Mexican Media Brands
Demand Falters for Hybrid Powertrains in Big Vehicles
Carmakers are dropping hybrid options in the U.S. for some of their largest vehicles because of poor demand, USA Today reports.
#hybrid
Share
Carmakers are dropping hybrid options in the U.S. for some of their largest vehicles because of poor demand, USA Today reports.
The newspaper notes that General Motors Co. has phased out hybrid powertrain options for its big Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon SUVs.
Similarly, Mercedes-Benz has dropped a hybrid version of its big S-Class sedan because of weak demand. And Lexus says its optional hybrid powertrain accounted for only about 1% of sales of its big LS sedan last month.
The idea of hybridizing the powertrain of a large vehicle is appealing because such systems can boost fuel economy 30% or more compared with a standard gasoline-powered version. It's also easier to package a plug-in hybrid's larger battery in a big vehicle. But one analyst tells USA Today the $3,000 premium for hybrid systems deters luxury-vehicle buyers by making a very expensive vehicle even costlier.
Still, the newspaper says, carmakers aren't giving up. It points out that Mercedes is readying a plug-in hybrid system for its redesigned S-Class luxury car. And Nissan's Infiniti brand says about 10% of buyers of its big QX60 crossover are opting for a hybrid system.
RELATED CONTENT
-
GAC, CATL Partner on Two Battery Ventures
Two new battery ventures are being formed in China by domestic carmaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Ltd. and battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd.
-
Electric Trucks Emerging
Rudolph Diesel—who, incidentally, died mysteriously while traveling by a post office steamer on the English Channel in 1913—must be rolling in his grave.
-
On Military Trucks, Euro Car Sales, Mazda Drops and More
Did you know Mack is making military dump trucks from commercial vehicles or that Ford tied with Daimler in Euro vehicle sales or the Mazda6 is soon to be a thing of the past or Alexa can be more readily integrated or about Honda’s new EV strategy? All that and more are found here.