General Motors to become exclusive auto sponsor of new Planet Green cable network, debuting June 4; will promote flex-fuel vehicles

General Motors will become the exclusive automotive sponsor of the new 24-hour Planet Green television network, which debuts in 50 million homes on June 4, and GM will sponsor the series “Greensburg”, documenting the rebuilding of Greensburg, KS as a model “green” city after being destroyed by tornado in May 2007. GM will donate several E85 cars and SUVs as part of its sponsorship, to community foundations and the city of Greensburg itself.

In addition to its flex-fuel technology, which GM says will be available in half its models by 2012, the company has completed a demonstration vehicle that uses HCCI — Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition — a diesel-like compression technology in a gasoline engine. The hybrid technology, which switches between ignition and compression, promises to increase gasoline fuel efficiency by at least 15 percent because of the higher efficiency of compression.

However, the lower temperature limits the creation of NOx compounds that cause air pollution. The technology works with flex-fuel engine technology as well, promising the possibility of E85 almost at parity with conventional gasoline in terms of fuel efficiency, and reducing or eliminating NOx emissions.

GM continues to push hard on promotion of E85 and flex-fuel vehicles as an offset to the imposition of stricter CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards. Every flex-fuel car sold contributes an offset to each car maker’s CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standard, under the new Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) signed last December.
Recently, the CEO of General Motors, Rick Wagoner, said that the US needs to increase the number of ethanol stations by a factor of 10-15, from 1400 today to as many as 20,000. He added that the company has been working with companies such as Wal-Mart and Target to add ethanol to their fuel distribution services.

General Motors will also invest $31 million in upgrading its engine manufacturing plant at Tonawanda. The upgrade will make the Ecotec 2.2-liter engines E85-enabled, and will also improve emissions in time for 2009 models. The Tonawanda plant produces 25 percent of GM’s E85 fleet.

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