Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrids/Alternative, SUVs, Green, Chevrolet
LA 2007: Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid wins 2007 Green Car of the Year
Surprise, Surprise! Founder of Green Car Journal Ron Cogan announced that the third annual Green Car of the Year Award would go to the big GM Hybrid SUV for its innovation in demonstrating that a vehicle with lots of people and cargo hauling capability could still offer fuel economy equivalent to that of a much smaller four-cylinder sedan. Of the five nominees that include the Saturn Aura Green Line, Chevy Malibu Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid and Mazda Tribute Hybrid, GM's Two-Mode Hybrid system is clearly the most innovative.
[Source: AutoblogGreen]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
VP 12:30PM (11/15/2007)
With a new hybrid drivetrain, i am guessing there are lot os SUV of the year awards in the Tahoe's future.
Is there timeframe for the application of this hybrid into cars like the Malibu? Now that would get killer mileage...probably the high 30's or even low 40's!!
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zamafir 12:50PM (11/15/2007)
... killer... how about 'competitive'? As in competitive mileage with the likes of the hybrid camry et-al. I'm with you, GM needs to stop giving people reasons to consider other brands, bring a Malibu with 38 mpg in town and there will be a one less reasons for those inclined to buy american cars to look elsewhere.
DCragtop 12:50PM (11/15/2007)
This calls for a celebration! Hows about a V8 (juice) and vodka! YAY!
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Kamil 12:52PM (11/15/2007)
"GM Hybrid SUV for its innovation in demonstrating that a vehicle with lots of people and cargo hauling capability could still offer fuel economy equivalent to that of a much smaller four-cylinder sedan"
This is a joke, right?
The gas mileage still sucks, it gets nothing close to 30mpg (highway) of an avg 4-cyl accord/camry/malibu and is still a bigger vehicle than most people need. (Those that actually use it for towing are excluded).
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Corey W. 1:22PM (11/15/2007)
You're point is!?!?
Why would you even make that comparison? Stop dictating what you think people should drive! The whole point is to make it more fuel effecient, whether you like the vehicle or not means nothing.
rem83 1:17PM (11/15/2007)
Yeah, it probably should have read "a slightly smaller awd v6 wagon" instead.
Jason 1:22PM (11/15/2007)
Where is the majority of the driving for the majority of people going to be? On the highway? I doubt it. But hey, that's where mileage is usually the best, so that's where everyone likes to brag about numbers.
4cyl Camry is rated for 21mpg city. Hybrid Tahoe is rated at 21mpg city (2WD, 20mpg for 4WD), and is a helluva lot more useful (to some people).
1337 3:07PM (11/15/2007)
Making a Tahoe sip fuel like a large sedan doesn't make it green. It is more efficient than a regular Tahoe, but a good chunk of passenger cars are more efficient than a hybrid Tahoe. The hybrid Tahoe sucks less (excuse the pun), but it still sucks.
Eric 4:56PM (11/15/2007)
Try telling someone with a wife and four kids to drive a small car like a Prius or even something larger like a Camry. It's easy for people to say "nobody needs a large vehicle"
Justin 8:59AM (11/16/2007)
Eric,
People shouldn't have 4 kids. Most don't.
Xcountryflyer 1:01PM (11/15/2007)
Its a start. If people actually use the capabilities of the vehicle, I think that's great. Most people use them to go on errands and commuting to work--a total waste.
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tanooki2003 1:02PM (11/15/2007)
This vehicle does NOT get the same mileage of a modern 4 cylinder smaller sedan AT ALL! Well maybe of a 4 banger sedan from the late 80's and early 90's, or mid 90's domestic 4 banger sedans. Most modern family 4 banger sedans average between 28-40 MPG. This monstrocity only averages the equivalent of a V6 based mid sized pickup or SUV.
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Pete 1:14PM (11/15/2007)
Wrong, it gets the same city mileage as many 4 cyl vehicles.
VP 1:38PM (11/15/2007)
Please care to show me where cars like the Camry, Accord etc get 28-40 MPG??
If you go to fueleconomy.gov you can see that the Mazda6, Camry, Aura, Sonata, Accord all get around 22 MPG city.
Brian Dreggors 1:03PM (11/15/2007)
Some people need to take their LOLZHYBRIDSUV!!!11 glasses off and realize that the two-mode system underpinning the Tahoe (and others forthcoming) is extrodinarily innovative and takes the real-world capabilities of a hybrid powertrain to the next level.
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Sphere 1:14PM (11/15/2007)
"...demonstrating that a vehicle with lots of people and cargo hauling capability could still offer fuel economy equivalent to that of a much smaller four-cylinder sedan."
That is not a joke. Just try to put Honda Fit or even a Prius engine on that truck with cargo and see the mileage you're going to get. They mean just that: this engine is as efficient as any other small 4cyl engine when put on this very same car! lol.
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raz 1:15PM (11/15/2007)
Interesting, I was earlier on Tengears and they wrote about Durango Two mode hybrid. I understand that both use exactly the same technology, so why does Chevy get all the good publicity? Why not give the same award to Chrysler....they need it more than GM.
http://www.tengears.com/home/2007/11/15/chrysler-making-the-right-decisions-on-hybrids.html
I would like to add that GM is on right path here, they need to out green Toyota is the very profitable SUV segment.
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Emanuel 2:31PM (11/15/2007)
Raz said :Durango Two mode hybrid. I understand that both use exactly the same technology, so why does Chevy get all the good publicity? One of the reasons is that GM was the developer if im not mistaking of the technology Chrysler/Dodge is using. BMW is also going to be using it as well as they were apart of this as well.
Sam Abuelsamid 12:55PM (11/18/2007)
To qualify for the award, vehicles had to be available at retail by Jan. 1, 2008. The hybrid Tahoe and Yukon are rolling off the assembly lines now and will be available in dealerships in the next couple of weeks. The Durango/Aspen won't be available until fall of 2008. They are using the same two-mode transmission as GM built by GM at their Baltimore transmission plant. The only difference in the transmissions is the case casting to allow for the different mounting points of the GM/Chrysler engines. Mercedes and BMW will also be using the same tech in some of their vehicles but it will be a downsized version.
raz 1:19PM (11/15/2007)
Tanooki, fueleconomy.gov says 4 cyl 2008 Camry gets 21 city 31 highway.
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