AutoblogGreen

If the Aspen is a "gussied up" Durango. Then what is an Escalade or GMC? answer a "gussied up" Chevrolet Tahoe

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Did anyone else laugh out loud when they said that it "saves fuel by only using the gasoline engine when absolutely necessary?"

The stock Aspen gets 14/19mpg, so with their claimed 40% and 25% boosts, this hybrid Aspen will get 20/24. Impressive gains, but apparently gas is "absolutely necessary" an awful lot of the time.

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To 1,

Escalade has a different motor and transm. than the tahoe and yukon (therefore not just dressed up). Yukon and tahoe are the same but they are at different retail outlets and make no bones about being just that, the same.

#2 lol, yea that is an awsful lot of the time. (they need those good o to 60 times)

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This kind of story should never be in AutoblogGreen -- you're fuelling the misconception that 'hybrid'=green.

Post #2 alludes to this. The standard Hemi Aspen gets 14/19mpg according to the EPA. You’d be lucky to achieve this in the real world. Adding the claimed improvement (also based on the EPA ideal testing conditions) and you’ll be lucky to crack 20mph for an average tank.

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This kind of story should never be in AutoblogGreen -- you're fuelling the misconception that 'hybrid'=green.

Post #2 alludes to this. The standard Hemi Aspen gets 14/19mpg according to the EPA. You’d be lucky to achieve this in the real world. Adding the claimed improvement (also based on the EPA ideal testing conditions) and you’ll be lucky to crack 20mph for an average tank.

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I swear there must be some conspiracy at the domestic manufacturers. Notice all the "real" hybrids they introduce are SUVs? Seriously, are the oil companies paying them off or something? If Chrysler wanted to be original they should've introduced a Caliber hybrid, or maybe a Sebring hybrid.

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Since Daimler-Benz is dumped Chrysler, it seems unlikely that the 7g-tronic would be coupled to the 5.7V8.
So isn't Chrysler's 6 speed auto ready? 68RFE or RLE
5.2:1 vs. 4.5:1 ratio spread is a decent upgrade.

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Please forgive my ignorance but I am very new to this "green car" thing. With regard to posts #4 and 5 (identical), can you explain the difference between "hybrid" and "green". I thought that hybrid technology is supposed to be more envronmentally friendly (although a V8 doesn't automatically bring environmentally friendly to mind).

Thanks for any clarification.

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Please forgive my ignorance but I am very new to this "green car" thing. With regard to posts #4 and 5 (identical), can you explain the difference between "hybrid" and "green". I thought that hybrid technology is supposed to be more envronmentally friendly (although a V8 doesn't automatically bring environmentally friendly to mind).

Thanks for any clarification.

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Big SUVs, Silverados and F-150s burn an average of a 1,000 gallons of fuel per year. If the national fleet of big vehicles were replaced with more economical two-mode hybrid transmissions, it would save a lof of fuel. With fuel cost nearing $3.50 a gallon, the desire to upgrade to these vehicles should be a winner. And I sure can't pull my RV with a prios...

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An accent that gets 40 mpg should be in the hall of fame. At least it should be tested to see why it is getting 40% more than the average accent. My civic hybrid averages 48 with 80% freeway driving. The old 50 60 mpg does not exist in anything except the insight. 40 does not exist in anything except hybrid and small diesel ie VW.

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You granola hippies should go hate on big oil and leave my mopar alone. My wife and I plan on purchasing a hybrid aspen to replace our 2000 dodge durango next year. We have a large family and often need our SUV for towing loads, this two stage hybrid system coupled with the multidisplacement system (MDS) will allow us to reduce emmissions while still having the available power when we need it. Ford and Toyota's hybrid SUV's are not available with tow packages and were not designed to be taken off road. At least Dodge/Chrysler offers a solution.

We do the majority of our driving in a 2002 Hyundai Accent which achieves 42mpg (real world driving, not just an inflated EPA estimate) on the highway, nearly as good as a hybrid compact. Not to mention the Accent cost just 9K new, compared to 20K for a entry level prius/civic hybrid.

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Chrysler claims they "leapfrogged traditional hybrid design"? Afraid not. Their "dual mode" is similar to the hybrid designs used by GM for transit busses for years now.

"Hemi" is the favorite advertizing buzzword for Chrysler, and doesn't mean much other than it has a hemispherical combustion chamber. Whooptydoo.

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The big picture is Alternative Fuels. Hybrids wont be worth a damn when we run out of oil.

I drive a 2007 Jeep Commander with the 4.7L V8 Flexfuel engine. I only buy E85, usually 30-90 cents cheaper than regular and i get about 18 mpg city and 22 mpg hwy. which is way above the estimates given for it.

So for a 20 gallon tank i only use about 3 gals of gas which for you hybrid people who drive foreign, that is almost 100 mpg Gas.

In addition to all of you that have problems with auto industry fuel economy. The biggest consumers of Oil are: Heating, Power Plants, Plastic Industry, Commercial Jets, Cosmetic Industry. The Cars and Light trucks of today do not even rank in the top ten consumers of Oil. So maybe we should look at alternatives for the other industries.

Like a company called CEREPLAST which produces plastics and resins from plants, which are 100% bio-degradeable.

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I think that the two mode hybrids SUV's are a good idea for those of us that have a big family.We can't very well get four children and two adults in a Pruiz or a Malibu,this is a tight fit in my Intrepid..Kudos to GM,Diamler,and BMW for their work on this.This is great for those that would like to "go green",but can't for lack of room for the whole family..

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