Does the Tahoe hybrid make sense? Congress?
What's the purpose of SUVs?The hybrid technology that powers both the soon-to-be-released Chevy Tahoe hybrid and the GMC Yukon hybrid is impressive. However, ever since GM announced plans for dual mode hybrid vehicles, I've asked one simple question: Will the technology be cost-effective and, therefore, relevant?
That question has been answered, kind of, and I have some questions for Congress. Read more....
Labels: fuel economy, Hybrid Vehicles, tahoe hybrid, yukon hybrid
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:26 AM
2 Comments:
Full Story
Not long ago, as I walked around the LA Auto Show pondering the significance of the Green Car Award going to the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, I found myself checking out some Mini-Coopers. Since the Mini is a hot little car, I thought I'd put together a story for the small cars section of Soultek.
As I looked around, however, I was shocked to realize that many Mini's only achieve fuel economy in the low 20's in city driving - around the same city fuel economy of GM's new dual mode hybrids, such as the Tahoe hybrid and the GMC Yukon hybrid.
Suddenly, I realized that maybe large hybrid SUVs were important. If you need a large vehicle to tow your boat up to the lake, then a Yukon hybrid is probably the perfect vehicle.
I posted this realization shortly thereafter and GM's CEO, Rick Wagoner, cited my post during his opening remarks at CES to justify large, hybrid SUVs.
But, does a significant improvement in city fuel economy justify large SUVs?
For instance, according to a test drive by Edmunds, the Tahoe hybrid doesn't provide as big of an increase in fuel economy on the highway as it does in city driving. In fact, the staff at Edmunds only achieved a 19 percent increase in fuel economy, or a 3.1 mpg improvement. Now the conventional Tahoe that Edmunds compared to the hybrid Tahoe did not have exactly the same sized engines, so those fuel economy numbers seem slightly sketchy.
Also, like other hybrid vehicles, the biggest efficiency gains are often seen in city driving, and here both the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids will see bigger gains compared to their conventional brothers and sisters.
Still, are these the kinds of vehicles that people should be driving in the city in the first place? That's a matter of consumer choice I guess.
What really got me going, however, was that the Edmunds article couldn't stop pointing out that the Tahoe hybrid costs about $9000.00 more than a conventional Tahoe, which seems retardedly too divergent. Such pricing almost makes me question the legitimacy of GM's dual mode hybrid technology altogether, almost.
Then, I started to think about cheap gas. If consumers paid the real cost of gasoline at the gas pump - easily about $8.00 to $10.00 per gallon - a Tahoe or Yukon hybrid would actually be quite cost-effective compared to conventional SUVs.
Sadly, while politicians continue to blame US automakers for foreign oil dependency, the Tahoe hybrid proves that it's cheap gas perpetuated by politicians that is the real problem. Without a gas tax, it seems it will be almost impossible for automakers to do much about foreign oil dependency any time soon.
I just watched a History Channel special called "Crude"...a 2 hour documentary.
All I have to say is....we are so so screwed. I give us an earnest 100-150 more years...maybe 200 years tops.
I'm almost at tears from the absolute disastrous way humans have pillaged and destroyed this planet. The amount of waste of resources, such as fossil fuel, that we have just simply pissed away by the most retarded methods possible.
After watching this documentary, I laugh with anger when seeing an SUV (and even cars in general). Just look at this Tahoe...what an absolutely pathetic barge on 4 wheels.
Everyday...whether I drive or take the bus to work, it saddens me deeply...really it truly does sadden my heart, when I see a mass of cars just sitting on the freeway..every single freakin day..morning and night. All those resources wasted...and for what?
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