GM's Contribution to Fighting against Sand Storms in Beijing
Spring is in bloom, but Beijing residents can barely see the clear and blue skies like people in other provinces. It seems like several sand storms always come before the spring as the watershed between winter and spring. This year is no exception, with the prevailing sand storm making the sky appear sandy. People will even have difficulty breathing due to the high density of sand in the air if they sleep near a window.
As capital of China, the weather change in Beijing has brought attention from many departments due to the growing population and the damage being done to the ecological environment. It reminds people that the continuation of the environmental damage will make Beijing the second Loulan, once a prospering city but later submerged in the desert. People have begun to pay attention to the environmental damage due to the emerging unpleasant phenomena of heavy weather, the lack of water and drought in western and southern cities and the consistent lack of water in Yunnan. It has been 50 years since Yunnan suffered a drought. In the next three years, the Yunnan government plans to start the "100 key water resource projects," and the "Five Water Projects," (which aim to build more than one million cisterns, pools, pump stations, small reservoirs and canals.) to enhance the water supply.
We need to take action now because the emerging droughts and water floods require everyone's attention in terms of environmental treatment and preservation. Many new policies in terms of environmental protection have been released and energy efficiency measures and development of new sources have been implemented as well as the control of waste sources. The increasing waste emissions from vehicles also worry people though. The traffic control issued by the government has only exerted a small impact. Some companies buy more wagon numbers in order to avoid the traffic control. With the quick development of the Chinese automobile industry, it is urgent we seek the fundamental auto energy revolution such as the eye-attracting debut of the new energy vehicles produced by General Motors who has been pioneering the urban environment rescue action.
As the global auto industry leader, General Motors has made its short, medium, and long-term goals of zero emissions and has been committed to the development of comfortable and environmentally friendly new energy vehicles. The power from hydrogen is widely recognized as the fundamental solution to harmonize future environmental protection while satisfying transportation requirements. GM has undoubtedly been the pioneer in this field. In short and medium-term strategy, GM spares no efforts in the research and development, including continuous upgrading of the current internal-combustion engine, enhanced utilization of natural gas and bio-energy, other new energies, the wide application of hybrid technology, etc.
The era of inexhaustible natural resources has already passed and the demand for water and petroleum has surpassed supply. China has set a goal of 15 percent decrease in current average oil consumption. In addition to the subsidies granted to the research and development of hybrid electric vehicles and fuel-cell vehicles, China will also promote the research and development of gasoline-efficient minicars and pool the wisdom of auto manufacturers. GM, always an advocate of environment protection, will continue to meet the national requirements and produce new energy vehicles.
SGM, GM's Joint Venture in China, Set One Strategy, "Drive to Green"
General Motors has developed hybrid vehicle systems with the goal of no single reliance on the conventional engine or electromotor technology. The utilization of petroleum by conventional engines or diesel engines inevitably causes waste emissions while the electricity-powered vehicles are expensive, with a limited vehicle range. They depend on a great amount of battery power. The hybrid system simultaneously adopts the two power trains.
At the 2008 Beijing Auto Show, the Buick LaCrosse Eco-hybrid vehicle made its debut as GM's first medium-and-high grade green car. Its fuel efficiency has improved by 15 percent and the oil consumption every hundred kilometer is only 8.3 liters. In the same year, CAERC (China Automotive Energy Research Center) was set up at Tsinghua University. It is the first automotive energy research center guided by an advanced academic institution and involves multinational automotive manufacturers in the research. It is first research center aimed at automotive energy in terms of Chinese energy research. GM and SAIC will fully support the center. Thus GM is among the first multinational automotive manufacturers to participate in Chinese automotive energy research.
GM, incorporating the globally advanced 3.6 liter all-aluminum intelligent SIDI, outshone its rivals and won the "World Best Ten Engines," due to its outstanding fuel efficiency and torque. GM increased the maximum power by 15 percent and the maximum torque by 8 percent. It has the best output with 310 horsepower among its peers and goes from zero to 100kph in CTS 6.3 seconds. With a more powerful engine, its oil consumption has decreased by 3 percent and decreased hydrocarbon emissions by 25 percent, much better than the global emission standards to a great degree. Its performance is fully blended with environmental protection. The vehicle materializes the concept "better performance, lower oil consumption, and less consumption." Here comes the inside news that GM will showcase its new energy autos at the Beijing Auto Show this year, which may reduce the emergence of sand storms in Beijing.
GM's commitment to development is focused on a better environment and fresh air. Maybe the auto energy revolution begins with GM. Let's look forward to the wonderful debut in Beijing Auto Show.
漫天黄沙飞舞