More luxury hybrids to the rescue!

Just what America needs now

GM will be bringing a few new hybrid vehicles to market soon. Great news, right?

That's if you can overcome the sticker shock for these hybrids. For instance the GMC Yukon Denali hybrid will begin at almost $60,000. The new Cadillac Escalade hybrid platinum edition begins at more than $85,000.

$85,000 for the ultimate Cadillac is expensive, but I guess 20 mpg in the city is priceless.

Hybridcarblog inspires GM hybrid commercial

Escalade hybrid versus the mini Cooper?

Have you seen the latest Cadillac Escalade hybrid commercial? The one comparing the Escalade hybrid to the Mini Cooper in city fuel economy?

I hate to say it, but that was mine.

At the LA Auto Show in 2007, I made the same comparison, except it was the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, which had just claimed the Green Car Award, and the Mini.

As I stumbled around the show floor wondering how some giant SUV could win a green car award, I found myself in the Mini Cooper section. So, I checked them out for a small car Soultek feature. Quickly, I realized that in city driving, a land yacht like the Tahoe hybrid (or the more loaded Cadillac hybrid) is just as efficient as many Minis.

I was seriously shocked. Immediately, I blogged Tahoe hybrid: Cause for Mini celebration?

Following the show, at CES in Las Vegas, GM CEO Rick Wagoner cited Hybridcarblog regarding this story, and now it's a commercial. I guess, ultimately, the comparison to the Camry just didn't offer the same shock value as the Mini.

Obviously, I think it's a pretty good commercial. Yet, I've always been less impressed with the Tahoe hybrid's fuel economy, than I've been disappointed in the crappy city fuel economy of something as small as a Mini.

If the future is congestion, Mini fuel economy is far, far inadequate. I guess that's just why I love hybrid vehicles so much, and why I feel Highway fuel economy is for suckers.

Super Bowl MVP picks an Escalade hybrid

The latest bling for the NFL

Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes will soon be the owner of a new Cadillac Escalade hybrid thanks to his MVP Award.

Do you care?

GM's hybrid sales momentum crunched?

Down from 1,000 per month

"The momentum that General Motors was starting to get with its hybrid sales hit a major speed bump last month," reports Autobloggreen this morning.

In September the Chevy Tahoe hybrid and the GMC Yukon hybrid combined, achieved sales of just over 1,000 units. In October, despite the edition of the Cadillac Escalade hybrid, total sales of all three of these hybrid vehicles dropped to 795 units.

I don't know that I'd call 1,000 units per month momentum, but I think it's obvious that large SUVs - whether hybrid or not - have no future.

Tahoe, Yukon and Escalade hybrids to be phased out?

Only for PR?

Large SUVs, such as the Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade, are facing their last days. Because of costs, Bob Lutz stated this weekend that these vehicles will not be replaced in 2011, as originally planned, including the hybrid versions.

Thus, all current GM dual mode hybrid vehicles are already being phased out. Soon, however, GM will launch a dual mode version of the Saturn Vue hybrid, which is a much smaller SUV. And, there are also plans for a GM dual mode pickup truck, but skeptics are already dismissing the vehicle.

“It is a publicity stunt,” states Ford truck marketing manager. “It is no different than what you are seeing with their large SUVs. They are not selling any Tahoe and Yukon hybrids. It’s about something to advertise."

Bigger hybrids are better, right?

A better application for hybrid technology?

Small cars, so goes the thinking of some, are already fuel efficient, so why waste costly hybrid technology on small hybrid vehicles? Instead, putting that hybrid technology in large vehicles, they note, actually saves more fuel.

I thought about that this weekend as I watched a few Cadillac Escalade hybrid commercials. 'Why are hybrids always small cars,' the driver of an Escalade hybrid asks. Why not a vehicle with an 8 inch nav screen, dvd entertainment system and room for 8, yadda, yadda, yadda.

FINISH: Bigger hybrid vehicles are better, right?

Maybe GM's large hybrids aren't so bad

21 mpg in the city

Earlier this morning I poked a little fun at the release of the Cadillac Escalade hybrid because at $72,000, I just can't take this new hybrid too seriously. But, maybe I should, as the fuel economy of these large hybrid vehicles is noteworthy. And, no, I'm not kidding.

As I was browsing the Internet today I came across an ad for the 2008 Accord LX AT Sedan. "Great fuel economy. That's helpful." That great fuel economy is 21 mpg in the city, the same fuel economy as the Escalade hybrid, or the Chevy Tahoe hybrid.

I marveled over this fact at the last LA Auto Show, when I found myself amidst some Mini Coopers and I noticed many only offered city fuel economy in the low to mid twenties, only a smidgen better than GM's large hybrids. Ultimately, GM's large hybrids are achieving fuel economy as good or better than most autos on the road today.

While I'm still not a fan of large vehicles, unless functionally necessary, maybe large SUVs are actually something GM can be quite proud. Even better, the soon to be released Saturn Vue hybrid might actually achieve double the city fuel economy of most vehicles on the road today.

Escalade: A bling, bling hybrid for Hollywood

Hip hop's way to go green?

Cadillac is ready to roll out GM's latest hybrid, the Escalade hybrid. With a starting price of $71,685, it's hard to get too excited about GM's latest dual mode hybrid vehicle. While the combined fuel economy of the Escalade hybrid is great for such a huge vehicle, 21 mpg certainly isn't the kind of fuel economy that America needs a lot more of on the road. Of course, that shouldn't be a worry at almost $72,000.

Still, I see a lot of Escalades on Southern California streets, so converting these drivers into hybrid drivers would be a good thing. Plus, I think everyone in the NFL drives at least one Escalade, so now the NFL will have a new tool to 'clean up' its image. And, I'm dying to see this hybrid in some hardcore rap video. Green bling, baby! Peace!

Eli Manning to receive one of first Escalade hybrids

Super Bowl MVP chooses an Escalade hybrd

I know, I've been making way too much out of my belief that the Cadillac Escalade hybrid was the perfect hybrid to market during the Super Bowl. This will be my third and final post on the subject. After winning this year's Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning was able to pick out a new ride from a number of Cadillacs, and he chose the Escalade hybrid. Told you so!?

Did you like GM's Yukon hybrid Super Bowl commercial

Yukon makes a Super Bowl Ad appearance

I saw GM's Yukon hybrid commercial during the Super Bowl and sort of wondered whether GM could have better invested that money elsewhere.

The ad was clearly made for die-hard SUV fans, as it should have been, and it didn't try to portray the Yukon hybrid as some great green vehicle. The Yukon hybrid is a big SUV that achieves excellent fuel economy, especially in the city, for such a large SUV. Fine. I still think a Cadillac Escalade hybrid would have been a better fit (earlier post), but the better fit might have been no commercial.

Escalade: Hybrid for the NFL?

Isn't it time the NFL goes a little green?

Yesterday, I poked a little fun at GM for their indecision on a hybrid vehicle Super Bowl ad. It seems that GM has a hybrid supply problem, even though they barely sell any hybrid vehicles.

Nonetheless, as I read a Forbe's article about the cars NFL players drive, I realized which hybrid ad GM should run. Turns out NFL players love the Cadillac Escalade. So, why not a Cadillac Escalade hybrid commercial during the NFL?

The NFL cares, right?

Escalade hybrid to make debut

Starring at the South Florida International Auto Show

The 2009 Cadillac Escalade hybrid makes its debut today at the Auto Show in Miami. Expected to achieve around 20 mpg in the city, the 6-liter V-8 Escalade hybrid, much like the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, provides significant improvements in fuel economy.

Despite finally bringing some hybrid cars to American consumers many environmentalists, according to the DetroitNews, are still not happy.

Scott Nathanson with the Union for Concerned Scientists said "the Escalade hybrid does not go far enough."

"It's really a missed opportunity for GM," said Nathanson, administrator for hybridcenter.org. "They could have attached the hybrid system to a smaller engine and seen some huge improvements.

"That's what folks want. It's what they expect."

Cadillac going hybrid in 2009?

Not the only hybrid Cadillac?

Sometime in 2008 the 2009 Cadillac Escalade hybrid will make its debut on dealer lots. But will it debut alone?

"Pretty much every program I am looking at going forward has got a hybrid as part of it," John Howell, Cadillac's product chief, said.

As gas prices have risen, Cadillac sales have declined. Answer: hybrid vehicles.

Escalade hybrid works for the Oscars, but not the real world?

Good enough for the Oscars, but not you

I'm sorry, but I don't get GM. They use an Escalade hybrid at the Oscars, yet the vehicle won't be available until at least mid-2008 as a 2009 model?

If it's ready, why not start selling it as a 2008 model? Continue reading Escalade hybrid works for the Oscars.