Click the Tahoe hybrid for a high-res gallery

Marketing is extremely important when launching a new vehicle. The idea that you can "Build it and they will come," doesn't actually work in the real world, even when the vehicle is designed to save money at the pump. Such is the case with General Motors and its most recent hybrid vehicles: large SUVs. Despite the fact that the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids are all new and boast an extremely high-tech and well-integrated hybrid system, sales of the gas-savers stands at a mere trickle. High-cost is surely a factor, but, as experts point out, the marketing of the new vehicles has been sorely lacking.

GM's main marketing man, Mark LaNeve, agrees that the automaker could be doing a better job. "There's very little awareness that we even have these products. We're going to be constrained by battery availability, but we still think that we could work it up to 5 to 10 percent of our full-sized SUV sales." Since it began reporting hybrid sales five months ago, GM has sold 1,540 Tahoe and Yukon hybrids out of 57,818 total sales of its big SUVs. Expect to see much more advertising for these hybrids in the coming months.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

In another of the ongoing rounds between diesel versus hybrid we bring you two heavyweight contenders, the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, which we had in the AutoblogGreen garage, versus the Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI. Actually, it's brought to you by the good folks at Edmunds who took it upon themselves to give these two a through shakedown. As I'm sure you've already noticed, these are two humongous SUVs that we don't consider especially green but for those folks who need to tow large trailered objects or haul large families they are relatively more green than their forebears.

The competition between these two was pretty tight for a while. Pricewise, the Mercedes was only $480 more than the Chevy for the base model though the Chevy became a pretty good bargain once the options came into play. Both of the beasts excelled at acceleration (8.5 second, 0-60) with the Tahoe ahead by the slimmest of whiskers as long as they traveled in a straight line. With the cones set up, the Mercedes superior agility really shone, whipping through the course at 60 mph while the Tahoe had more waddle than a flock of ducks on the hoof. Also, in the all important fuel economy category, the diesel pulled decisively ahead, at one point returning 26 mpg during a stretch of highway driving where the Tahoe could "only" eke out a 21.9 figure over that same stretch. Advantage diesel. To watch these two duke it out auto à auto, hit the jump.

Click the Tahoe hybrid for a high-res gallery

Regardless of your viewpoint on the role that the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon Hybrid play in the marketplace, the engineering that went into the vehicles is laudable. Seamlessly integrating the dual gasoline and electric drivetrains has managed to win GM's engineering team the award for the Best Engineered Vehicles of 2008 by the SAE International's Automotive Engineering International magazine.

Says Kevin Jost, Editorial Director of Automotive Engineering International, said "The vehicles' advanced technology enables consumers looking for an efficient SUV a choice that does not involve sacrificing a cargo-hauling and trailer-towing capacity in return for improved fuel economy." We agree that for those who really do need the capabilities that only a full-size SUV can offer, the hybrid-duo from GM is the best bet when it comes to gasoline savings. But how many of you are there, really? The press release is pasted after the break for your perusal and click here to read our complete review of the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid.

When newly-appointed Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis was given an open floor at a Chicago Crime Commission luncheon held in his honor, he suggested that he would like to see Chicago's aging fleet of Ford Crown Victoria police cars replaced with Chevrolet Tahoe's. He noted that the four-wheel-drive capabilities could prove helpful in Chicago's historically snowy winters and the extra storage space would also be welcome. While the emissions of these Tahoe's would likely be an improvement over the older Crown Vic, the fuel mileage is a wash at 11 miles per gallon. Yes, that's right -- their fuel mileage is not even in the teens.

Here's a perfect example of how Europe is thinking differently than the U.S. when it comes to what is really necessary for police work. Perhaps Chevy could at lease release a Police edition of their hybrid Tahoe?

[Source: The Chicago Tribune]

The video above is a tour of the GM booth at AltWheels Boston 2007. Sir Mix-A-Lot would be proud to know that GM described its new Tahoe hybrid, the company's first full hybrid, as a "big ass hybrid" in the video. That colorful wording proves GM definitely wants the public to think hybrids are big, powerful machines. The Tahoe is the heaviest car GM makes and in the video, you can hear how I was told the hybrid version even has a larger engine than normal. But hey, GM reduced weight in the Tahoe hybrid by making the doors and hood out of aluminum.

The video also includes a tour of GM's fuel cell Equinox. The Equinox has two connections for refueling, as you can see in the video: a data connection below the back license plate that tells the pump the status of the tank as well as a hydrogen connection. Finally, the video includes a quick look at the Malibu hybrid. The Malibu is a mild hybrid and will only get 34 mpg on the highway and 22 in the city. The Malibu mild hybrid starts production in October. The Tahoe full hybrid starts production in November. Oh, and don't forget about Sir Mix-A-Lot's Baby Got Back video below the fold.

Related:

• VIDEO: Driving the GMC Yukon Two-Mode Hybrid
• ABG First Impressions: Two-Mode hybrid Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon
• GM will provide the fuel cell Equinoxes to customers for free
• Technical Analysis: 2008 Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell/HydroGen4
• Detroit Auto Show: Hybrid option for 2008 Chevy Malibu
• 2008 Chevy Malibu Hybrid to debut at Baseball All-Star Game

[Source: YouTube]

GMC has recently launched a special area on the brand's product website devoted to the upcoming Yukon Hybrid. The Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs will be launching with the new Two-Mode hybrid system this fall, the first of many applications from GM, DaimlerChrysler and BMW. The site features some basic information about the hybrid system, some photos and a place to sign up for promotional e-mails from GM about the new hybrids. If you want more information about how the system works and drives, check out the detailed ABG report.

[Source: GMC]

Click on the image for a high-res gallery of the Two-Mode Hybrid GM SUVs

Back in 2004 General Motors first announced plans to partner with DaimlerChrysler and later also BMW to develop a full parallel hybrid drivetrain system. This system, referred to as the Two-Mode hybrid, was adapted from a system developed by GM's Allison transmission division for use on transit buses. Subsequently the three companies opened a joint development center in Troy, MI in 2006 and all three companies have applications planned although only GM and Chrysler have announced specific vehicles. BMW has yet to announce a specific vehicle and likely won't introduce their first application until 2009 or 2010. Early in 2008, Chrysler will release a version of the Dodge Durango/Chrysler Aspen equipped with the Two-Mode system and sometime after that Mercedes is expected to bring forth a hybrid ML class, possibly also equipped with a BlueTec Diesel.

General Motors has announced three vehicles that will get the new system, with the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon being the first one coming this fall. A few months after that the Cadillac Escalade picks up the extra hardware, followed by the Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra pickups and finally the Saturn Vue/Chevy Equinox. The smaller crossovers will be the first application with a transverse drivetrain in both front and all wheel drive configurations. The GMT900 platform vehicles will also be in available in both rear and all-wheel drive hybrid configurations. With the Tahoe/Yukon hybrids due to come off the Arlington, TX assembly lines in just a few months, GM felt it was time to invite some media to their Milford Proving Ground to sample the new system for the first time.

Continue reading about the first drive in these new hybrids after the jump.

General Motors has announced that they will be the first automaker to produce hybrid vehicles north of the border in Canada. The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups equipped with GM's two-mode hybrid system will be assembled at the Oshawa truck plant beginning in the fall of 2008, several months after the Tahoe and Yukon hybrids. The SUVs will be assembled at an unknown plant in the US. Also late in 2008 or early 2009, GM will start building the next generation Saturn VUE and Chevrolet Equinox with the two mode hybrid, likely at the current Equinox plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. Beginning in 2010, Ford will also be building hybrid versions of the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX which are assembled at the Oakville assembly plant west of Toronto.

[Source: Automotive News - Subscription required]