Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, SUVs, Green, Cadillac
Embargo, emshmargo: Cadillac Escalade Hybrid released into the wild
Embargo breaking has become another phenomenon that's equal parts corporate ignorance and now, just journalistic necessity. Farago over at The Truth About Cars has officially made it his mission to bust open any automaker-imposed embargo he finds, and his opening salvo is to publish a pic of the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid. While we agree with Farago that our first duty is to serve the readers, we could think of bigger bombs to drop than this vehicle.
Regardless, the nitty-gritty of the "fuel-efficient" 'Slade involves mating the 6.0-liter V8 to a host of energy-saving technologies. To begin with, the engine features Active Fuel Management and a "late-intake valve closing" system, which, when partnered with a new electrically variable transmission with start/stop tech, regenerative breaking, a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride storage system, a 42-volt variable-assist power steering setup, an electrically-driven 300-volt air-con unit, plus a new exhaust and resonator, boosts fuel economy by... wait for it... 50-percent. As Mr. F. points out, that brings the average in-town fuel consumption up to 18 mpg from 12. Despite the improvement from egregious to simply bad fuel economy, GM believes the Escalade Hybrid will be hit with eco-conscious celebs. Somehow we doubt it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
MoonRover 8:16AM (11/08/2007)
Please do not reprint anything form that awful site, they have zero credibility at Truth about cars, zero, zero, zero. They are a joke, a bunch of hollowheaded jackasses trying to write cutsie crap that's not worth reading. Take anything from that bottomless pit with a grain of salt, on second thought less than a grain of salt.
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Brian Dreggors 9:51AM (11/08/2007)
Agreed. TTAC is a classless, tactless joke that makes it hard for legtimate online media to operate.
sykerocker 5:53PM (11/08/2007)
Having not read the article (I'm banned for 'flaming' too much - Farago's definition of 'flaming' is to disagree with his basic tenant about GM: It must go bankrupt), I'm curious. Besides gleefully breaking the embargo, how many comments did Farago make about the truck not being good enough, GM must go bankrupt, shoddy construction, etc., etc., etc.?
AMcA 9:30PM (11/08/2007)
Oh, Farago is foully biased against US carmakers, but the site is still often interesting.
Paul Allen 8:34AM (11/08/2007)
Speaking of zero credibility, a 50% increase in fuel economy is actually very significant, and 18 mpg city is a very good number for a vehicle of this size.
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Guenther 8:43AM (11/08/2007)
Eco-minded Ballers? Politicians, maybe. This makes LS600h look smart. If it serves as a testbed for new tech, its great. Otherwise, its like putting low-fat mayo on a BLT.
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XJ X-traordinaire 1:00PM (11/08/2007)
HA
dj 8:45AM (11/08/2007)
Instead of the gasoline engine, pair the hybrid system with the diesel that GM announced last week and you'll probably see city of MPG in the 26-30 range. Now that really turn some heads.
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J 5:56PM (11/08/2007)
Yeah, they could put a diesel engine in that hybrid vehicle. The problem is it would add the $4000-$6000 premium the diesel is likely to command. When coupled with the already expensive hybrid systems it becomes so complex and expensive it just wouldn't sell very much.
Stephen 3:43PM (11/09/2007)
the diesel would not work with the twomode hybrid system. it cannot handle that much torque, which would literally tear the transmission apart.
Josiah 8:46AM (11/08/2007)
How about a diet too? We're talking a premium SUV here, it should offer /some/ lightweight material tech.
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rem83 8:57AM (11/08/2007)
Wow, that's a lot better economy than the pre-production numbers suggested. I remember hearing about improvements in the 20-30% range. I hope it doesn't cut down on any towing / hauling capability too much.
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Guenther 9:05AM (11/08/2007)
Eco-minded Ballers? Politicians, maybe. This makes LS600h look smart. If it serves as a testbed for new tech, its great. Otherwise, its like putting low-fat mayo on a BLT.
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sheth 9:08AM (11/08/2007)
what kind of idiot says 18mpg in the city is "bad" fuel economy when the Camry V6 gets 19? Give me a break. I understand that the press hates vehicles like the Escalade because it supposedly represents excess (but large German cars do not for some reason) but lets not twist the facts around. GM's lambdas only get 16 or 17 mpg under the new standards and they weigh far less than the Escalade. The Pilot gets 15mpg with AWD so I would say the Slade hybrid is pretty damn efficient.
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XJ X-traordinaire 1:06PM (11/08/2007)
Can I get an amen?
DriftPunch 1:06PM (11/08/2007)
You got it! I'm not an Escalade fan simply because luxury trucks don't work for me. However, to see owning an Escalade as some type of environmental crime, while worshiping similarly thirsty vehicles is quite hypocritical. If MB put a similar system into the G or GL class, people would be wetting their pants at how advanced MBs engineering is while touting their environmental responsibility.
I respect and even accept criticism from true environmentals, but dispise 'imagentialists'.
VP 9:08AM (11/08/2007)
18 MPG's in the city is nothing to sneeze at. It should be 21 or so on the Hwy. For a vehicle of that size and capacity, that is great mileage.
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raz 9:10AM (11/08/2007)
Two very funny lines.
" Despite the improvement from egregious to simply bad fuel economy, GM"
AND
"its like putting low-fat mayo on a BLT."
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Alex 9:23AM (11/08/2007)
kudos to GM. I think the automotive media needs to come to grips with the fact that there are a lot of people out there who simply want a large flashy SUV. you can go into the whole "just because you want it deosn't mean you need it" debate later.
GM is in the market to supply a demand, not answer a question no one asked. This thing will sell big. Anything with a "hybrid" decal on it will sell well.
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olddavid 9:28AM (11/08/2007)
Amen to comment one. RF has an agenda- to promote RF. They are not the ones I would choose to compliment or castigate, as mere acknowledgment will only spur them on to new lows. FWIW, I believe 18 to be damn respectable for this size of vehicle, too.
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