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The Yukon hybrid
You like big SUVs. You have a big family. You often tow a large boat, camper or some other kind of trailer. Or maybe you just feel safer in a large SUV.
Thus, an SUV like the Yukon is right up your alley. Unfortunately, the new reality of $3.00 gas makes the fuel efficiency of a large SUV a little hard to swallow these day.
Thankfully, GM offers a hybrid version of the Yukon.
It's hard to believe, but at one point in time GM considered making the Yukon hybrid a mild hybrid. Fortunately, the General decided to make it a full, dual mode hybrid.
And why should you care about dual mode hybrid technology?
Because it provides full-sized SUV performance AND full-sized hybrid fuel economy. In fact, at more than 20 mpg in the city, the Yukon hybrid almost achieves the same fuel economy as many Mini Coopers on the EPA's city fuel economy cycle.
Yukon performance and Mini fuel economy. Now that's an interesting fact any SUV would notice.
How the Yukon hybrid does it
GM's
two-mode hybrid technology place electric motors
mounted inside the transmission to assist a
300-horsepower V-8. So, the hybrid Yukon has the
power most large SUV consumers need.
Another
benefit of GM's dual mode powertrain offers the hybrid
Yukon the ability to lock
the electric motors out of the drive train when extreme
engine power is needed, such as when towing.This
capability will enable the Yukon hybrid to tow up to 6,000
pounds - something Toyota hybrids cannot do at this
point in time.
How's that for American power?
And why
the heck are you getting a Yukon for if you aren't going
to pull something heavy?
In terms
of the dual mode hybrid drive, essentially, one drive
mode assists with slow, city driving, the other with
highway driving. This helps GM hybrids achieve optimal
fuel efficiency based upon driving conditions and can
make GM's hybrids superior to Toyota's single-mode
hybrids in some driving conditions, particularly highway
driving.
In
addition, the hybrid Yukon is 300 pounds lighter
due to the use of aluminum in the hood and front
tailgates - another tool to increase fuel economy.
Overall,
the two-mode hybrid system makes the Yukon hybrid
about 25% more fuel efficient in combined city/highway
driving, however in city driving fuel economy can be increased by as much as 50 percent.
Full sized SUV functionality coupled with hybrid fuel economy. That makes the Yukon hybrid a winner for those that need full-sized functionality, but in a package that doesn't destroy the environment.
Check back
for more Yukon hybrid information.
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