2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid
Just saying GMC Yukon Hybrid sounds strange – most folks don’t think of large SUV’s and hybrids at the same time. GM is aiming to change that though, with their pending release of this possibly revolutionary vehicle. I say possibly because no one has real world numbers yet – so it’s hard to say how this beast will perform under the daily grind. We won’t know for sure until Q4 2008, when the Yukon Hybrid is due to be released.
So, what’s so great about the Yukon Hybrid? For starters, it’s a “real” hybrid, unlike the mild hybrid designs that GM is currently so fond of. It is, in fact, the first “two-mode” hybrid to be released, which is interesting. It’s powered by the familiar 6.0 liter Vortec V8, and is still capable of towing 6,000 lbs ( less than the regular Yukon, but significantly more than any other hybrid on the road.
A look at the two-mode system
The first mode is for city driving, and allows the Yukon to drive solely on electric power at low speeds. Similar to other hybrids, the engine shuts off in stop and go traffic, and at stop lights.
The second mode is for highway driving. The electric motor assists the gas engine when needed, and does some fancy footwork like active fuel management, cam phasing, and late-intake valve closure.
Stylistic changes
The changes made to the Yukon Hybrid aren’t only mechanical. Part of the hybrid mantra is aerodynamics – and GM took this to heart. The Yukon Hybrid gets a new hood, front and rear fascias, and a new grille to help make it more aerodynamic. Granted, it still has the overall aerodynamics of a large brick, but every bit helps. In addition, weight reduction across the board means that the hybrid Yukon won’t weight significantly more than the gas-only version. Very nice tough.
What isn’t great
You all know that I’d find fault with this vehicle, as I do with most. And I did, a very real one, and one that’s just not acceptable. In this brand new 2008 GMC Yukon Hybrid, loaded with all sorts of advanced technology and voodoo, GM saw fit to cheap out and outfit it with a 4 speed automatic transmission. Folks, 4 speed auto’s aren’t acceptable in $16,000 cars. Who knows what the Yukon Hybrid will cost, but you can bet it will be well north of $40,000. It’s simply embarrassing to use such an archaic transmission. C’mon GM – you almost had a great thing going. Six speed autos are all the rage these days – they improve power delivery and fuel economy – not to mention they’re much smoother than their 4 speed counterparts.
The Yukon Hybrid will rock
Transmission issues aside, people will be the Yukon Hybrid in droves. A 25% increase in fuel economy without giving up the size or V8 power, in addition to getting a “green” feeling, means there will be buyers lining up outside of GMC dealerships.
UPDATE : Engine size updated to the correct 6.0 liters. Thanks for the correction Bill.
Popularity: 2% [?]
First, the new engine will be a 6.0 liter, not a 5.3 liter. Although it has bigger displacement, the engine rating is only 300 hp, versus 320 hp for the 5.3 liter engine. Search on “Atkinson Cycle” to learn more on why GM is using this engine to achieve higher efficiency.
Secondly, in a hybrid such as this, I can see no reason for more than a 4-speed transmission. On a conventional engine, the 6-speed makes sense as it will need to accelerate the vehicle from 0 to 80 mph, or whatever speed the driver selects. However, in the Hybrid, the vehicle will accelerate from 0 to 25 mph with pure electric power (except for quick accerations, towing, steep hills, etc.). Therefore, the engine is mostly used from 25 mph and up. This, in essence, eliminates the need for two additional gears.
Time will tell how successful GM has been with this vehicle, but since most hybrids get better gas mileage in the city than on the highway, I believe GM may be under promising and over delivering a vehicle that can get 25 mpg or better in combined driving.
Regards,
Bill
For the life of me, I can’t re-find where I found the engine size. In fact, I can’t confirm 5.3 or 6.0 liters. Do you have a link to the article where you read 6.0? If I’m wrong I want to get it corrected ASAP.
The transmission needs to have 6 gears. Consider this – since this is an SUV, and could be used for towing, first and second gear need to have low gear ratios. Since that’s the case, 3rd and 4th have to be reasonably close, or else 2-3 shift would be clunky to say the least. So it’s not like GM can just put 4 taller gear ratios in place – it just won’t work. This is a cop-out, and a testament to cheapness, and there’s no way around that.
I worry that the Yukon Hybrid won’t get the gas mileage expected, at least not with the average driver. The amount of battery juice needed to power a vehicle of this size would be massive, which means lots of batteries for any meaningful run on battery power. Of course, more batteries means even more weight; something that the Yukon doesn’t need more of. Time will tell, indeed.
I fixed the engine size to the correct 6.0 liters – sorry for the mistake. And the chart on WSJ about the powertrain operation is interesting, if a bit confusing.
I guess this is one that we’ll have to see and drive before we can render final judgment. There’s no doubt that this vehicle has the potential to be one of the most important releases in the past few years. I, for one, can’t wait to get my hands on one.
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