GM's First True Hybrid: GMC Yukon

The 8/24 San Jose Mercury News reported on their test drive of the GMC Yukon 2-mode hybrid, a full-size sport-utility with as many as eight seats, the capability to tow a boat, that delivers a fuel-economy gain and can run on pure electricity.

The Yukon is claimed to get 25% greater overall fuel economy and 40% greater in city driving than the standard 2008 Yukon with a 5.3-liter V-8, that is rated at 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway (new EPA MPG rating system, which lower MPG estimates for most vehicles). The hybrid is equipped with a 6.0 liter V-8 for better low-end torque.

The gas engine stops when you come to a stop. If you don't gun the engine, you can accelerate to about 30 mph before the gas engine kicks in.

Some of the other features as described in the article are:

The vehicle also includes GM's Active Fuel Management (AFM) system that cuts out half of the V-8's cylinders when they're not needed.  (also on regular Yukon)

The 2-mode hybrid transmission - "a piece of art," Micky Bly, GM's director of hybrid powertrain integration says - it fits into the same space as a standard six-speed automatic. It contains two 60-kilowatt motors, and has four fixed gears, three planetary gear sets and four clutches.

It, plus regenerative braking, allows improvements in both city and highway driving, thus the 2-mode designation. In the first mode, either electricity, the gas engine or both operate. In the second mode, at highway speeds, the electric bits boost the gasoline V-8. . . .

The hybrid components, including the 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack, add about 400 pounds to the truck's weight. Engineers took out 320 of that by making lighter seats, making the hood and rear hatch out of aluminum and removing some unneeded bits such as the starter motor and alternator.

Designers made the vehicle more aerodynamic, with a new front end, a rear spoiler and even new wheels and running boards that lessen wind resistance. . . .

Prices haven't been announced, but expect the hybrid versions of the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon to be similar to those of its top-line gasoline trim levels. For Chevy, that's the Tahoe LTZ at $45,680. For GMC, that's somewhere between the $39,890 Yukon SLT and the $49,910 Yukon Denali.

"This will not be the most expensive Yukon you can buy," said GMC spokeswoman Monique Brentley.

The question I have is, what would the mileage rating be of the regular Yukon with the weight reduction and the aerodynamic improvements? Its hard to tell from pictures whether the aerodynamic improvements have been made to both the regular and hybrid models. It would seem to me that it would cost less to have only one style. The regular Yukon may be the same as the 2007 model with only minor cosmetic changes.

Comments

[eric]

Great. A hybrid Pukon. Yet more evidence that GM is clueless.

[pstoller78]

Your right at 25-40% improvement is horrible.

While I agree that most people who drive these large vehicles don't need them and there usage should be reduced. There still is a need for this type of vehicle and this is a great step forward.

[pstoller78]

Your right at 25-40% improvement is horrible.

While I agree that most people who drive these large vehicles don't need them and there usage should be reduced. There still is a need for this type of vehicle and this is a great step forward.

[Phil Degrave]

eric, you sound like a little toad, run away now toad.

[pstoller78]

Sorry for the double post.

[David Stone]

Hey Phil,
what's with the toad comment? At least explain your little insult.

Eric, you're damned right. Despite the fact that fewer people are buying these oversized (6 liter engine!) vehicles, which people were made to believe they should have by shameless produce placements in so many tv shows and films (they still do this), they continue to make so many, but make them 'green'.

Very few people really need such vehicles.

The only serious hybrid is a serial hybrid like in the volt:
The ice doesn't power the wheels directly, allowing it to be small and run efficiently without sacrificing power.

[eric]

I won't believe in the Volt until it becomes available. GM has a long history of projects like this that turn out to be nothing but vaporware.

Detroit claims that they don't spent much time and effort on small cars because the market doesn't want them. I think a more accurate statement is that the market doesn't want them from Detroit - most people in the market for a small fuel-efficient car will go to Toyota or Honda, and not even bother stopping at a GM or Ford dealership. That's the real problem that Detroit has. Figuring out how to get people to give them a 2nd look.

[Nathan]

Funny thing is, this will save a lot more gas than about 3 Priuses just because the original Yukon was so inefficient. I applaud these developments. They are a bit watered down, but it will eventually become necessary to turn even our Semi Trucks in PHEV or pure BEV's down the road. Green Car Congress has an article discussing semis that I found interesting.

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2005/12/walmart_seeks_t.html

6.5 to 13 miles a gallon is a phenomenal increase.

[Carl Hage]

Making a hybrid drive availble on a giant like the Yukon is good because it demonstrates that HEV technology applies to all vehicle classes (also good for delivery trucks). This looks like the first hybrid that can tow (the Highlander explicitly states that the hybrid models cannot tow anything). This is a big improvement over the GMG "Whybrid" truck with 1MPG difference.

It pains me to see "aerodynamics" touted-- this is a bogus marketing blurb that should be labeled "fashionable styling". A giant box with slightly rounded corners and a plastic fin on the back has virtually the same wind resistance as a plain giant box. A minivan does not have the aerodynamic characteristics as the space shuttle....

If a car has the shape of a smooth teardrop, it would be better, but aside from shape, wind resistance is directly proportional to cross section area. In the escalating war on driver height, all cars are getting worse. An old MG would be truely aerodynamic (have less wind resistance).

[Luis]

Great post!

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[energy efficiency]

Does GM also mention the amount of energy required to produce such a massive car?

[Engineer-Poet]

Blasted spammers....

Nathan, we don't have the luxury of making minor tweaks to gas-guzzling lifestyles.  A 30% reduction is a minor tweak.  Having a monster vehicle so that you can tow a 12-gallon-per-hour powerboat to the lake every weekend has to be seen as unpatriotic bordering on treasonous.

[Door Handle Canada]

That one looks good, quite got into a great improvement. GMChas been very competitive for the last few years. They had made impressive innovations on designs and on equipping them with superior quality parts, worth to be recognized. They captured the market of young and experienced buyers who were up to elegant and sporty car, with the best performance.

[Calamity]

It could have been worse

[David Mustoe]

"a piece of art", I suppose a buggy whip made from Kevlar and nanotube carbon could also be considered a piece of art.

[amazingdrx]

Trains and really huge mining trucks and shovels are generaly serial hybrids. So semis could be too.

Tuned coil inductive strips under highways could power semis with renewable electricity. And provide a charging lane for other plugin hybrid vehicles as well.

GM is problematic. Half in the oil camp and half for inovation. The half in the oil camp rules the boardroom. Review "Who killed the Electric Car" to understand this corporate schizophrenia.

[Denali Bob]

I am one of those that actually needs a full size SUV. This past week I pulled my camper to be with family. We took one car to haul 7 people around all week. I have that same shameful 6 liter engine that gets better mileage than the 5.7 it replaced for me. When we were driving it around with 7 people in it, we were together as a family and at 16 mpg, we were doing better than most any two cars you see on the road, and we took up less space. If the hybrid can handle the duty of pulling the camper, I'm in. If it has the 6 liter being backed up by the hybrid system, that would be awesome to have the power when you need it and the ability to ease around in traffic with the engine off alot of the time.

[Denali Bob]

I am one of those that actually needs a full size SUV. This past week I pulled my camper to be with family. We took one car to haul 7 people around all week. I have that same shameful 6 liter engine that gets better mileage than the 5.7 it replaced for me. When we were driving it around with 7 people in it, we were together as a family and at 16 mpg, we were doing better than most any two cars you see on the road, and we took up less space. If the hybrid can handle the duty of pulling the camper, I'm in. If it has the 6 liter being backed up by the hybrid system, that would be awesome to have the power when you need it and the ability to ease around in traffic with the engine off alot of the time.

[Clee]

I don't doubt that there are some people who need a full sized SUV. I'm not one of them. Last time I bought a car, I looked at getting a minivan, but then I realized just the extra cost of insurance (and maybe the extra cost of the vehicle) meant that I'd save money by buying a smaller car that suited my needs for 51 weeks of the year, and renting a minivan for the one week a year I needed it. Same would apply for an SUV if I needed one for camping for one week a year.

[Hybrid SUV]

I agree this is a great Hybrrid frm GM. It has a good looks, innovative deign, a superb piece engineering. But at this prices i will still go for the Hybrid SUv from toyota-lexus.

[Hybrid SUV]

Sorry for the blank comment..

I agree this is a great Hybrrid frm GM. It has a good looks, innovative deign, a superb piece engineering. But at this prices i will still go for the Hybrid SUv from toyota-lexus.

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[miami lacrosse]

Thanks to know about GMC Yukon. I think its price was very affordable this time. I think now I'll be able to buy this type of used GMC Yukon soon after getting your information.

[Chevy HHR cold air intake]

Well, its true that only few people are buying these over sized vehicle. It's because only few people understand how brilliant this over size. Try to learn and understand the limits, advantages and driving experience you could gain from this vehicle.