GM may eat some of the cost of the Two-Mode hybrid
When General Motors previewed their new two-mode hybrid system on the Tahoe and Yukon earlier this year they declined to say what the system would cost when it goes on sale later this fall. While the mild hybrid system that is already available on the Saturn Aura and Vue is relatively inexpensive to build and install, the two-mode is considerably more complex.
Unlike the mild hybrid, the two-mode uses a completely different and more complex transmission and larger battery. The hybrids also get a lot of weight saving changes such as aluminum hood and tailgate, lighter seats and wheels and a new brake system to allow for blending of regenerative and friction braking. It's estimated that the total package may add as much as $10,000 in cost to the vehicle and GM is contemplating eating some of that cost to make it more palatable to consumers.
The company will continue to offer multiple types of hybrid systems. The mild hybrid will be the value option, with the two-mode be the more efficient but more expensive option. In addition they may offer a variant of the mild hybrid with a lithium battery and possibly plug-in capability and their is also the previously announced two-mode plug-in system for the Vue. The E-Flex is not included in the hybrid lineup because GM considers it a range extended EV.
Gallery: 2008 GM 2-Mode Hybrid SUVs
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
FrankTheCrank 1:48PM (7/09/2007)
What is wrong with these dunderheads?
WHY DO THEY KEEP INSISTING ON PUTTING HYBRID SYSTEMS INTO LARGE, FAT, INEFFICIENT VEHICLES???
Detroit, here's a tip on how to gain market share back. Very simple formula:
Small car + Hybrid=$$$$$$$$
Small car + ALL ELECTRIC PLUG IN=$$$$$$$$$$
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???
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Schmeltz 2:27PM (7/09/2007)
Frank:
GM is striving to make large SUV's, (which is something all Auto companies sell, including Toyota--who can do no wrong), more efficient. The full-sized pick-up segment is approximately a 2 million unit market. I don't know how many full-size SUV's are sold in a year but you can expect that there are still quite a few of those also. Now, I'm not going to get in a discussion as to whether people should buy these vehicles or not, but I will say that if people continue to want/need these vehicles, what in the world is wrong with making them more efficient???
Sometimes I have to wonder if jealousy is the main motive behind many peoples bashing of SUV's?
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Travis Rassat 2:36PM (7/09/2007)
Frank,
A pretty good percentage of the cars GM sells are these big vehicles. For example, being originally from Minnesota, the lifestyle people lead there often necessitates a vehicle that can pull a boat, or has sufficient ground clearance for driving in snow. GM can try, but they most likely can't change these people's lifestyle. They will continue to buy big vehicles, so GM might as well make their bigger vehicles more efficient. Fact is, not everyone can drive a small car, so GM will make the biggest impact by targeting their biggest market.
If you take an average person who drives 15,000 miles a year, at 15 mpg they will use 1,000 gallons of fuel, but a 25% improvement in mileage from the hybrid drivetrain will save them 200 gallons of fuel a year. That's a significant fuel savings.
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Joseph 1:37PM (7/10/2007)
Frank, I agree with you completely.
GM is stupid to keep pushing on hybrid SUVs. It's true that the hybrid version of an SUV technically saves more fuel than the hybrid version of a Civic. However, people don't care about what compartively save more fuel, they just want what overall uses the least fuel! Duh!
GM is pushing for hybrid SUVs since they sell so many of them. They are probably hoping that the rich people who buy SUVs more for "comfort" will buy a hybrid SUV because along with the "comfort" of an SUV they'll be sheek and "environmentally friendly." Hopefully once GM recovers from money losses (when they get more mpg in their cars) their brain will also recover and decide to put their 2-mode hybrid system in a Malibu or something.
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MikeW 12:57AM (7/10/2007)
GM better have the 6L80 in their '08 trucks.
No more obsolete four speed auto BS.
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Owain Ozymandias Buck 8:35AM (7/10/2007)
For most folks, an EV without onboard power generation won't cut it. Unless you live in the city and never leave it, you can't depend on the grid.
I'm not just talking about commutes. Many people's livelihood depends on being mobile. And for many of us, the Almighty Grid is not that reliable. Yes, believe it or not, there are plenty of us in the boonies who like the idea of EV's, but damn if we'll count on Power Companies to be their sole source of electrical energy.
No conspiracy "killed" the electric car. It wasn't killed. The sucky early models are just being scrapped as they should be. The ones that will work for the vast majority of us--with auxiliary generating capability--are just around the corner.
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Bill 10:50AM (7/10/2007)
No diesel powertrain?
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Lithous 11:35AM (7/10/2007)
"Small car + Hybrid=$$$$$$$$"
Yeah, and if you don't believe it look at the Honda Insight!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the Prius is such a small car that many of the buyers compare it to a mid-size SUV (even though they are crazy) Yup, it is all about the small size (perceived or real) that sells the hybrids.
Oh, and add $10K to a $15K car would be genius!!!
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MikeW 12:40PM (7/10/2007)
Hopefully the new 4.5V8 diesel & 6L90 won't be confined to the leaf spring suburban 2500.
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pedmac 2:20PM (7/10/2007)
any idea how many will be produced? between the tahoe hybrid and yukon? heard also Chrysler may have some as well?
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Chris M 5:48PM (7/10/2007)
Lets see, so far GM has planned:
Flywheel starter/alternator "hybrids",
Belt starter/alternator "hybrids",
Two mode full hybrids,
Two mode plug-in hybrids,
Serial plug-in electric hybrids.
That't 5 different hybrids with different voltages and battery packs, different designs, different components. That is a lot of duplicated effort, as hardly any hybrid components are shared between designs. No wonder they are having a hard time getting costs down!
With as much money as GM has been loosing, they can't afford to subsidize any hybrid sales. At most, they may cut the profit margin to a minimum.
Toyota isn't subsidizing hybrid sales, either, but then, with a simple single design used on many different models, their costs are way down so they don't have to.
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