LA 2007 Preview: Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, all the details
Click the Escalade for a high-res gallery
Word slipped out earlier today about the biggest, baddest hybrid of them all the new Cadillac Escalade and now we have most of the details. There aren't really any big surprises here as the Escalade is basically the dressed up black-tie version of the Tahoe/Yukon twins. The hybrid version basically carries over the same Two-Mode power-train from it's brethren as well.
What the Escalade Hybrid doesn't get is unique styling. Aside from small hybrid badges on the C-pillars and tailgate, the rest of the body work remains the same as conventional models. The big Caddy also doesn't get the weight reduction measures that went into the Chevy and GMC versions. During a recent discussion with GM's Director of Hybrid Powertrain development Larry Nitz, we got an explanation for this. Read on after the jump to find out why and to see all the specs on the Escalade hybrid.
Gallery: 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
[Source: General Motors]
When vehicles are tested for emissions and fuel economy purposes, they are put into test weight bins for purposes of setting up the dynamometers. Heavier vehicles have to pull against greater loads. When the approximately 400 lbs of hybrid hardware was added to the Tahoe/Yukon it bumped them up into the next bin, which would impact their test results. The modifications such as the aluminum hood and tailgate, lighter seats and wheels and other changes allowed the SUVs to stay in their existing weight class by dropping 150 lbs.
The standard Escalade, having more luxury hardware, was already in the lower end of the higher weight class and the hybrid hardware did not bump it out of that class. The lighter parts would have made no difference to the test results. The Escalade does keep the electronic brake system that provides for blending of regenerative and friction braking to help maximize efficiency and, like it's counterparts, should achieve a fifty percent improvement in urban fuel efficiency which would put it at about 18 mpg. It's no Prius but for those who insist on driving such a behemoth, 12,000 miles of driving will save over 330 gallons of gasoline per year. The first Cadillac hybrid should roll silently into showrooms next summer at a price still to be determined.
ESCALADE HYBRID: CADILLAC PREMIERES
THE FIRST HYBRID IN A LARGE LUXURY SUV
LOS ANGELES – Cadillac announced the world premiere of the Escalade Hybrid, the world's first fuel-saving hybrid applied to a large luxury SUV. Powered by an innovative, fuel-saving 2-Mode Hybrid system, Escalade Hybrid will deliver more than a 50-percent improvement in fuel economy in city driving – all while delivering the same distinctive style, segment-leading features and full-size capability that have made the Escalade an icon.
" Escalade, already the sales and style leader among large luxury SUVs, now adds the desirability of a fuel-saving, technically advanced hybrid system," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. "The arrival of Escalade Hybrid means that consumers can now use less fossil fuel, reduce emissions and still enjoy the benefits of a full-size luxury SUV."
The Hybrid goes on sale in the summer of 2008 and is the newest example of Escalade's technology leadership.
"No other manufacturer offers a hybrid than can seat eight luxuriously while simultaneously carrying or trailering lots of cargo comfortably," Taylor said. "And no hybrid delivers the dramatic presence that is synonymous with Escalade."
Escalade Hybrid is available in 2WD and 4WD configurations. It delivers up to 6,000 pounds (2,721 kg) of usable towing capacity on 2WD models and 5,700 pounds (2,585 kg) on 4WD models. All of Escalade's standard comfort and convenience features are included. This includes an eight-inch, touch-screen navigation system that displays performance readouts of the 2-Mode Hybrid system on the screen.
Escalade Hybrid extends Cadillac's leadership in the large luxury SUV category. Escalade sales have grown in the face of changing sales trends and increased competition. In fact, Escalade sales increased 22 percent in September over year-ago sales. Other models in the Escalade lineup include the extended-length Escalade ESV and the versatile Escalade EXT luxury-utility truck. The Hybrid model is available with the standard Escalade body style.
Patented 2-Mode Hybrid technology
The Escalade's 2-Mode Hybrid system allows it to return exceptional fuel economy in both city and highway while delivering the capabilities of a true luxury SUV. In city driving, this advanced hybrid power system enables Escalade to launch and drive low speeds on electricity alone. As additional power is demanded, the system blends output from the battery and gas engine smoothly.
GM's patented 2-Mode Hybrid system consists of an advanced electrically variable transmission (EVT) and 300-volt nickel-metal hydride Energy Storage System (ESS). These systems work in concert with the standard 6.0L V-8 Gen IV gasoline engine with Active Fuel Management (AFM) and late-intake valve closing (LIVC) technology. AFM enables the V-8 engine to seamlessly shut off half of its cylinders when less power is needed, such as during highway cruising. This new hybrid system not only enables the Escalade Hybrid to drive low speeds on electricity alone, it also allows the 6.0L V-8 engine to operate in its more economical four-cylinder mode for longer periods.
The key to Escalade's 2-Mode hybrid system is that the electric power used to propel the vehicle is generated by the hybrid system itself. When the brakes are applied or the vehicle is coasting, the electric motors within the hybrid system create electricity that is stored in the 300-volt battery. This stored energy is used to move the vehicle and the regenerative braking cycle is renewed.
The 2-Mode Hybrid system provides seamless, dependable power on demand in an efficient package. In fact, its electric motor is less than half the size of those in single-mode hybrid systems. This technology was developed and is still used in fleets of hybrid transit buses on the streets today in dozens of major North American cities. Scaled-down for use in full-size SUVs, the 2-Mode system delivers fuel savings where it is needed most – in large vehicles with high levels of capability. It is a core part of GM's energy diversity efforts, which are centered on reducing dependence on petroleum, improving fuel economy, reducing emissions and minimizing the automobile's impact on the environment.
Cadillac's smooth and quiet power
Acoustic details specific to the Hybrid model ensure it delivers the superior luxury that has been an Escalade hallmark since its inception. The details include:
- A new exhaust system and resonator specially tuned for the 6.0L LIVC engine's Active Fuel Management operation. It ensures comfortable interior acoustics and a pleasant exhaust note during both V-4 and V-8 operation
- An electrically driven, 300-volt air conditioning compressor reduces vibration and allows the HVAC system to cool the passenger compartment even when the gasoline engine is shut off. It includes the standard tri-zone climate system
- An electrically driven, 42-volt variable-assist power steering reduces vibration and provides up to a 0.5-mpg fuel economy improvement by reducing parasitic losses common in belt-driven hydraulic systems
- The Energy Storage System cooling system's internal fan is tuned to be quiet at low vehicle speeds, when the fan could more easily be heard by the occupants.
Escalade aesthetic
The Escalade Hybrid retains the qualities that have made it the leading large luxury SUV and a standard-bearer of Cadillac's overall product renaissance. It is instantly identifiable as a Cadillac and incorporates styling cues from the landmark Sixteen concept vehicle, including a detailed signature grille, front fender vent ports and layers of chrome accents.
The Escalade's warm and inviting interior features a premium layout. It is available in two colors, Ebony and Cashmere. Standard features include a distinctive instrument panel; gauges with white needles and blue light inlays with continuously lit, white-LED backlighting; Nuance leather-covered seats; leather-covered door trim and center console; and a power-assisted rear liftgate that opens and closes with the touch of a button.
ESCALADE HYBRID'S 2-MODE SYSTEM ENABLES EXCELLENT
FUEL ECONOMY WITH FULL-SIZE CAPABILITY
LOS ANGELES – The new, 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid delivers greatly improved fuel economy while maintaining the capabilities and amenities expected of a full-size, V-8-powered SUV. This seemingly incompatible duality is enabled by GM's patented 2-Mode Hybrid system.
- The 2-Mode Hybrid system uses a new, electrically variable transmission (EVT) that offers the best of both worlds: fuel economy and real SUV capability. The two modes consist of a continuously variable operation, for low-load driving situations and a fixed-gear operation, for high-load conditions such as towing or highway driving.
"GM's breakthrough 2-Mode technology is a perfect fit for luxury consumers" said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. "This is fuel-saving innovation, delivered with the capability, desirability and presence that Escalade uniquely possesses."
Drawing on experience gleaned in the development of hybrid bus propulsion systems, GM designed the two-mode EVT to provide the best combination of city and highway fuel economy; it is used in concert with the 6.0L Gen IV V-8 engine with Active Fuel Management. Furthermore, the EVT is designed to bolt directly to the standard four-wheel-drive transfer case found on the gasoline-only models for true four-wheel-drive capability.
The Escalade Hybrid's drivetrain is made up of the following major components, each of which works together to provide seamless, economical and comfortable operation that goes virtually unnoticed by the driver and passengers:
- Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT)
- Energy Storage System (ESS)
- Vortec 6.0L Gen IV V-8 with Active Fuel Management (AFM) and late-intake valve closing (LIVC)
Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT)
The key to the all-new EVT is its unique assemblage of two 60-kW electric motors, three planetary gear sets and four traditional hydraulic wet clutches. This arrangement allows continuously variable operation, as well as providing four fixed gear ratios (with operation comparable to that of a standard electronically controlled automatic transmission).
The design was selected because of the operational characteristics of electric motors, which are very efficient at low speeds, but much less efficient as motor rpm increases. GM's EVT can activate any of its four hydraulic clutches to allow power transfer via the fixed-gear ratios whenever higher load conditions occur. Current hybrid passenger vehicles run their electric motors almost continuously throughout the entire drive cycle, which can be very inefficient under high loads and at highway speeds.
A sophisticated Hybrid Optimizing System (HOS) constantly receives torque-based data from the powertrain and other vehicle systems, and then determines the most efficient means of propelling the vehicle – either via electric power, gasoline engine power or a combination of the two. The EVT is like having two transmissions in one – continuously variable drive for light-load conditions and fixed-ratio drive for high-load situations.
All functions of the EVT are controlled by the HOS, which constantly searches for the optimal transmission operation (using either variable or fixed ratios) to meet current operating conditions. The HOS also bases its decisions on allowing the Vortec 6.0L V-8 to take full advantage of its Active Fuel Management system and, because of an equivalent 30-horsepower (22 kW) boost of electric power, remain in V-4 mode as long as possible for maximum fuel economy. This is the key to Escalade Hybrid's 25- to 30-percent improvement in combined city/highway fuel economy.
Unlike less-advanced hybrid systems, this new GM system occasionally shuts down the electric motors, allowing the EVT to function as a conventional automatic transmission. Typically, this fixed-ratio operation occurs at highway speeds or when hauling heavy loads, and can actually be more efficient than operating in electric-gasoline hybrid mode under the same conditions. This is because under high-load situations, when the fixed gears are in use, the electric motors can be used to generate electricity - or, if needed, they can be called on to supply additional torque for improved performance.
Energy Storage System (ESS)
Providing power to the EVT's two electric motors is a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride Energy Storage System (ESS). This battery pack is located under the second-row seat, where it takes up virtually no additional space and does not interfere with second- or third-row ingress/egress.
The primary function of the ESS is to provide power (300 volts) to the EVT via the Traction Power Inverter Module (TPIM) and to store captured energy produced during regenerative braking. The ESS can also be charged, when necessary, by the gasoline engine via one of the two electric motors when operated in generator mode.
In addition to supplying power to the EVT, the ESS also provides power to the air conditioning compressor and the Accessory Power Module (APM), which converts the high-voltage supply to 42 volts for the electric power steering system, and 12 volts for the vehicle battery and other 12-volt electrical accessories.
Battery pack durability and reliability is maintained via optimized charge and discharge cycles, as well as a dedicated cooling system that draws air from the passenger compartment. As part of the vehicle's emission control system, the ESS is warranted for eight years/100,000 miles.
The ESS also has numerous safety features that prevent over-charging, over-heating, unintended access to high-voltage components and infiltration from liquid spills.
Regenerative braking
The Escalade Hybrid features fully blended regenerative braking to capture energy that would otherwise be lost during vehicle deceleration. By using one or both of the EVT's traction motors as a generator, braking energy is converted to electrical energy and stored in the ESS for future use to propel the vehicle.
The regenerative brakes are used along with the standard hydraulic brakes to slow the vehicle and/or bring it to a stop. Depending on the amount of braking force required, the hydraulic brakes may not even be used, such as during mild deceleration when slowing to allow space for merging traffic near a highway on-ramp.
When additional braking is called for, based on a change in the position of and/or the force applied to the brake pedal emulator, the hydraulic braking system will be called on to assist the generator(s) in slowing or stopping the vehicle. The anti-lock braking system (ABS)/Electronic Stability Control (ESC) modulator used on the Escalade Hybrid has been adapted to allow this interaction between the hydraulic brakes and the regenerative braking system.
The use of cooperative control between the regenerative braking system and the hydraulic brakes results in excellent braking control and maximum energy recovery. The system also provides feedback in the form of brake pedal resistance, which gives the driver the same feel as would be experienced with a normal hydraulic braking system.
Regenerative braking has the additional benefit of extending the life of the friction materials used in the hydraulic braking system, as well as improving braking performance in the form of shorter stopping distances.
6.0L V-8 engine
The Escalade Hybrid's 6.0L V-8 engine is unique. It features Active Fuel Management and late intake valve closing (modified Atkinson-cycle combustion process) for reduced pumping losses and better overall fuel economy.
The engine uses flat-top pistons, cylinder heads borrowed from GM's 5.3L high-output V-8 and a 10.8:1 compression ratio, producing 332 horsepower (248 kW) at 5,100 rpm and 367 lb.-ft. of torque (497 Nm) at 4,100 rpm. It runs on regular unleaded fuel.
A key contributor to the Escalade Hybrid's fuel economy is the gasoline engine's Auto Stop mode. Once the vehicle reaches 0 mph, the gasoline engine is automatically shut down. By leaving the engine off and allowing the vehicle to move only under electric power, such as during heavy stop-and-go traffic, fuel consumption is greatly reduced.
However, when extra power is required, such as for wide-open-throttle acceleration from a standing stop, the Vortec 6.0L V-8 is seamlessly restarted so it can deliver the necessary power and torque. In this case, the engine is restarted effortlessly from the Auto Stop mode using the EVT's powerful internal electric motors; there is no traditional starter motor.
2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID SPECIFICATIONS
Overview
|
Model: |
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid |
|
Body style / driveline: |
Full-size, 4-door luxury SUV, front-engine, 2WD & 4WD |
|
Construction: |
body-on-frame, all-welded, fully-boxed, ladder-type channel design, with hydroformed front and rear sections |
|
EPA vehicle class: |
full-size, 4-door luxury sport utility |
|
Manufacturing location: |
Arlington, Texas |
Engine
|
Type: |
Vortec 6.0L V-8 (LFA) |
|
Application: |
Escalade Hybrid |
|
Displacement (cu in / cc): |
364 / 5967 |
|
Bore & stroke (in / mm): |
4.00 x 3.62 / 101.6 x 92 |
|
Block material: |
cast aluminum |
|
Cylinder head material: |
cast aluminum |
|
Valvetrain: |
overhead valve, 2 valves per cylinder, variable valve timing |
|
Ignition system: |
coil-near-plug ignition, iridium electrode tip/ iridium core spark plugs, low resistance spark plug wires |
|
Fuel delivery: |
Active Fuel Management™; sequential fuel injection |
|
Compression ratio: |
10.8:1 |
|
Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm): |
332 / 248 @ 5100* |
|
Torque (lb-ft / Nm @ rpm): |
367 / 497 @ 4100* |
|
Recommended fuel: |
regular unleaded |
|
Maximum engine speed (rpm): |
6000 |
|
Emissions controls: |
close-coupled catalytic converter, Quick Sync 58X ignition, returnless fuel rail, fast-response O² sensor |
|
EPA estimated fuel economy (city / hwy): |
2WD: TBD |
Transmission
|
Type: |
2-Mode continuous electric ratio hybrid transmission with four fixed gears |
|
Gear ratios (:1): |
|
|
First: |
3.69 |
|
Second: |
1.70 |
|
Third: |
1.00 |
|
Fourth: |
0.73 |
|
Reverse: |
Infinite – 1.70 |
|
EVT1: |
Infinite – 1.70 |
|
EVT2: |
1.70 – .5 |
|
Final drive ratio: |
3.08 |
Vehicle Power System
|
Power electronics system: |
300-volt (transmission, air conditioning; 42-volt (power steering); 12-volt (vehicle accessories) |
|
Batteries: |
300-volt (hybrid system); 12-volt (vehicle accessories) |
Chassis/Suspension
|
Front: |
independent, coil-over-shock; Road Sensing Suspension, real-time damping |
|
Rear: |
five-link with coil springs |
|
Traction assist: |
all-speed traction control |
|
Steering type: |
42-volt electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion |
|
Steering ratio: |
17.75:1 |
|
Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock: |
3 |
|
Turning circle, curb-to-curb (ft / m): |
39.04 / 11.9 |
Brakes
|
Type: |
power-assisted four-wheel discs with fully blended regenerative braking control, standard stability control, traction control and four-channel ABS; vented front discs, solid rear discs; twin-piston front calipers, single-piston rear calipers |
|
Rotor diameter x thickness |
front: 13 x 1.18 / 330.2 x 30 |
Wheels/Tires
|
Wheel size and type: |
22-inch x 9-inch 7-spoke chromed aluminum |
|
Tires: |
P285/45R22 AL3 Bridgestone (performance) blackwall steel-belted radials |
Dimensions
Exterior
|
Wheelbase (in / mm): |
116 / 2946 |
|
Overall length (in / mm): |
202.5 / 5143 |
|
Overall width (in / mm): |
79 / 2007 |
|
Overall height (in / mm): |
74.3 / 1887 |
|
Track (in / mm): |
front: 68.2 / 1731.8 |
|
|
rear: 67.0 / 1701.8 |
|
Minimum ground clearance (in / mm): |
9 / 228.8 |
|
Ground to top of load floor (in / mm): |
31.6 / 802.1 |
|
Approach angle (deg): |
17 |
|
Departure angle (deg): |
21.9 |
|
Curb weight (lb / kg): |
2WD: 5727 / 2598 |
|
Weight distribution (% front / rear): |
2WD: 53 / 47 |
Interior
|
|
First Row |
Second Row |
Third Row |
|
Seating capacity (up to 8 total): |
2 |
2 / 3 |
2 / 3 |
|
Headroom (in / mm): |
40.3 / 1023 |
38.5 / 978 |
38.2 / 971 |
|
Legroom (in / mm): |
41.3 / 1049 |
39.0 / 991 |
25.4 / 644 |
|
Shoulder room (in / mm): |
65.3 / 1658 |
65.3 / 1657 |
61.7 / 1566 |
|
Hip room (in / mm): |
64.4 / 1636 |
60.6 / 1539 |
49.1 / 1246 |
|
Cargo volume (cu ft / L): |
|
|
|
|
Behind 1 st row, 2 nd row folded no third row |
108.9 / 3084 |
|
|
|
Behind 2 nd row no third row |
|
60.3 / 1707 |
|
|
Behind 3rd row: |
|
|
16.9 / 478 |
Capacities
|
EPA interior volume |
108.9 / 3084 (from back of front-row seat rearward) |
|
GVWR: (lb / kg): |
2WD: 7300 / 3311 |
|
Payload, base (lb / kg): |
2WD: 1573 / 713 (with third-row seat) |
|
Trailer towing maximum (lb / kg): |
2WD: 6000 / 2721 |
|
Fuel tank (gal / L): |
24.5 / 92.7 |
|
Engine oil (qt / L): |
6 / 5.7 |
|
Cooling system (qt / L): |
16.8 / 15.9 |
* SAE certified .
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Liz 12:37AM (2/14/2008)
A Few Yards and a Touchdown Pass in the Right Direction
When given his choice of Cadillac’s, NFL’s MVP Eli Manning chose the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, saying, “I know it comes out in the summer. I want the first one.” Manning and his Caddy will be driving to the tune of 330 gallons LESS of gasoline per year.(Go to: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/11/09/la-2007-preview-cadillac-escalade-hybrid-all-the-details/ for more details) If one barrel contains 42 gallons of crude oil, then approximately 7.86 barrels of oil will be saved per year by the Escalade. Yes, I would like to see more saved per year, but the very realistic, possibly pessimistic, part of me knows that the human desire for them is oh so real. So at this moment, with the Escalade being the SUV to the stars and anyone looking to blingify their driveway, I’m thankful for the measly 7.86 barrels of crude oil that we don’t have to use.
----------------
AutoBlogGreen, you're awesome! Can I be a linking blog??
http://bummeritsahummer.blogspot.com/
Reply
Ian 1:31AM (3/24/2008)
13.8 Litre per 100 km isn't good at all, the Toyota Land Cruiser dose that and it isn't a Hybrid, I think your right is saying they're not really changing for the better and should go back to the designing the beast to be sleek and not a brick on wheels.
Reply
kelyhanderson009 6:50AM (9/22/2009)
hello this is mr kelly anderson,speaking and hw ar you doing today and family?i will like you to repair my mum vehicle for me cadillac excalade 2007 it brake pad problem can you handle the vehicle for me and also let you know that it will be delivered to infront of your shop by my private shipper and also need your favour the favour is that my private shipper they did not accept cashier check and and discover credit card,i will like to read from you soonest if you do accept my payment okay and bye 4 now and stay bless.
best regard
thanks
Reply
Dad 8:15PM (11/09/2007)
When will Toyota get wise on their big vehicles and finally install hybrids? Good job GM!
Reply
why not the LS2/LS7? 10:14PM (11/09/2007)
Next summer? Why? Why not sooner?
Sounds like a very advanced system.
Reply
Joseph 2:38PM (11/11/2007)
It's good to see that their making SUVs more fuel-efficient. Yes, this is almost a mockery of environmentalism. Yes, this is not a fuel-efficient vehicle. Yes, this is increadibly aesthetic and is mostly for the "green" factor of a hybrid. Hybrid is seeming to become a marketing term new. "OOO, HYBRID. GREEN! SUV! ENVIRONMENT!"
Nonetheless, this is good. Making the lowest mpg cars is good, even if it only being done so they can continue selling them w/o being beaten down about it. Hopefully hybrids will just become like another engine option for a car. There's getting close to that. :)
"Providing power to the EVT's two electric motors is a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride Energy Storage System (ESS)."
Doesn't Tesla Motors call their lithium-ion battery storage system ESS also?
Reply
Throwback 7:34AM (11/10/2007)
I think GM is on to something with offering hybrids on their large vehicles. Many people are buying these trucks any way. For the folks who want one but feel they need better MPG, Gm is giving them another reason to buy. In reading up on the dual mode system I think I understand why Toyota has not made a hybrid truck (the Highlander/RX is car based). The key to the DM system is the ability to route the power through a conventional transmission when needed. This aids towing and Highway mileage, a CVT is not very efficient for towing and a conventional transmission is a much better choice for highway cruising. Toyota's system runs through a CVT all the time. No sense building a Hybrid Sequoia/Land cruiser if you can't tow with it. I expect to see Hybrid Hummers before too long, i can't wait for the greenies reaction to that one!
Reply
Egisto Soldi 9:43AM (11/10/2007)
For me, that's a very important step forward hybrid. Big three can reallt attack Toyota if they improve hybrid motors: GM knows it. http://autonovita.blogosfere.it/2007/11/a-los-angeles-2007-la-cadillac-escalade-hybrid-suv-di-lusso-ibrido.html
Reply
Rob O. 10:24AM (11/10/2007)
The whole idea of the improved fuel efficiency of a hybrid seems almost completely negated by the added weight and poor aerodynamics of SUVs. This is definitely moving in the wrong direction.
Automakers and their marketing gurus would be acting in a more socially responsibile manner if they applied some of their moneygrubbing fervor towards reshaping how we look at cars rather than "hybridizing" existing stuff.
They have a obligation to help Americans feel ok about smaller, less resource-wasteful cars. After all, they're the ones who've profited handsomely (for several decades) from creating a perceived need for big, beastly, resource-sucking vehicles.
Reply
Throwback 11:06AM (11/10/2007)
Automakers have an "obligation" to make Americans feel better? You're kidding right? Their obligation is to their shareholders and employees. We do not need car makers or any company frankly to make us fell better about anything. If our mental well being is dependent upon for profit companies, it doesn't matter what we drive, we are already dead people walking. As for the mean companies brain washing us into buying gas guzzlers, please. Is Toyota brain washing people who buy a Prius? Or are people making personal decisions about their needs and wants? What about individual responsibility?
Reply
Domenick 2:05PM (11/10/2007)
With a $39 BILLION loss in the last quarter, GM doesn't seem capable of fulfilling any obligations to their shareholders, let alone any social obligations.
But taking into consideration the amount of damage to our collective health and environment that GM has historically caused, I think one could argue that it does have a social obligation that it ought to consider.
Reply
Benson Leung 2:03PM (11/10/2007)
It's fallacy to think that the car companies are the victims here, and that they are just responding to public demand to create bigger and more powerful cars at the expense of fuel economy.
The fact is, the car manufacturers have a HUGE impact on which cars are the most popular, based on marketing, and what they decide to make available to the customer.
Take the Honda Accord, which just got refreshed this year. If you go back 30 years, to the original accord and compare it to the 2008 Accord, you'll be absolutely blown away... the original accord is a compact car compared to the FULL sized Accord today. Car manufacturers are moving all car segments to bigger places. Sure there are a couple of compact cars here or there, but they are by far the minority compared to larger cars. Consumers aren't given much of a choice if they want a fuel efficient car, but they're given TRUCKLOADS of choice if they want a behemoth SUV, or something with WAY more horsepower than they need.
I cannot stress enough how critical marketing is to the car industry. The public has their own needs and wants, of course, but advertising shifts public opinion. In the 90s, the car manufacturers, especially domestics, convinced the public that bigger was safer, and that more power is just better.
What I want to see from the car manufacturers is a reversal of this death spiral toward bigger and more wasteful cars. I want to see advertising touting safer, cleaner, smaller cars. I want to see all of the car makers providing more choice for compact and mid size cars, and less emphasis on SUVs and trucks. Truth in advertising.
Reply
Throwback 2:28PM (11/10/2007)
Yes advertising has some impact. However I don't agree that the car companies have some sort of magical hold on what we buy. I certainly am not suggesting car companies are victims. What I am suggesting is we as consumers abdicate our responsibility for the choices we make to the car companies. Does anyone believe Honda has increased the size of the Accord because they want us to drive bigger cars? No, they are responding to what their customers ask for. What they have done is offer 2 cars below the Accord for customers who want compact cars they have not abandoned that market. Why did Honda make the Ridgeline after years of saying they would not make trucks? Because their customers demanded it, or they would take their business elsewhere. All automakers are in the business to make money, some like Honda make more money than most. Automakers are competing against each other, there seems to be this notion that "the automakers" are somehow colluding against the consumer. That is nonsense. There far more fuel efficient cars for sale today than at any time. If we the consumer want them we certainly can buy them. If I have 3 kids all in car seats I am not looking at a compact car. No amount of advertising is going to convince me I only need a Fit. Conversely no amount of advertising is going to get me to buy a Land Cruiser if I don't want one. I am a firm believer that individuals need to take responsibility for the decisions we make, it's not someone elses fault.. It's easy to say "only if they... ", how about saying "I will or will not"?
Reply
Rob O. 12:26AM (11/11/2007)
Automakers & their marketing wizards DO indeed have a magical hold on us. They've been hand-crafting the public's perceived need for the kind of vehicles they want us to buy for decades now. And they're quite good at it too.
"That thing got a Hemi in it?" Might as well be asking, "You got a penis in your pants, or are you some kinda lame momma's boy?" Think that doesn't sell trucks? Think again! Pure genius! Take note of how many trucks are on the road for nothing more than single-occupancy commmuter vehicles.
We've been snookered into believing that we need the horsepower to do zero-to-60 in 6.5 seconds or else we're pansies. If you're driving a small car with a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine, you must be destitute, because affluent people buy big cars with beefy engines. Or maybe you're just a rice-eating commie...
Automakers have not only shaped our desires and subsequent purchasing habits, but they've also shaped our driving behaviors as a result. So, yes, they gleefully dug us into this hole and they bear a great deal of the responsibility to now help reshape American consumers' perceptions again to help dig us out.
Reply
Brian Dreggors 2:49AM (11/11/2007)
Guess SEVERAL contestants got the home edition of the 'blame game.'
'Collective damamge to our health.' Christ, grow up.
Reply
Throwback 8:08AM (11/11/2007)
It's sad day in America when personal responsibilty has no bearing on our actions.
Reply
GoodCheer 11:20AM (11/11/2007)
Throwback: If I may make an economic argument in support of Rob O.'s position:
Car makers are very smart, and have the resources to analyze their costs very comprehensively. They spend LOTS of money on advertising. If it did not have a significant impact on the purchasing habits of Americans, why would they do it?
I'm not argueing that we shouldn't pull our heads out of the advertising agencies' asses, I'm just saying that we don't.
I could afford (almost) any car I want, and I drive a 10-year old Civic that I bought new when I graduated from college. It does everything I need a vehicle for (maybe when I have kids I'll get a 4-door). When I see shiny new cars advertised I sometimes think "Man, I'd love to get one of those". That's the point of advertising durable goods, to make people want to replace things that don't need to be replaced. The average duration of new car ownership in this country is about 3 years (I think... please correct me if I'm off). Cars don't wear out in three years, and MOST people's needs probably don't change significantly in an average 3-year period, so we know that people replace cars that don't need replacing.
Of course personal responsibility should have a bearing on our actions, but with the price of gas so low (as a fraction of disposable income) the negative consequences driving a gas hog rather than a small car are collective, not personal, so are much harder to see and to respond to. Hence, car choice is not seen as a moral choice.
As for the blame game. I don't blame anyone for my own actions, but I do blame the people I see commuting alone in 15mpg SUVs for our energy dependence, and know that advertising works to influence their decisions (as least some of them).
Reply
Rob O. 11:34PM (11/12/2007)
I'm not negating personal responsibility alltogether. Not by a long shot. But Americans - especially men - has been manipulated very skillfully (by automakers & their spinmeisters) to hold onto some very misguided notions.
Horsepower is largely a useless and inapplicable performance factor. Yet we're conditioned to believe:
1. We simply must have at our disposal lots of extra oomph if we're to successfully navigate any modern thoroughfare.
2. You're a big momma's-boy weenie if you don't drive a beefy, big vehicle that'll growl when you romp on the accelerator. Think a Mustang would sell nearly so well if it didn't have that impressive rumble? That rumble is specifically designed & manufactured - not unlike the ground-shaking, testosterone-revving rumble from a Harley-Davidson, for whom the signature engine acoustics is a highly-guarded secret.
Now sure, you know that you don't need an 8-cylinder-powered behemoth to commute the 12 miles to work but marketing pros have made damn sure that emotionally, you'll feel like the world's biggest wussie if you drive anything less.
Rationally, you may realize that a Honda hatchback exactly suits your needs, but John Cougar & Bob Seger all but promise that you'll be the kind of God-fearing, red-blooded, flag-waving bastion of rock-hard manhood that chicks will fawn all over once you've bought a big honkin' "American-made" truck - with a Hemi!
You may be entirely aware that you have no practical need to go from zero to 60 in 6.5 seconds, but marketing & peer pressure sure makes you feel inadequate if your family sedan can't keep up with the 'Stangs & Chargers on the road.
Reply
JamesWB 3:22PM (11/14/2007)
It's true, everyone is an idiot who falls for marketing hype. Except for Rob O. who is a genius.
Reply