Larry Nitz, General Motor's executive director for hybrid powertrain engineering, told listeners at the recent Plug-In Conference in California that the Saturn Vue Hybrid had already undergoing real world testing. According to Nitz, the Vue Hybrid's lithium-ion batteries already had extensive battery management work done to them both in the lab and on the road. It was also mentioned that the plug-in charge integration was fully operational, though still in its early stages.

The option of having the two-mode hybrid system will be available in the Saturn Vue, but the plug-in variant, which uses the same two-mode hybrid system, won't be available until a few years later.  That said, GM is sure that the current model will still be class-leading in both fuel efficiency and emissions.

The plug-in hybrid Vue will not be sold internationally like the Chevrolet Volt and will be only available in North America.  Currently, engineers at GM are working on two other plug-in hybrids. One will be based on the Flextreme Concept, and the other will be a larger, more spacious model.

+ Motor Authority: GM testing Saturn Vue plug-in hybrids