First Look: GM hybrid SUVs coming at the right time
By Don Hammonds, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
August 9, 2007
Timing is everything in the car and truck business.
Introduce new products at the right time, and you just might sell a slew of them. And that's what might happen to General Motors.
Against the backdrop of anguish over rising fuel prices and falling SUV sales, GM is introducing two new full-size hybrid SUVs, the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon.
Both get about 25 percent better fuel economy in combined city-highway driving, and about 40 percent better mileage in city driving. Although figures have not been set by the EPA, GM said the pair could get about 20 mpg in the city, about 22 on the highway, and about 21 overall.
While those figures may not seem like much in the days of hybrids that get 50 mpg, they certainly look good compared with other SUVs.
And remember, we are talking about two really big trucks here. They can haul seven passengers with all their cargo, and tow 6,000 to 6,200 pounds. They also have the traction benefits that come with all-wheel drive.
Competitively, that makes these two far and away the most economical full-size SUVs around.
Power comes from a two-mode hybrid system. That is, the engine has two electric motors instead of one. That allows for more flexibility and more options to save gasoline.
The SUV runs on electric power only, engine power only (a 6-liter, 332-horsepower V-8) or any combination of engine and electric power. In lightning quick calculations, the SUV automatically decides what is needed.
The active fuel-management system allows the engine to shut down some cylinders when strong acceleration is not needed.
The system also has electric power steering instead of a belt-driven system that uses more gas.
Other steps intended to lighten the weight of these SUVs include changes to the seat design and lighting fixtures, aluminum hoods and liftgates, lightweight wheels and low rolling-resistance tires.
Driving the hybrid Chevy Tahoe proved to be much like driving any Tahoe. It's quiet, comfortable and easy to handle in traffic.
As you drive, a gauge helps you obtain the best mileage if you keep the arrow indicator in the noon to 2 p.m. position. If you're curious what the truck's hybrid system is doing, there's an easy to understand graph on the navigation screen that illustrates which parts of the system are working and under what conditions. That's better than the bewildering bar graphs and charts used in other hybrids.
Although the automaker has yet to announce prices for the hybrids, I expect them to be $1,000 to $2,000 more than a conventional model.
Timing is everything in the car and truck business.
Introduce new products at the right time, and you just might sell a slew of them. And that's what might happen to General Motors.
Against the backdrop of anguish over rising fuel prices and falling SUV sales, GM is introducing two new full-size hybrid SUVs, the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon.
Both get about 25 percent better fuel economy in combined city-highway driving, and about 40 percent better mileage in city driving. Although figures have not been set by the EPA, GM said the pair could get about 20 mpg in the city, about 22 on the highway, and about 21 overall.
While those figures may not seem like much in the days of hybrids that get 50 mpg, they certainly look good compared with other SUVs.
And remember, we are talking about two really big trucks here. They can haul seven passengers with all their cargo, and tow 6,000 to 6,200 pounds. They also have the traction benefits that come with all-wheel drive.
Competitively, that makes these two far and away the most economical full-size SUVs around.
Power comes from a two-mode hybrid system. That is, the engine has two electric motors instead of one. That allows for more flexibility and more options to save gasoline.
The SUV runs on electric power only, engine power only (a 6-liter, 332-horsepower V-8) or any combination of engine and electric power. In lightning quick calculations, the SUV automatically decides what is needed.
The active fuel-management system allows the engine to shut down some cylinders when strong acceleration is not needed.
The system also has electric power steering instead of a belt-driven system that uses more gas.
Other steps intended to lighten the weight of these SUVs include changes to the seat design and lighting fixtures, aluminum hoods and liftgates, lightweight wheels and low rolling-resistance tires.
Driving the hybrid Chevy Tahoe proved to be much like driving any Tahoe. It's quiet, comfortable and easy to handle in traffic.
As you drive, a gauge helps you obtain the best mileage if you keep the arrow indicator in the noon to 2 p.m. position. If you're curious what the truck's hybrid system is doing, there's an easy to understand graph on the navigation screen that illustrates which parts of the system are working and under what conditions. That's better than the bewildering bar graphs and charts used in other hybrids.
Although the automaker has yet to announce prices for the hybrids, I expect them to be $1,000 to $2,000 more than a conventional model.
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