Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun is reporting the members of a reported hybrid-car research-and-development alliance composed of GM DaimlerChrysler and BMW will unveil their strategies for gas-electric vehicles at the NAIAS show in Detroit. The companies have been collaborating on a new hybrid propulsion system for vehicles in an attempt to catch Toyota, primarily, and Honda and Ford, which have produced hybrid systems on their own. No word on which models will be fitted with the dual-mode system, which combines an electronically variable automatic transmission with low-speed and high-speed motors (for in-town or freeway driving) that support the gas engine (Toyota uses a single-mode system in the current Prius). No word on which models might be fitted with the powerplant, but sources say the target is 2007.

GM, Daimler, BMW to unveil hybrid plans [The Yomiuri Shimbun]

Related:
BMW Joins Hybrid Partnership with DCX, GM [internal]

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