GM Expects 48 mpg for Chevy Malibu Hybrid

General Motors Co. predicts its 2016 model Chevrolet Malibu hybrid will achieve a segment-leading U.S. city fuel economy rating of 48 mpg. The car is being publicly unveiled today at the New York auto show.

GM expects the hybrid to deliver 45 mpg on the highway. The Malibu's standard 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is likely to achieve a 37 mpg highway rating.

The hybrid Malibu powertrain combines an all-new 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine and a two-motor electric drive system borrowed from the Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid. The motors provide assist during acceleration, giving the front-wheel-drive powertrain a net output of 182 hp.

The car carries a 1.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that can propel the Malibu at speeds as great as 55 mph on electricity alone. Other systems borrowed from the Volt include regenerative braking and electronic power controls.

Chevy will debut the hybrid Malibu a year from now. The redesigned car will be assembled alongside the conventionally powered model, which will go on sale late this year, at GM's Fairfax assembly plant in Kansas.