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Chevrolet Tahoe
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Text & Photos courtesy General Motors
02-03-2006


General Motors' ongoing commitment to improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions with advanced propulsion technologies is evidenced by the introduction of two new hybrid SUVs - the 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid and the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Two-mode Hybrid, featuring the world's first light-duty two-mode full hybrid system in an SUV.

The Vue Green Line has a new, more affordable hybrid system that improves fuel economy by an estimated 20 percent, depending on driving conditions. When it arrives at Saturn retailers this summer, it is expected to be the lowest-cost hybrid-powered SUV in the market. The premium for the Vue's hybrid system will be less than $2,000 and the vehicle's MSRP will start at less than $23,000.

The Vortec V-8-powered Chevrolet Tahoe Two-mode Hybrid is expected to deliver a 25-percent improvement in composite fuel economy when GM's two-mode hybrid system is paired with Active Fuel Management™ cylinder deactivation. The Tahoe will go on sale with the GMC Yukon Two-mode Hybrid in 2007 as 2008 models. The two-mode hybrid transmissions will be built at GM Powertrain's Baltimore Transmission facility, with final vehicle assembly at GM's Arlington (Texas) plant. Pricing and production volumes have not been announced.

The Vue Green Line and Tahoe and Yukon Two-mode Hybrids are among the 12 hybrids GM plans to deliver over time in high-volume car and truck lines, providing customers with several levels of fuel economy savings at different price points. GM already builds and sells the industry's first and only hybrid pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and the GMC Sierra Hybrid, which deliver the highest city fuel economy in their segment.

"Our hybrids offer customers a choice of fuel-saving technologies depending on their driving habits and budgets," said Tom Stephens, group vice president, GM Powertrain. "Our hybrid strategy delivers on GM's commitment to apply advanced fuel-saving technologies where we will realize the most fuel savings."

Here's a deeper look at GM's hybrid SUVs:

2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon Two-mode Hybrids
With the addition of the world's first light-duty two-mode full hybrid propulsion system in an SUV, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon Two-mode Hybrids will deliver a 25-percent improvement in fuel economy and a superior driving experience that SUV customers know and love.

"The Tahoe and Yukon Two-mode Hybrids combine the functionality and comfort of a full-size SUV with a two-mode full hybrid system that optimizes fuel efficiency in city and highway driving, the way most Americans use their vehicles," said Stephens.

The Vortec V-8-powered two-mode hybrid is expected to deliver a composite fuel efficiency improvement of 25 percent when combined with Active Fuel Management™ cylinder deactivation technology. Pricing and production volumes have not been announced.

The two-mode hybrid system, originally implemented by GM in transit buses in 2003, is being cooperatively advanced and adapted by BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler and GM for use in a broad variety of cars, trucks and SUVs.

The partnership pools the expertise of all three companies to leverage automatic transmission technology and electronic controls in an integrated, powerful and compact system that can be used with both gas and diesel engines.

The two-mode hybrid system features two modes optimized for city and highway driving. In the first mode, at low speed and light loads, the vehicle can operate in three ways: electric power only, engine power only or in any combination of engine and electric power. When operating with electric power only, it provides all the fuel-savings benefits of a full hybrid system. Leaving the engine shut off for extended periods of time and moving under electric power at low speed is key to reducing fuel consumption in heavy stop-and-go traffic.

2007 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
The 2007 Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid features the new, more affordable GM hybrid system. The Vue Green Line Hybrid is expected to deliver an EPA estimated 27 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway - a fuel economy improvement of about 20 percent over the non-hybrid Vue.

The Vue Green Line uses sophisticated controls and a unique electric motor/generator mated to a 2.4L VVT four-cylinder engine and 4T45-E four-speed transmission. It is a simple and flexible hybrid design that provides increased fuel economy through engine shut-off at idle and fuel cut-off during deceleration, supplies electric power assist during acceleration and the capability to capture electrical energy through regenerative braking.

"As Saturn continues an aggressive product lineup expansion, a hybrid version of the popular Vue is a natural extension," said Saturn General Manager Jill Lajdziak. "The Vue Green Line strengthens our position as an environmentally aware brand that provides great value - an attribute that has always appealed to Saturn customers."

The Vue Green Line is based on the popular Vue SUV, which was restyled for 2006 model year with distinctive exterior appointments and a more refined interior.

GM Arlington SUV Plant To Build Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon Two-Mode Hybrid

General Motors today announced the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon Two-mode Hybrid SUVs will be built at its Arlington assembly plant beginning in late 2007.

The vehicles will be equipped with GM's two-mode full hybrid transmission, which will be produced at its Baltimore Transmission Operations in White Marsh, Md. To prepare the Baltimore facility for production of the two-mode full hybrid transmission, GM will invest $118 million and add up to 87 new jobs.

The two-mode hybrid system will be mated with GM's Active Fuel Management technology for a composite fuel-efficiency gain of 25 percent over the base Tahoe.

"Arlington Assembly is known for its outstanding productivity and quality," said plant manager Mike Glinski. "We were the most productive full-size SUV plant in the Harbour Report North America 2005, and the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe were first and second, respectively, in the Full-Size SUV segment of the 2005 J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study."

The two-mode hybrid system, originally implemented by GM in transit buses in 2003, is being cooperatively advanced and adapted by BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler and GM for use in a broad variety of cars, trucks and SUVs.

GM has a unique hybrid strategy, with plans to offer several different hybrid systems across multiple brands and vehicle applications at various price points, providing an opportunity for more consumers to own a hybrid vehicle and benefit from increased fuel economy savings.

Arlington Assembly began building the all-new 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe late last year and the vehicles went on sale in mid-January. Production on the all-new GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade began in January. The plant built more than 155,600 full-size SUVs in the 2005 calendar year. Arlington Assembly currently employs approximately 3,000 hourly and salaried employees.

General Motors Announces Production Of First Light-Duty, Hybrid Transmission
$118 million investment at GM's Baltimore Transmission creates up to 87 new jobs

General Motors announced today that the first light-duty integrated hybrid transmission to be designed and built in the U.S., will be produced at GM's Baltimore Transmission plant. The new two-mode hybrid transmission will go into production next year and will initially be used in GM's all-new full-size SUVs, the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon. The vehicles will be assembled at GM's Arlington, Texas.

The only other U.S. designed and built hybrid transmission from a major auto manufacturer is also produced by GM. A heavy-duty two-mode transmission for urban transit buses began production in 2003. GM has provided 388 hybrid propulsion systems, designed and built in Indianapolis, Indiana, for transit systems in 29 cities in North America and Yosemite National Park. GM begins 2006 with orders for an additional 216 hybrid bus systems.

GM will invest up to $118 million to upgrade its GM Powertrain Baltimore Transmission facility for building a new, rear-wheel drive two-mode hybrid vehicle transmission. The investment will create up to 87 new jobs.

"Our two-mode hybrid transmission is a leap forward in hybrid technology and a key part of GM's unique strategy to offer several different hybrid systems in a range of popular vehicles," said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. "Our multi-pronged hybrid program is in addition to our many other efforts to minimize the impact of our cars and trucks on the environment, including the 1.5 million GM vehicles already capable of using ethanol/gasoline blended E85 fuel, and our cutting edge advances in hydrogen fuel-cell technology.

"With the first light-duty, hybrid transmission to be designed and built in the U.S., we're also very excited to be bringing new jobs and capital investment to Maryland," Wagoner said. "We applaud the United Auto Workers and Maryland's federal, state and local leaders for making this investment possible."

"This $118 million investment in new manufacturing equipment, new tooling and facility upgrades, is welcome news for UAW Local 239 members at Baltimore Transmission, and the Baltimore community," said UAW Vice President Richard Shoemaker. "This investment underscores GM's commitment to deliver fuel efficient, hybrid vehicles with cutting edge components from UAW-represented facilities like Baltimore Transmission."

GM Powertrain's Baltimore Transmission facility opened in 2000 and its 440-member workforce currently builds the Allison 1000 Series automatic transmission. The new investment will involve upgrades to the existing facility, including new manufacturing equipment and new tooling. About 100,000 square feet - approximately a quarter of the facility - will be dedicated to producing the two-mode hybrid transmission.

GM, DaimlerChrysler and the BMW Group are co-developing the light-duty two-mode technology, modeled on GM's multi-patented hybrid-electric diesel technology in urban transit buses. This partnership pools the technical expertise of all three companies and speeds development time while reducing costs for each OEM partner. In GM's SUVs, the two-mode hybrid system will be mated to a Vortec V8 with Active Fuel Management™ for a fuel efficiency gain of at least 25 percent by:

Capturing electrical energy through regenerative braking

Shutting the engine off (and fuel) at idle and during deceleration

Providing an all-electric launch and drive capability

Two-mode hybrid technology uses a variable transmission with two electric motors and two hybrid modes of operation. The addition of a second mode to the drive system improves efficiency and reduces the need for exceedingly large electric motors. The second mode is used mostly when the vehicle is at higher speeds, such as on the highway, so fuel economy will be optimized in both city and highway driving.

The two-mode hybrid delivers seamless, dependable power on demand and in a more efficient package, with motors less than half the size of single-mode systems. It also presents tremendous possibilities for GM globally because it can be adapted for a wide range of vehicle types in any region of the world.

GM is launching a broad range of hybrid models, providing customers with several levels of fuel economy savings at different price points on vehicles from cars to full-size SUVs. GM already builds and sells the industry's first and only hybrid pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and the GMC Sierra Hybrid, which use a light hybrid system and deliver the highest city fuel economy in their segment. The trucks became available nationally as of the 2006 model year.

source : americancarfans

Saturn Vue Green Line: Hybrid for Tightwads (http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/04/17/saturn_vue_geenline/index.html)

With its first mass-market hybrid, GM emphasized cost savings. That may be just what the market needs.

April 18, 2006; Posted: 12:04 p.m. EDT (1604 GMT)
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writer
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - In creating its first gas-saving hybrid vehicle for the mass market, General Motors took the cheap way out. This time, it could prove to be a very smart move.

The fact is, hybrids just aren't selling like they used to. While the Toyota Prius is still a hot item, Ford is offering incentives on its hybrid SUVs, and sales for other hybrid vehicles are softening.

One reason is that most hybrids, unlike the Prius, are not distinctive. A Toyota Highlander Hybrid looks like a Toyota Highlander. A Ford Escape Hybrid is a Ford Escape. "So the hybrid becomes another powertrain option," said Anthony Pratt, an analyst with J.D. Power and Associates.

That means that consumers are increasingly putting hybrid systems through the same cost/benefit analysis to which they would subject any other high-cost option.

For consumers simply looking to save money in the face of rising gasoline prices, it makes more sense to purchase a fuel-efficient vehicle that doesn't rely on hybrid technology. Hybrid versions of vehicles usually cost about $3,500 to nearly $8,000 more than non-hybrid versions. Part of that cost is for unrelated options that usually come as part of a hybrid package that you might not even want - third row seats, leather interior, wood grain veneer.

Another answer might be to buy a vehicle with a less complex, less expensive hybrid system. It might not be quite as fuel-efficient but it will pay for itself faster.

The Saturn Vue Green Line hybrid SUV, coming out this summer, will cost about $2,000 more than a regular Saturn Vue. It's sticker price will be about $23,000, making it the cheapest hybrid SUV you can buy.

"A total price in the low $20,000 range, I think, opens the door to the mass market," said Jesse Toprak, executive director of industry analysis for Edmunds.com.

The Vue Green Line uses a system that relies on lower voltage than other hybrids. That means, for one thing, that the Vue Green Line doesn't need nearly as large of a battery pack. Batteries cost money and add weight. It also made the Vue's hybrid system easier to integrate into a normal automotive electrical system which, again, means lower cost.

But the Vue Green Line's electric motor can't actually drive the vehicle on its own at low speeds, the way, for example, a Ford Escape Hybrid's can. In all hybrid vehicles, the gasoline engine automatically shuts off as soon as the vehicle stops moving even at stop signs and red lights. That saves all the gas wasted in pointless idling.

But, once the vehicle gets going again, the Ford Escape Hybrid can go up to 25 miles per hour without starting its gasoline engine at all. In the Vue Green Line, however, the gasoline engine starts running the moment the driver's foot lifts off the brake pedal. The electric motor in the Vue assists the gasoline engine in propelling the vehicle but it is too weak to do much on its own.

Some hard-core hybrid fans may look askance at the Vue's low-cost hybrid compromise. It does save gas, but not huge amounts. GM claims the Vue Green Line will get 20 percent better fuel economy than the a regular 4-cylinder Saturn Vue SUV.

Since the Vue is already a relatively efficient SUV, 20 percent means five miles per gallon. Overall, its estimated mileage is a little less than a Ford Escape Hybrid or Toyota Highlander Hybrid, but the Vue Green Line will also cost thousands less than those SUVs.

The Vue Green Line's hybrid system may be the right way for GM to crank up its hybrid vehicle portfolio but it will still face serious hurdles with buyers. For one thing, it's a Saturn Vue. The Vue has not been treated nicely by Consumer Reports, an influential source for car shoppers, which gives it "Much lower than average" marks for predicted reliability and has little good to say about it otherwise. (Despite the criticism, the regular Vue has been selling about as well as the average mid-sized SUV, though, according to Edmunds.com.)

Also, Toprak of Edmunds.com points out, the Vue Green Line will be available in two-wheel-drive only, eliminating a big reason many buyers opt for an SUV to begin with.

In creating a cheaper way to make small hybrid vehicles, GM has taken an important step toward making the technology truly mainstream. Now the trick will be to build a really compelling vehicle around this new powertrain. As gas prices rise, a cheap, efficient vehicle that's genuinely good is something that car buyers will really have an appetite for.