www.mybaycity.com
February 17, 2010
(Prior Story) Business ArTicle 4661 (Next Story)
Sponsored by Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
GM Ecotec engine is designed for fuel efficiency and slated for use in smaller cars. GM to Announce Bay City Role in Fuel Efficient Global "Ecotec" Engine
|
||||||||||
| Printer Friendly Story View |
General Motors has called news conferences in Bay City, Defiance, Ohio and Tonawanda, New York for 10 a.m. Thursday to announce a major investment in fuel efficient engines.
GM sources said: "These events are being held to announce an investment in these facilities to support the next generation, fuel efficient Ecotec engine from GM."
"This investment, totaling millions of dollars with a positive impact on employment, will position these communities for a bright future as GM transforms its product portfolio with new technologies and engines to reduce vehicle fuel consumption and emissions."
GM will spend millions to upgrade and expand three plants to produce the next generation of its four-cylinder Ecotec engine, the automaker said.
Cal Rapson, vice president and director, UAW International Union and Denise Johnson, vice president - Labor Relations will attend the event in Tonawanda, NY. Other GM officials will host events in Bay City and Defiance.
Several elected officials are expected to attend events in their state and Bay City Mayor Charles Brunner and U.S. Rep. Dale F. Kildee, D-Flint/Bay City, are expected to attend and participate in the announcement event in Bay City.
Mr. Brunner and a committee of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, headed by President Mike Seward, have been active over the past few years in lobbying GM to retain and expand the Bay City PowerTrain plant. Brunner has made several trips to Washington and the city has hired a consulting firm to boost the local economy.
After periods of uncertainty that caused city officials to make contingency plans based on the potential loss of GM tax base and water and power purchases, recent positive developments seem to have cleared the air in that regard.
The GM Bay City PowerTrain plant currently has more than 300 employees but dozens have been added recently in a build up to production of the Chevy Volt, expected out next year. Mike Lasco, president of UAW Local 362, also is expected to take part in the local announcement event.
The expansion announcement comes as a major GM competitor, Toyota, is struggling to right itself after a series of setbacks related to recalls and defects in its cars. Toyota has been forced to halt production and sales in the face of safety issues.
Toyota also is fighting a public relations battle as Congress is launching hearings to determine the facts behind the problems at the Japanese automaker.
GM spokesmen said the Ecotec will be used mainly in its smaller and midsize cars.
The GM Ecotec engines are General Motors' line of advanced premium 4-cylinder engines. The Ecotec 2.4-liter VVT engine is the fourth variant in this family of engines. These engines are designed for long-life, low-maintenance, and noise reduction.
The Ecotec name was adopted in 2000 for the new generation of Family II engines. The name was already used for the Opel GM Family II engine, Family 1 and Family 0 ranges. GM intends this new Ecotec to become its global 4-cylinder.
The Ecotec Family II is a DOHC 4-valve design with an aluminum block and head (L850 for 86 mm bore applications, and L880 for 88 mm bore), designed for displacements from 1.8 to 2.4 L. It was developed by an international team of engineers and technicians from Opel's International Technical Development Center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, GM Powertrain in Pontiac, Michigan, and Saab in Trollhättan, Sweden.
Much of the development work on this project was carried out by Lotus Engineering, Hethel, United Kingdom. The engine uses aluminum pistons and cast iron cylinder liners. Vibration is reduced with twin balance shafts.
Ecotec engines have a variety of simple, but important, features such as chain-driven, dual-overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, low-friction, roller finger follower valve train with hydraulic lash adjusters, variable valve timing, electronic throttle control, and automatic tension adjusters for the timing chain.
Noise and vibration reduction is achieved through direct-mount accessories that are bolted to the engine block rather than mounted on brackets, polymer coated pistons with a skirt design that reduces cold-start noise, and a two-layer acoustic engine cover designed to reduce noise even further.
Variants of the GM Ecotec engine have been used in Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Opel, Oldsmobile, Vauxhall, and Chevrolet, making the Ecotec a "world engine" suitable for numerous applications.
GM's domestic production is expected to total 650,000 vehicles in the first quarter, a vast increase from the 371,000 vehicles built in the same quarter last year.
Worldwide production is seen increasing to two million vehicles in the first quarter from 1.33 million the previous year, according to company sources.
GM employs 46,000 hourly and 24,000 salaried workers in the United States while global employment is estimated at 204,000.
In the last six years GM domestic employment is down about half and global employment is about three-quarters of former levels.
GM employment peaked in 1986, with 379,000 hourly and 253,000 salaried domestic workers and global employment of 876,000. ###
| Printer Friendly Story View |
|
|
Dave Rogers |
|
|
|
Printer-Friendly Story View
0200 Nd: 04-22-2024 d 4 cpr 0
12/31/2020 P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm
SPONSORED LINKS
12/31/2020 drop ads P3v3-0200-Ad.cfm