General Motors Tahoe/Yukon Hybrids to get 21/22 mpg from EPA
With the launch of GM's full-size SUVs with the Two-Mode hybrid system less than two months away, a lot of questions about the vehicles work have already been answered. However, two big questions have remained unanswered: the official mileage numbers from the EPA and the price. We still don't know how much GM is going to charge for the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids. But the official mileage numbers are being announced by GM at the Texas State Fair.
According to the revised EPA procedures for 2008, they will get 21 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway. That compares to 14/20 for the conventional models with the 5.3L V-8 and two-wheel-drive. The four wheel drive hybrids get 20/20 ratings compared to the conventional models 11/14 mpg ratings. Those city numbers compare quite favorably to non-hybrid mid-sized sedans like the Toyota Camry and Pontiac G6 with a four cylinder engine. The Camry is rated at 21 mpg and the G6 is 22 mpg. Of course the sedans are rated at 31 and 30mpg on the highway, but if you actually need a big vehicle, these sure look good. Of course the price could put a real damper on the whole situation so we'll have to see how that goes.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris 9:42AM (9/27/2007)
20/20 EPA rating on the 4wd, huh? I see an add campaign...
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Jimmy 10:15AM (9/27/2007)
The astounding fact is that a 2008 Chevy (Daewoo) Aveo Automatic gets 23 MPG on the 2008 EPA City cycle!! A Tahoe Hyrbid and an Aveo get almost the same City MPG! A 2008 4 cyl. Hyundai Sonata only gets 21 MPG City.
Wish they would have made the Tahoe hybrid flex fuel!
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BassClef 10:16AM (9/27/2007)
Hell, if they sold it with the 4.2L I6 from the Trailblazer they could probably get Camry and G6 highway mileage too. That would make a Chevy guy out of me. (I hope the gods of MOPAR didn't hear that.)
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Tim Russell 10:59AM (9/27/2007)
Now if they can pair this system with the new diesel V8 that's in the works where will the numbers be. We might be looking at a full size SUV with mid 20's MPG. Except for the Vette I've never been a big GM fan but I gotta hand it to them on this one.
I do believe that GM is going to make it as a automaker now. They are really fixing their product mix. They do have to get the Volt/E-flex vehicles out there in 2010/11 to fully turn around.
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steven 12:38PM (9/27/2007)
I'm not sure why price is going to be an issue. The trucks now cost $35-36K base and will go for the low to mid $40k as a hybrid. Almost all the other hybrids out there that have a gas only version (ignoring the top of the line Lexus) have very similar cost differences: $6k for base vs hybrid Highlander, $6.5K for base vs hybrid Camry, $11K for the Accord, $7K for the Civic, $10K for the Lexus GS, $4k for the Lexus RX. By some estimates the difference would be about $5k for a Prius. Granted some of these have a lot of tacked on features with the hybrid versions.
Keep in mind this truck will still be able to tow 6000 lbs+ when you need it to.
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Snowdog 2:35PM (9/27/2007)
Is this up at the official fueleconomy.gov yet. Because it seems odd that this delivers similar to Aveo fuel economy in the city.
I wonder if the real world results will back this up. Color me skeptical. I think Hybrids improve fuel econ with a class, but a Tahoe pulling numbers similar to a Aveo? I will need significant proof before I believe that.
I'll wait on the Consumer Reports/Edmunds long term numbers. These are the ones I trust.
Numbers generated by spinning a dynomometer in a lab leave something to be desired.
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Joseph 4:39PM (9/28/2007)
"$6k for base vs hybrid Highlander, $6.5K for base vs hybrid Camry, $11K for the Accord, $7K for the Civic, $10K for the Lexus GS, $4k for the Lexus RX"
The real difference in price b/w a hybrid and non-hybrid is much less than you suggested. Hybrids usually coem fully loaded with side air bags, ESC, air conditioning, and a multitude of basic luxuries that are NEVER included in the base price advertised. My case in point,the Honda Civic Hybrid is priced at $22,600, and the similarly equiped EX automatic Honda Civic Sedan at $21,260.
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Wildgoosechase 11:30AM (9/28/2007)
They went with the 6.0 liter V8 for it's displacement on demand. If they went with a smaller engine the it wouldn’t have enough power to cut down to 4 cylinders as often and thusly use more fuel.
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Bananas 9:02AM (9/28/2007)
You trust Consumer Reports??!!?? Yikes! That in itself is a scary statement. "Real World" numbers are crap since everyone drives differently. The only numbers that can be truley compared are the 2008 EPA numbers since they are done in a contolled way. Any "real world" numbers (even for the Aveo or Prius) are going to differ from person to person, so apples to apples is to use the EPA numbers. CR will differ from Motor Trend, Car & Driver, and everyone else.
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steven 1:36PM (10/01/2007)
@9: Please read #5 again, it does say "Granted some of these have a lot of tacked on features with the hybrid versions."
Since the $$$ amount provided in the article was for a base Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon, the price comparison was US$ MSRP base-gas to US$ MSRP base-hybrid with no additional options or packages, as provided by the respective manufacturers. Regardless of what an actual hybrid system costs, you pay for it with an entire car, including any features that happen to be included. So for comparison, the various price differentials would provide a good starting point for interpolating the expected price difference between the existing gas truck and the upcoming hybrid version. Early on, Toyota was said to have "lost" of money on each Prius by pricing the car lower that the actual total cast to manufacture just to get the features on the market, so the actual cost of hybrid systems is more than likely higher, not lower. "Cushioning" it with extra options (that have their own significant profits included) is a simple way to ease that extra cost on to the consumer without pricing yourself out of the market. Cut your profit on the "options" to cover the cost of the hybrid.
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Chris M 3:33PM (10/01/2007)
Minor correction: Rumors to the contrary, Toyota did not sell the Prius "below cost of production". In fact, they made enough profit to pay off all the development costs by 2003. Toyota has been adding their Hybrid Synergy Drive to other models precisely because it has been profitable to do so.
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