Chevy's Jolly Green Giant

[steinravnik]

Chevy's Jolly Green Giant



Pundits have been predicting the death of behemoth SUVs for years. But what amazes me is how many are still rolling off the lots. General Motors (GM) sold nearly 210,000 of its plus-size Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon SUVs last year, three-and-a-half times the number of Cadillac CTS (BusinessWeek.com, 10/22/07) and Saturn Aura (BusinessWeek.com, 10/4/06) models it sold, and seven times the number of Buick Enclave unit sales (BusinessWeek.com, 8/24/07). Big SUVs may be less popular than they once were, but clearly a lot of consumers still want one, even in an era of soaring gas prices.

Enter GM's new "green" jumbo SUVs, specifically the hybrid versions of the Tahoe and Yukon. These vehicles represent the first application of "full" hybrid technology—developed in cooperation with BMW (BMWG.DE) and Daimler (DAI)—to a large truck. Unlike the "mild" hybrid technology in the Green Line versions of the Saturn Aura (BusinessWeek.com, 7/3/07) and Vue, this is a Toyota-style, two-mode system that mates a 332-hp V8 gasoline engine with two electric motors and an efficient electronically variable transmission. The Tahoe Hybrid can accelerate on its electric engines alone or with help from the gasoline engine if more power is needed. The V8 engine also can operate on just four cylinders while cruising along at highway speed.

Fuel efficiency during in-town driving is 25% to 50% better than in a conventional Tahoe. An '08 Tahoe Hybrid is rated to average 21 miles per gallon (21 city/22 highway) with two-wheel drive and 20 mpg for both city and highway driving with all-wheel drive. (In 300 miles of mixed, mainly highway, driving, I got 18.6 mpg in an all-wheel-drive Tahoe.) By comparison, a conventional gasoline-powered Tahoe is rated to average 14 mpg to 16 mpg, depending on which V8 engine is chosen and whether it's equipped with all-wheel drive. But it gets 19 or 20 mpg on the highway, almost the same as the hybrid.

At current gasoline prices, an owner driving 15,000 miles annually will save around $600 to $700 a year by going with a hybrid. Savings will be greater if you do a lot of city driving and put more than 15,000 miles on the vehicle annually. (You can estimate your fuel savings at fueleconomy.gov).

Considering the Tahoe Hybrid's premium price, it will take years for most owners to recover the extra cost in fuel savings alone. The Tahoe hybrid starts at $50,490 with front-wheel drive and $53,295 with all-wheel drive. By contrast, a conventional Tahoe starts at $35,530, rising to $40,460 for the fancier LT with all-wheel drive. (GM offered $2,000 cash rebates on the '08 Tahoe through Mar. 3.)

The hybrid qualifies for a $2,200 federal tax credit and comes loaded with features such as leather upholstery, heated seats, a keyless starter, a fancy Bose audio system, and a navigation system. The only significant options are a rear-seat entertainment system ($1,295) and a power sunroof ($900). But even taking all of that into account, the hybrid still costs at least $5,000 more than a comparable gasoline-powered Tahoe.

The advantage of the hybrid is that it's peppier than a conventional Tahoe. Plus, if one insists on owning such a big, gas-gulping SUV, it seems the driver should make some effort to minimize the environmental effects. The hybrid will save the average owner at least 180 gallons of gasoline per year. And carbon-dioxide emissions—the main source of greenhouse gases—are about 20% lower than in the conventional Tahoe.

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[56 Starchief]

"this is a Toyota-style, two-mode system"

No, it's not! Toyota is a single-mode, morons. Way to turn something positive into a thinly-veiled praise of Toyota.

Gotta love it. I wonder what they'll do when the Volt comes out:

"prompted by the hybrid craze Toyota started over 10 years ago, Chevrolet has finally released the Volt"

[steinravnik]

Originally Posted by 56 Starchief

"this is a Toyota-style, two-mode system"

No, it's not! Toyota is a single-mode, morons. Way to turn something positive into a thinly-veiled praise of Toyota.

Gotta love it. I wonder what they'll do when the Volt comes out:

"prompted by the hybrid craze Toyota started over 10 years ago, Chevrolet has finally released the Volt"

LOL, good catch!

[ANT]

yeah figures they get there facts wrong and throw a toyota praise in there

[Joevette]

"The Tahoe hybrid starts at $50,490 with front-wheel drive and $53,295 with all-wheel drive."

Ok, with the one about Toyota and then this, it further reinforces my claim that automotive journalists are for the most part BS! FWD on a tahoe? this guy needs to cut back his smoking

[stevecmh]

Originally Posted by ANT

yeah figures they get there facts wrong and throw a toyota praise in there

yes the almighty toyota.. you can never forget them

[geozinger]

Originally Posted by 56 Starchief

"this is a Toyota-style, two-mode system"

No, it's not! Toyota is a single-mode, morons. Way to turn something positive into a thinly-veiled praise of Toyota.

My problem with that statement is that it TOTALLY negates Ford Motor Co.'s contribution to these systems today. Toyota did not do ALL of the development all by themselves.

Several years back, both Ford and Toyota were working on their systems independently of one another but along the same lines. Both companies wanted to avoid patent infringement lawsuits.

They decided to cooperate and share knowledge, which is partly how Ford ended up with the HSD in the Escapes. Toyota apparently got some diesel technology from Ford.

Not that I'm such a huge fan of Ford these days, but let's give credit where it's due and more importantly, keep the history accurate.

[pwoods]

Originally Posted by Joevette

"The Tahoe hybrid starts at $50,490 with front-wheel drive and $53,295 with all-wheel drive."

Ok, with the one about Toyota and then this, it further reinforces my claim that automotive journalists are for the most part BS! FWD on a tahoe? this guy needs to cut back his smoking

Submit a comment to the article at business week, I just did. Pretty depressing when a journalist gets something so basic so wrong.

[T-Type]

Originally Posted by pwoods

Submit a comment to the article at business week, I just did. Pretty depressing when a journalist gets something so basic so wrong.

I tried to, but there is no 'submit' button. How did you do it?

[bobojay]

Yeah 2 big inaccuracies! One the FWD on a Tahoe. Second, 2-mode hybrid.
How wrong can you get it! Almost sounds like a Motor Trend article........

[ANT]

Originally Posted by Joevette

"The Tahoe hybrid starts at $50,490 with front-wheel drive and $53,295 with all-wheel drive."

Ok, with the one about Toyota and then this, it further reinforces my claim that automotive journalists are for the most part BS! FWD on a tahoe? this guy needs to cut back his smoking

i didn't even see that one wow... thats just sad

[tgagneguam]

Pundits have been predicting the death of behemoth SUVs for years. But what amazes me is how many are still rolling off the lots. General Motors (GM) sold nearly 210,000 of its plus-size Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon SUVs last year, three-and-a-half times the number of Cadillac CTS (BusinessWeek.com, 10/22/07) and Saturn Aura (BusinessWeek.com, 10/4/06) models it sold, and seven times the number of Buick Enclave unit sales (BusinessWeek.com, 8/24/07). Big SUVs may be less popular than they once were, but clearly a lot of consumers still want one, even in an era of soaring gas prices.

Nice opening paragraph, though. It's important to point out the sales numbers, specifically because some promote GM's withdrawal from the market to focus on other niches. There probably always will be a market for FS SUV's, and I prefer GM to develop the best in class and push everyone else out rather than abandoning the market to foreign brands.

[Inchworm]

Originally Posted by T-Type

I tried to, but there is no 'submit' button. How did you do it?

When you are in the text box for the comment, hit your 'Tab' key. That will slide the whole area upward and the 'submit' button will appear. Poor web design, I say.

[fenderbender]

Wow what a journalist.

So you can only get RWD or AWD? Is there no 4WD or the Hyrbids? That's almost a killer for me.

[IndyCamaro83]

Originally Posted by 56 Starchief

"prompted by the hybrid craze Toyota started over 10 years ago, Chevrolet has finally released the Volt"

I'm glad we have an electronic record of this statement. Can you sue Toyota for infringement/plagerism rights when the actually do use this?