Chevrolet Trucks Blog

Among the General Motors vehicles, it is the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid that first featured the company’s all-new two-mode hybrid system. At the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Green Car Journal’s 2008 Green Car of the Year was awarded to none other than the Tahoe Hybrid. According to the editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal that is Ron Cogan, “This is a milestone in many respects. People don’t think “green” when SUVs are concerned, and for generally good reason since SUVs often get poor fuel economy compared to most other vehicles. Chevrolet’s Tahoe Hybrid changes this dynamic with a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 30 percent compared to similar vehicles equipped with a standard V8.”

When it comes to the EPA’s estimated fuel economy ratings for 2008, Chevrolet was able to significantly minimize the fuel consumption on city driving. They say that this is particularly helpful for most SUV owners use their vehicles for a considerable amount of time driving in the city. The Tahoe Hybrid, with its 6.0 liter two-mode engine can achieve up to 50 percent improvement when it comes to having a better fuel economy than that of the original Tahoe with its 5.3 liter V8 engine. To top it off, what shocks most of the people behind EPA is that Tahoe’s 21 mpg city fuel efficiency rating is just the same with the city EPA rating of the four-cylinder Toyota Camry sedan.

Upon receiving the award, Ed Peper, the General Manager of Chevrolet said, “We’re thrilled to receive this recognition from Green Car Journal for out Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. We’ve felt that the Tahoe Hybrid represents the best of both worlds—the great utility you’d expect from a Tahoe with fuel economy on par with today’s mid-size cars. It’s satisfying to receive this validation from such an authority on environmentally-friendly vehicles.”

The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid was able to get majority of the votes by a jury of high-profile industry as well as environmental leaders together with four editors of the Green Car Journal. Among those who were invited to judge the contest include Carroll Shelby, Jay Leno, Carl Pope of the Sierra Club, Christopher Flavin of the Worldwatch Institute, Jonathan Lash of the World Resources Institute, and Jean-Michel Cousteau of the Ocean Futures Society.

As for the last words, Carl Pope, the executive director of the Sierra Club, said that “GM promised they would use hybrid technology, and use it where it would make the most difference—on their biggest vehicles. They have delivered with the Chevy Tahoe…” and adds that this ends the argument that fuel efficiency and choosing a SUV are incompatible.

2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid still offers the same SUV quality with a better fuel efficiency. Chevrolet’s two-mode hybrid system was developed together with BMW and DaimlerChrysler.

Installing the hybrid powertrain meant giving the Tahoe a distinctive look. Since the system adds on around 400 pounds of curb weight, GM engineers had to remove some mass from other places. Aluminum replaces steel at the rear lift-gate, hood and bumper. An all-new stamping of the hood ties into modified front-end features to increase aerodynamic slip. Even the running boards have been redesigned to help the Tahoe slide thorough the air with less effort. Further mass was extracted from the seats, wheels and tires.

The usual engine-driven accessories have been replaced by all-electric versions, so power steering and AC work while the Tahoe is running in both electric-only and autostop mode. Reports say that the core hybrid technology behind the two-mode transmission had been tested in the running gear of GM-Allison public transit buses before being incorporated into the larger GM hybrid plan.

Cramming hybrid technology into the existing Tahoe body without having to tear up the base platform or the Arlington, Texas plant where the Tahoe will be built has helped streamline production. GM expects to have the two-mode system installed in showroom Tahoes and Yukons available this Fall as 2008 models. GM says the system improves city mileage by 40 percent. GM’s has yet to reveal highway improvement figures, though had said the composite highway target was 25 percent. Engineers say they’re hoping to best that highway figure when the official numbers are released.

Channeling the power according to driver demand is the HOS, or Hybrid Operating System. By joining the HOS and two-mode transmission with existing engines, GM plans to make hybrid technology across the entire model lineup. Theoretically there are no limitations as to which engines can bolt up to the two-mode transmission, from full size trucks to smaller Saturns. A turbodiesel or even flex-fuel engine could be incorporated to the transmission, with the HOS sorting it all out.

The worsening state of global warming has pushed General Motors Corporation (GMC), which is the producer for Chevrolet trucks and other vehicles, to develop green technology for vehicles especially to trucks, such as the hybrid vehicles.

By the third quarter of next year, eight hybrid models will be released. These models will be equipped with three different systems. If that is not enough, GMC plans to have a plug-in hybrid before the decade closes.

The 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon, however, will be already released. These trucks will be installed with hybrid systems that are still capable of towing heavy loads and deliver a 25 percent boost in fuel economy. These vehicles will take pride in the 320-hp, 6.0-liter V-8 and a four-speed automatic transmission that has two electric motors. The motors propel the vehicle from a stop to 20 mph. Moreover, the engine incorporates cylinder deactivation, and the vehicle body has aluminum panels to reduce weight. Another Chevrolet truck, the Chevrolet Silverado will follow suit by 2010.

Trucks are usually given the notion that these big-build vehicles emit more than the car average exhaust. This belief may be because of the heavy tasks placed upon the trucks which are almost always geared with powerful engines. The General Motors Corporation (GMC)-produced Chevrolet, however, has veered away from that truck notion as it came out with a fuel efficient 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid.

This qualities of the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is considered to be the world’s first light-duty two-mode full hybrid propulsion system in this type of vehicle. Another GMC product that was made to be environment-friendly is the GMC Yukon, which boasts of a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy and superior driving experience.

“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 Carl Stephens, who tested the two light-duty trucks.

The Chevrolet truck and the GMC truck were geared with a Vortec V-8 powered two-mode hybrid that is expected to give off a composite fuel efficiency improvement up to 25 percent. This achievement is also made possible when combined with the Active Fuel Management cylinder deactivation technology inside the trucks. The hybrid systems utilized by the Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon are also being used and improved by the BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler, and GMC. Improved systems will then be used for a wider array of cars such as cars, trucks, and SUVs. Great minds from these three companies are set to develop a more powerful and more compact system that can be utilized by both gas and diesel engines.

The Chevy Tahoe was introduced in 2006.  It was said to have carried the title of “the next generation of the industry’s best-selling full-size SUV.”  It is comprehensively designed so as to deliver a sharper, more precise driving feel with more power and improved interior refinement.

As for the 2007 Tahoe, it is built on GM’s new full-size SUV platform.  It incorporates features such as a fully boxed frame, coil-over-shock front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and a premium interior that augments the vehicle’s quality and capability.   With wider front and rear tracks to enhance handling and lower the center of gravity giving a more confident feel of the road, Tahoe 2007 owners are able to have ample comfort in driving.

The 2008 Tahoe will feature two-mode hybrid engines.  The GM have been vocal about it on the European market and is said to be hook up the V8 engine with diesel fuel rather than regular gas.  The European model is designed with automotive transmission.  However, the model being made available in the US would be manual.

The exterior design has also been altered.  It now features a lower front end mounting and some additional aerodynamic which separates the Hybrid from the regular Tahoe.  As the hybrid unit requires greater airflow, the front grille has been modified.  To top that off, a prominent Hybrid badge and gold finish complement the overall appearance of the vehicle. According to GM, even a small amount of redesign (which is featured on the Hybrid) has significantly contributed to having better fuel economy and performance.