GM, DaimlerChrylser and BMW to invest big in hybrid technology

GM, DaimlerChrylser and BMW to invest big in hybrid technology

An alliance consisting of auto majors General Motors Corp., BMW AG and DaimlerChrysler AG has confirmed that they are planning to invest as much as $1 billion in the development of a new hybrid transmission and related systems.

The three companies claim that this would help them overtake Toyota in hybrid technologies and would make them major players in this market.

These three companies have got around 500 engineers who have been working for the past 18 months on the joint development of the next-generation hybrid engine technology. They are working on combining a battery-powered electric motor with a conventional gasoline combustion engine.

They plan to put this hybrid engine in two rear-wheel drive configurations or a front-wheel drive system.

Andreas Truckenbrodt, executive director of DaimlerChrysler’s hybrid programs spoke on this new development: “We believe that our two-mode hybrid is the best of the hybrid systems. I think all three of us can say it’s truly amazing what you can get out of if you bring wild, dedicated engineers together.”