GM Sells 1 Million 30 MPG-Plus Vehicles in 2012
First U.S. automaker to achieve mark in EPA highway test cycle
DETROIT, January 3, 2013 /3BL Media/ - General Motors is the first U.S. automaker to sell more than 1 million vehicles in its home market in a single year that get an EPA-estimated 30 mpg or better on the highway test cycle.
“Our investments in advanced powertrains are clearly paying off, and our smaller vehicles are resonating with customers,” said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. “In 2013, we'll introduce new diesel, eAssist and plug-in vehicles in the United States and expand the availability of turbocharged four-cylinder engines.
“This will give us the most technologically diverse range of fuel-efficient cars and crossovers in the industry.”
Thirteen GM vehicles have at least one high-volume model that achieves 30 mpg highway or more.
| Vehicle | EPA Est. Highway Fuel Economy | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chevrolet Spark | up to 38 mpg |
| 2. | Chevrolet Sonic | up to 40 mpg |
| 3. | Chevrolet Cruze | up to 42 mpg |
| 4. | Chevrolet Volt | up to 98 mpg/e |
| 5. | Chevrolet Malibu | up to 37 mpg |
| 6. | Chevrolet Impala | up to 30 mpg |
| 7. | Chevrolet Camaro | up to 30 mpg |
| 8. | Chevrolet Equinox | up to 32 mpg |
| 9. | Buick Verano | up to 32 mpg |
| 10. | Buick Regal | up to 36 mpg |
| 11. | Buick LaCrosse | up to 36 mpg |
| 12. | GMC Terrain | up to 32 mpg |
| 13. | Cadillac ATS | up to 33 mpg |
| Source: | ||
| 2013MY EPA Fuel Economy Guide |
- Four Chevrolet cars – the Spark, Cruze, Sonic and Volt – achieve 30 mpg or better in EPA combined city and highway driving.
- Combined 2012 sales of GM’s mini, small and compact cars are expected to be up about 39 percent, driven by the launches of the Spark and Buick Verano, and the ongoing success of the Chevrolet Sonic, Cruze and Volt.
- About 40 percent of GM’s vehicles by sales volume are powered by fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines – 10 percentage points higher than in 2010.
- GM’s two highest fuel-economy four-cylinder models are the 42-mpg Chevrolet Cruze Eco and the 40-mpg Chevrolet Sonic, both of which are powered by a turbocharged 1.4L ECOTEC engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
- Chevrolet and Buick dealers delivered more than 50,000 vehicles that use advanced lithium-ion battery technology. Chevrolet Volt sales totaled more than 23,000 units, making the car the country’s best-selling plug-in vehicle.
- Combined sales of the Chevrolet Malibu, Buick Regal and Buick LaCrosse powered by eAssist, which delivers EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of up to 37 mpg, totaled more than 30,000 units.
In 2013, Buick will launch the 33-mpg Buick Encore crossover, Cadillac will introduce the ELR extended-range electric vehicle and Chevrolet will expand availability of eAssist to include the all-new Impala. Chevrolet will also introduce a 2.0-liter clean diesel powertrain for the Chevrolet Cruze and a full-electric powertrain for the Spark.
The launch of the Spark EV will make GM the first company to build a complete electric motor and drive unit for a modern electric vehicle in the United States. By 2017, GM will have up to 500,000 vehicles on the road with some form of electrification, with a focus on plug-in technology.
GM will release its December 2012 sales today at 10 a.m. EST.
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world's largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.
