drivemecrazy

As I was saying in my previous post, you can now consider having SUVs even if your budget is tight for fuel maintenance. If you are not yet convinced of the SUVs GM is offering, then better check this out.

The system used in these vehicles (Yukon and Tahoe) includes a 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery, two variable transmissions - each having a 60 kilowatt electric motor, and a six liter 332-horsepower v-8 engine. The engineers had modified the engine for better fuel economy. It is controlled by a computer that regularly calculates the most efficient way to give power from the cylinders and variable transmissions.

Both the Tahoe and Yukon have a fuel-saving feature. When they are driven at low speeds or with light loads, the battery alone could be used to run it or an infinite combination of gear ratios coming from one of the variable transmissions. On the other hand, when driven with heavy loads, the second transmission chooses the most inexpensive fixed ratio to be used. Not only that, half of the engine’s cylinder could be shut down during this kind of drive.

Also, what make these hybrid vans to take so little fuel are the different batteries installed in it. These vehicles have a 300-volt battery that operates the air conditioning system so that it does not need anymore the power of the engine to work; a 420-volt battery that runs the power steering and the engine oil pump, and; a 12-volt battery that runs the other systems in the vehicle. It also has an additional feature that when the brake pedals are stepped on, the energy is recaptured and is sent to the 300-volt battery. With the presence of these batteries, only a small amount of fuel is indeed needed by these huge vehicles.

Other than those complicated systems in the electrical and mechanical component of the vehicle, the exterior is also redesigned to achieve the high mileage. The style of the front air dam, running boards, and a special rear-end design are changed to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

With all these sophisticated changes in the Tahoe and Yukon, GM asserts that these vans have better overall mileage compared to other gasoline-powered SUVs. Also, it says that their hybrid vans can save the most gallons of gasoline, as well as money.