Edward W. Furia has said in front of a plug-hybrid industry group yesterday the SUV will be making a comeback in the second half of 2008.
“There’s a reason why SUVs have been so popular — they’re functional and very versatile” said the AFS Trinity President. “Because of the sheer volume of gasoline now consumed by SUVs, once these vehicles switch from gas hogs and polluters to clean vehicles, they will probably be more popular than ever, and could be even more than compacts and sedans in reducing oil dependence and greenhouse gases.”
With AFS Trinity technology, the XH-150 has off-the-shelf batteries and several more components in a modified Saturn Vue SUV platform that has been produced for a plug-in hybrid with an all-electric range of 40 miles. But according to the company, the vehicle can go up to 87 miles per hour in all-electric mode — increasing faster than fuel-dependent Saturn Vues. In full hybrid mode, it can go from 0 to 60 in almost seven seconds.
“For families, government and commercial fleets, and the many others who need the additional space and capabilities of an SUV,” Furia said, “There is no subcompact substitute. We set out to prove our technology by using an SUV to show that it can be applied to any vehicle.”
You can find more details on the XH-150 at AFS Trinity
Source: Newsblaze
