While many experts, rightfully question the logic of thin fuel improvements with the conversion of Detroit’s SUVs and pickup trucks to hybrids, HEV. So how do they rate in real life application?
The gist, GM’s Yukon Hybrid packs some intelligent technology, we can only hope will make its way into smaller more economical HEV sedans. With the bulk of its heavy cars sales down, November’s lowering gas prices gave a surge of 1,496 hybrid vehicles delivered.
The numbers that back GM’s bet for heavy hybrids are that it sold 325 Chevrolet Malibus and 354 Saturn Vues, 372 Chevrolet Tahoes, 193 GMC Yukon and 230 Cadillac Escalade two-mode SUVs hybrids left dealers’ lots. According to the Paramus Post, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is well worth more than $71,000. One of the reason is the bling, the 22-inch wheels and a glittering chrome treatment, if you like chrome on cars and such things.
Technically Speaking. The SUV packs a 322-horsepower, 6.0-liter V-8 with a 2 mode HEV system, backed by a 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack. The hefty 6,000-pound manages to go up to around 30 mph on electricity alone. With a highway fuel mileage of 21mpg, and overall 20mpg, electronics play an important part. Giving the engine the choice to run on 4 cylinders for highway or in hybrid mode with battery power and all cylinders active, with shut off at stops and regenerative braking, the SUV can achieve better performance than its conventional gas counterpart. There is a 4 year/50,000-mile warranty plus 8 year/100,000-mile coverage for the hybrid components.
Creature comfort include 14-way power-adjustable front seats with heat and if your behind gets hot from driving this flurry of technology, you will be able to cool it off with cooling cushions. We love Detroit’s attention to the comfort of our posteriors.
So the question still remains, is it worth upgrading with a substantial premium, a big heavy SUVs instead of sedans that would be even more economical? GM is betting heavily that when gas go up, people who absolutely need those heavy vehicles, will think so. It’s a toss so far. We hope to see a plug-in hybrid version to cut operation costs even more.