General Motors Pulls The Plug On Hybrid Versions Of Escalade, Yukon, And Tahoe

One of the auto industry's more interesting experiments is getting a thumbs down from buyers of big, costly cars and SUVs.

Automakers are mostly pulling back from offering gas-saving hybrids in their otherwise most gas-thirsty vehicles. So few were being purchased that automakers are rethinking whether it's worth engineering and offering them.

The latest pullback comes from General Motors, which has dropped the hybrid versions for the new generation of its Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs.

Too few customers were interested in the Escalade version, even though the hybrid delivered 21 miles per gallon in a mix of city and highway driving, says David Schiavone, Escalade's marketing manager. That was up from a 16 combined rating for the non-hybrid, a 31% boost.

skytop - 5/8/2014 5:22:43 PM

+2 Boost

At least GM knows they have limits. What sense is their trying to make 6000 pounds of lead act green?

xjug1987a - 5/9/2014 11:43:49 AM

+1 Boost

They're idiots, they already have the technology, its paid for.. they should have made it STANDARD on all their SUV's, so they could tout the mileage, ... never ceases to amaze...

vdiv - 5/9/2014 2:00:44 PM

+1 Boost

You know the Volt's drivetrain was derived from the dual mode trannie, right?

If the dual mode hybrid is not a good system for 6,000 lbs. trucks then why are transit systems all over buying hybrid buses that use it?