 mpg for highway ratings. The Saturn Aura Green Lines
gas mileage represents a 30 percent improvement over the
conventional version of the Aura.
Of course, the car's fuel efficiency depends on driving
conditions. Hybrid vehicles are more efficient on city streets
where constant acceleration and deceleration is needed depending
on traffic flow.
Saturn hybrid the engine
The Saturn hybrid Aura Green Line is powered by a 2.4-liter gasoline
engine that is coupled with an electric motor which provides
addition la power whenever it is needed. The car's onboard
battery pack provides power to the electric motor while the
internal combustion engine recharges the batter aside from
giving power to the car. The hybrid vehicle saves fuel by
shutting off the engine during stops, and under light loads.
The Saturn hybrid is also equipped with a regenerative braking system which
means that the energy produced during braking is used to charge
the car's battery pack. The Aura Green Line's powerplant
can produce as much as 164 horsepower at 6,400 revs per minute
and a torque of 159lb-ft at 5,000 rpm. That amount of power can
be easily checked by a brake component from Active
Brakes Direct.
About the author:
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive.buff who grew up
in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive
magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
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