There was a time when SUVs were considered gas guzzlers. No more!
General Motors will be releasing the hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon (pictured) in the fall of this year. According to USA Today, each is supposed to achieve 40 percent better fuel economy than their predecessors, the actual figures to be 19 or 20 miles a gallon in stop-and-go city driving.
Those numbers beat earlier expectations of about 25 percent better mileage. If it holds true, than the big SUVs (albeit, hybrid) will get better fuel economy than many regular sedans and even crossoverd.
Both the Tahoe and Yukon features the dual-mode hybrid system that GM jointly developed with Chrysler and BMW.
General Motors is expected to build 10,000 hybrid SUVs this year.
The automaker also plans to offer the system on the Cadillac Escalade next year, then later on Chevrolet and GMC full-size pickups. Saturn models are supposed to get a version also but later on down the line.
More details can be found at the original article. Our take? Folks who were hoping that the increasing fuel prices would lead to the demise of the SUV must be disappointed. Sorry, folks, but Americans love their vehicles large and full-sized trucks and SUVs are here to stay.