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]

Chevy has two new TV ads for its Tahoe hybrid. First a little background. The Chevy Tahoe hybrid won Green Car Journal's Green Car of the Year award last year. A full-size SUV winning a green car award supplied much comedic fodder for Top Gear (see first video below the fold). Okay, the first new Tahoe hybrid ad (see second video below the fold) begins with a riddle: Which is heaver, a hundred pounds of bricks or a hundred pounds of feathers? If you figured out they are the same weight, then according the ad, you are just as smart as the Chevy Tahoe hybrid, winner of Green Car of the Year award.

The second ad (see third video below the fold) begins with children wearing paper car costumes. The small paper cars are uncomfortable and have no room for their "stuff." Just around the corner, however, is a giant paper SUV and when the children see it, they are ecstatic. They throw off their small paper cars and run to the paper SUV. The teacher character in the commercial explains the paper SUV has the same fuel economy of small cars (like the Camry), room for your friends and most importantly, room for all that "stuff" the children are carrying around for some reason. "I guess they like it" the commercial's teacher character concludes.

I have to admit, I really like these ads. I think they're the best hybrid ads out there. I might not agree with the message that hybrid SUVs are green but at least these ads have a message. Recent hybrid ads from GM and Lexus are too vague for my taste. These Chevy actually persuade with facts about the Tahoe's fuel efficiency or the CotY award. Besides, SUVs are the only vehicles large enough to carry all my "stuff."

[Source: YouTube]

Ohio legislators are changing laws that allow any hybrid into the HOV lane. This means that GM's SUV hybrids are no longer allowed in the get-to-work-on-time lanes. House Bill 62, sponsored by state Rep. Todd Kiser, R-Sandy, would bring Ohio in line with the new national standards which only include hybrids that improve mileage by 50 percent in the city or 25 percent overall. Smaller SUV hybrids like the hybrid Toyota Highlander would still be allowed in Ohio's HOV lanes.

So, full size hybrid SUVs like the Chevrolet Tahoe two-mode hybrid, which only gets an MPG improvement of 40 percent (10 percent shy) will not be allowed in Ohio's HOV lane. The good news is that people who already have the license plate sticker allowing them to drive in the HOV lane by themselves won't get them taken back. New buyers of the Chevy Tahoe two-mode hybrid buyers, though, won't get the sticker. If Ohio does not comply with the national standard, national highway funding could be effected.

So, if you live in Ohio and planned on buying the Tahoe hybrid soon, do it now before the law changes and you lose this perk. What do you think readers: is the EPA wrong to exclude Chevy's SUV hybrids or did GM just make 'em too big?

Related:

• How SUVs screwed up the idea of hybrids
• AltWheels Video: GM describes Tahoe hybrid as a "big ass hybrid," Sir Mix-A-Lot would be proud
• Which hybrids are - and are not - welcomed in the HOV lane
  
• Stupid hybrid perk: no emissions test
  
• Hybrids getting a free ride in HOV lane

[Source: Salt Lake Tribune]

A local Denver station did a news report about Salida Conversions, a shop that can convert almost any vehicle into a hybrid in just two days. The vehicle has to be rear wheel drive and have an automatic transmission for Salida to install the electric motor on the drive shaft. The conversions, which cost $7,000, use four lead acid batteries, (they don't say how they are charged) and the system talks to the car's computer.

The funny thing about the report is, the car they convert is a Chevy Tahoe which is already a hybrid. Salida says they Tahoe went from 11 to 18 miles per gallon in the city. EPA says GM's hybrid Tahoe get 21 miles per gallon in the city. Salida reminds me a little of Goodwin, another mechanic that converts cars, saying he could make a hybrid from parts at ACE Hardware. Hey, you guys are doing great things but I got some bad news for you: the car makers are stepping up. GM will release a hybrid every 3 months for the next 4 years. So, very soon, conversions shops will go the way of Dodo because there will be many more hybrid options.

[Source: Denver Channel]

Not many details are known about the hybrid system that is set to debut soon in GM's full-size Tahoes, Yukons and the like, but they are getting closer to reality. Proof of such is that they are undergoing hot weather testing, as can be seen in the above picture. While many debate whether hybrid drivetrains are best utilized by full size vehicles such as these, proponents say that helping the economy of the worst offenders is best. Consumers will vote themselves when these vehicles hit the showroom floors.

These vehicles will use the new GM hybrid systems, which are full hybrids, not mild hybrids, so they can run on electric power alone or any combination of electric and gas power.

[Source: Truck Trend]

Ford Motor Company is mulling ways to move some of its Expedition metal -- which is a good thing considering the 82-day supply the automaker is currently hoarding. The Dearborn-based automaker is taking its big Expedition SUV, which gets 14 mpg in the city, and making a diesel or hybrid version of it. The diesel would be a V8 slated for Europe, while the hybrid version would compete with GM's big hybrid SUVs, the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe. It might not move the cars off the lot now, but it is some foresight sorely needed for the vehicle if it is to survive.

The diesel engine won't be a big deal. Ford may decide to beef up the 3.6L diesel V8 currently found in many a Land Rover over in Europe, but a hybrid won't be so easy. If Ford decides to do the development of the hybrid itself, the vehicle would definitely arrive a little late to the party (the Expedition will probably go on sale in 2010, whereas we'll see GM's trucks in 2008); however, the company may decide to go another route to bring the vehicle to market faster -- buy the two-mode hybrid technology from GM. The issue at hand is that Ford currently does not have rear-wheel drive truck platforms capable of hosting hybrid technology.

[Source: Automotive News via AutoWeek and Hybrid Car News]

There have been a lot of promotions in recent years to encourage people to buy new cars – green and otherwise – in the United States like zero percent financing and tax credits. Now, GM is offering buyers of their 2006 and 2007 FlexFuel models a $1,000 voucher card to buy fuel. Green Car Congress estimates that’ll be a little over 5,000 miles in a Tahoe.

Buyers of the FlexFuel Sierra, Silverado, Impala, Monte Carlo, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon and Yukon XL, and Avalanche before the end of July can get the voucher card. These vehicles can run on any blend of gasoline and ethanol, from 100 percent gasoline to E85. There will be 218 car dealers in Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul that offer the card. GM does value convenience over ethanol, though: the vouchers can also be spent on regular gasoline.

[Source: GM via Green Car Congress]