Hybrid Escalade to be offered in fall of 2007

[Itsme]

Hybrid Escalade to be offered in fall of 2007

By JAMIE LAREAU AND RICHARD TRUETT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

AutoWeek | Published 02/01/06, 11:19 am et

General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner confirmed that Cadillac will get its first hybrid vehicle in the fall of 2007 with the 2008 Escalade SUV.

Wagoner made the announcement Wednesday at the Baltimore transmission plant during a ceremony to name the plant as the builder of GM’s hybrid transmissions.

The hybrid version of the Escalade will use a new transmission made by GM’s Allison division. The two-mode hybrid system will be similar to what GM will use in the hybrid version of a Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs.

The hybrid Escalade will get a 25 percent gain in fuel economy, meaning the vehicle could get close to 30 mpg on the highway.

The supplier for the nickel-metal batteries to be used in the Escalade will be Panasonic EV, a Japanese company.

GM is spending $118 million to tool up for production of the hybrid transmissions.

[zero2dash]

If you add on giant spinner 20s, wouldn't that weigh down the car and bring the mpg back down to gasoline levels though? j/k

[Itsme]

Recently I read an interesting story about hybrids.....The original hybrids really had terrific mileage...50/60 mph well worth the purchase. However, people complained about the lack of power/umph.

So, Honda, Toyota, GM, etc. for the second generation of hybrids that are for sale now made the engines more powerful, thus reducing the mileage to the low 30's mph, thereby making the cars more of status symbol that people think have high mileage when they don't.

I hope the next generation for next year show some mph improvements.

[Sirrich3]

If you add on giant spinner 20s, wouldn't that weigh down the car and bring the mpg back down to gasoline levels though? j/k

Good Point

[Cheesypuff]

Hybrid Escalade to be offered in fall of 2007

By JAMIE LAREAU AND RICHARD TRUETT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS

AutoWeek | Published 02/01/06, 11:19 am et

General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner confirmed that Cadillac will get its first hybrid vehicle in the fall of 2007 with the 2008 Escalade SUV.

Wagoner made the announcement Wednesday at the Baltimore transmission plant during a ceremony to name the plant as the builder of GM’s hybrid transmissions.

The hybrid version of the Escalade will use a new transmission made by GM’s Allison division. The two-mode hybrid system will be similar to what GM will use in the hybrid version of a Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs.

The hybrid Escalade will get a 25 percent gain in fuel economy, meaning the vehicle could get close to 30 mpg on the highway.

The supplier for the nickel-metal batteries to be used in the Escalade will be Panasonic EV, a Japanese company.

GM is spending $118 million to tool up for production of the hybrid transmissions.

if anybody has never seen a contradiction before. a hybrid escalade is by far the best example of contradiction I have ever laid my eyes on. what will they make next? a fu0king hybrid hummer?

[blueindian]

Recently I read an interesting story about hybrids.....The original hybrids really had terrific mileage...50/60 mph well worth the purchase. However, people complained about the lack of power/umph.

So, Honda, Toyota, GM, etc. for the second generation of hybrids that are for sale now made the engines more powerful, thus reducing the mileage to the low 30's mph, thereby making the cars more of status symbol that people think have high mileage when they don't.

I hope the next generation for next year show some mph improvements.

that's not entirely true. for vehicles that have a second generation, such as the toyota prius and soon to be released hond civic 2nd gen, mpg has stayed the same or gone up. what your article was probably referring to is the 1st gen vehicles, such as the accord hybrid, escape hybrid, etc that have gone on the market since. these vehicles do have much lower mileage ratio as compare to their non-hybrid counterparts.

[attgig]

they should make every car that gets less than 30mpg a hybrid.
and if still gets less than 30 mpg after making it a hybrid, the govt should require special licenses (that cost a few grand but can be written off as a business expense) to buy them

[JaQnAbOx]

If you add on giant spinner 20s, wouldn't that weigh down the car and bring the mpg back down to gasoline levels though? j/k

doesnt adding spinners allow the car to continue moving even when the car has reached a complete stop??

thats some great enery conservation technology.

[verve247]

I can only think of one commercial hybrid that offerred 50-60 mpeg. That was the honda insight which was a crappy little 3 person car. No power and no space.

Recently I read an interesting story about hybrids.....The original hybrids really had terrific mileage...50/60 mph well worth the purchase. However, people complained about the lack of power/umph.

So, Honda, Toyota, GM, etc. for the second generation of hybrids that are for sale now made the engines more powerful, thus reducing the mileage to the low 30's mph, thereby making the cars more of status symbol that people think have high mileage when they don't.

I hope the next generation for next year show some mph improvements.

[OC]

No way will they get close to 30mpg. That's total hype.

[Houdini]

I get 30+ mpg highway at ~80 mpg with a conventional I6 engine. Only 18-22 or so depending on how I drive in the city though. That's the real advantage of hybrids. They get great city mileage. Their highway mileage is generally about the same or sometimes worse than conventional engines, as the gas engine has to run to keep speed. Since I live in a stop/go city, a hybrid would be fun, and I know a few people who have them, even the Highlander hybrid. But most of my driving tends to be highway, where hybrid wouldn't help, and I'd notice the loss of power and subsequent agility with the extra torque.

[eSDee]

doesnt adding spinners allow the car to continue moving even when the car has reached a complete stopped??

thats some great enery conservation technology.

[OC]

Here's some real-world fuel economy data for the Highlander Hybrid 4wd. The average is 24.8, with a range of 21-28mpg. The Escalade is substantially heavier, has a larger engine, larger frontal area (more air to push out of the way) and greater aerodynamic drag. Like I said, no way will it hit 30mpg.

[ialsohaveadream]

No way will they get close to 30mpg. That's total hype.

It might in EPA tests, which are notorious for giving higher MPG than actual road conditions.

[DarkFury]

they should make every car that gets less than 30mpg a hybrid.
and if still gets less than 30 mpg after making it a hybrid, the govt should require special licenses (that cost a few grand but can be written off as a business expense) to buy them

You'd better lower that number some....

Even my T'Bird don't get 30mpg on the highway... alot folks definitely ain't gonna go for that. (I sure know that I wouldn't...)

[Houdini]

Here's some real-world fuel economy data for the Highlander Hybrid 4wd. The average is 24.8, with a range of 21-28mpg. The Escalade is substantially heavier, has a larger engine, larger frontal area (more air to push out of the way) and greater aerodynamic drag. Like I said, no way will it hit 30mpg.

I agree, at least with today's hybrid technology. I have a friend who has a hybrid Highlander, and he loves it as he generally only drives a few miles, at most, at a time. It's creepy riding in it in complete silence, though I haven't driven it. Highway miles, though, will kill you, as the gas engine has to work full time.