Still Conspicuous, But With Less Consumption

With its new Escalade Hybrid, Cadillac is the second manufacturer to bring a hybrid luxury SUV to market. But unlike the first, the Lexus RX 400h, this one is more rugged and capable of towing and hauling heavier loads.

To allow better fuel economy, the Escalade Hybrid has a smaller and less powerful 6.0-liter V8 engine than the standard Escalade. It puts out 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque, versus 403 hp and 417 pound-feet of torque from the 6.2-liter V8 in the regular Escalade.

A battery-powered electric motor generates the equivalent of 30 hp in the new Escalade Hybrid and can power the vehicle by itself at low speeds. The new Escalade Hybrid uses the same gas-electric powertrain found in General Motors’ other full-size hybrids — the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid and GMC Yukon Hybrid.

Cadillac expects the Escalade Hybrid to deliver 50 percent better fuel economy in city driving and between 20 and 25 percent better fuel efficiency on the highway. The current gas-powered Escalade returns 12 miles per gallon in the city, which means that the Escalade Hybrid could get around 18 mpg in city driving. That’s about as efficient as small to midsize luxury sedans with six-cylinder engines.

Those estimates are conservative, says David Caldwell, a Cadillac spokesperson. In city driving, the new Escalade Hybrid will get "very close to 20 mpg — and perhaps right at 20," he says.

On the highway, the standard Escalade gets 18 mpg with four-wheel drive, and 19 mpg with rear-wheel drive, which would put the hybrid version's estimated highway mileage in the 21–24 mpg range.

The tradeoff for better fuel economy is reduced towing capacity: 6,000 pounds for the rear-wheel-drive Escalade Hybrid and 5,700 pounds for the all-wheel-drive version. The standard rear- and all-wheel-drive Escalades can pull over a ton more: 8,000 pounds and 7,900 pounds, respectively.

Cadillac calls its new Escalade a “two-mode” hybrid. The first mode is for low-speed, low-load driving, during which the Escalade Hybrid can run solely on battery power, solely on engine power, or on a combination of the two. The second mode is primarily for high-speed transit, hard acceleration, towing, and climbing steep grades. In this mode, the gasoline engine is the main power source and full V8 thrust is available.

An Electronically Variable Transmission (EVT) controls gearing in both modes. In the first mode, it operates like a continuously variable transmission, constantly adjusting gear ratios for maximum efficiency. At high speeds, it can select from four fixed gear ratios and function much like a traditional automatic transmission. The EVT uses a Hybrid Optimization System to decide whether the Escalade Hybrid should run on electric power, gas power, or a blend of both sources.

Like other hybrids such as the Toyota Prius, the Escalade Hybrid generates its own electricity as it is driven. Electricity is harvested during coasting and braking and stored in a 300-volt nickel metal hydride battery, which Cadillac calls an Energy Storage System.

Finally, the Escalade Hybrid can take advantage of Active Fuel Management, a system that shuts off half of the gasoline engine's cylinders when less power is required — while maintaining a steady speed on the highway, for instance. Learn more about how different hybrid systems work here.

Besides the hybrid powertrain and towing capacity, the Escalade Hybrid doesn't deviate much from the standard model. A full complement of available luxury features includes leather seating for eight, a navigation system, and a power rear liftgate. Like the Prius, the Escalade Hybrid's navigation system will display performance readouts for the hybrid system, so occupants can pinpoint what sources are providing the power.

The similarities to the gas version extend to the exterior as well. Unlike the Yukon and Tahoe Hybrids, which feature more aerodynamic front grilles and bumpers, smaller wheels, and more car-like tires to help with fuel economy, the Escalade Hybrid makes no aesthetic concessions in order to "maintain and even extend its desirability, much of which is based on design," Caldwell says.

Pricing information was not available when this article was first published.

A regular Escalade starts at $55,775 and can approach $70,000 fully loaded with options. Caldwell says that Escalade Hybrid pricing may be slightly higher, although not by much.

Cadillac's extended-length and luxury pickup Escalades, the ESV and EXT, will not benefit from hybrid technology. However, Kathleen Hamilton, public relations manager at General Motors, said that the two-mode system will eventually appear in the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups, and a front-drive version is planned for the Saturn Vue crossover.

The 2009 Escalade Hybrid is slated to hit Cadillac dealerships in the summer of 2008.