A Chevy/Dodge/BMW Tahoe?!

If they would just put all that development skill into making better cars, they would be a force to reckon with.

All that and just 25% fuel economy improvement? That's pretty lame, in real world driving conditions it would probably be a wash anyway.
 
it may be close to wash, but the fact that you can have a big SUV and still have fuel economy may get their SUV train going again... i can see the marketing guys goin nuts about now.. people will eat this up hybrid=I WILL SELL (except for the insight of course)
 
by being a wash, i mean no gain at all.

the pontiac gran prix v8 w/ cylinder deactivation doesn't get any better gas mileage than a regular v8, it's silly and one more thing to go wrong. if people are worried about gas mileage, don't get a big, heavy vehicle with a gigantic engine.
 
.paul said:
If they would just put all that development skill into making better cars, they would be a force to reckon with.

All that and just 25% fuel economy improvement? That's pretty lame, in real world driving conditions it would probably be a wash anyway.
A 25% improvement in fuel economy is HUGE. Most of the time companies are looking for ways to improve 5-10%. Plus, because of the EPA tests for fuel economy, you could see more of a benefit in your daily driving then how it's rated. Stop and go along with low speed traffic will see the greatest gains.
 
Mallard said:
A 25% improvement in fuel economy is HUGE. Most of the time companies are looking for ways to improve 5-10%. Plus, because of the EPA tests for fuel economy, you could see more of a benefit in your daily driving then how it's rated. Stop and go along with low speed traffic will see the greatest gains.
I realize that stop and go traffic is when you see the benefit of a hybrid.

Unless the EPA changes the way they do mileage testing to reflect real driving situations, the numbers automakers publish will be 'pie in the sky' numbers.

25% is a really big increase, I won't dispute that. If they really want to impress people, they'd put that technology on an impala or whatever gets more than 20 something mpg. Seriously, 25% increase on something that gets 12-14mpg is not impressive.
 
.paul said:
I realize that stop and go traffic is when you see the benefit of a hybrid.

Unless the EPA changes the way they do mileage testing to reflect real driving situations, the numbers automakers publish will be 'pie in the sky' numbers.

25% is a really big increase, I won't dispute that. If they really want to impress people, they'd put that technology on an impala or whatever gets more than 20 something mpg. Seriously, 25% increase on something that gets 12-14mpg is not impressive.
I don't necessarily think they are 'pie in the sky' numbers. I've never gotten less then EPA rated fuel economy on any of my cars when I drive normally. The numbers on the sticker are actually a percentage of what economy they were tested at to compensate for any over-inflation. Although, the drive test is being revised to reflect the higher speeds people drive now.

GM's focus with hybrids was taking vehicles that get poor gas milege and improve them, nstead of taking something that already gets over 30 mpg and make it get 35. Not only is it more realistic, but it would cut emissions by a greater margin. This is the main reason GM used diesel city busses for their first hybrid programs. I tend to agree with their methodology.

A 25% increas in MPG on anything is a giant feat.
 
Mallard is right. In TX and much of the South SUVs are all over the place. If they can improve the mgp and the emitions by just 10% that is hugh. But if they get 20% or more that is something to talk about.
 
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