2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum Hybrid
It could be argued that the Cadillac Escalade and the cultural significance attached to it are some of the main factors that contributed to the current state of the United States automotive industry. Big, expensive cars became fashionable, so the automakers adjusted their product lines over the course of a decade (the Escalade premiered in the 1999 model year), and now that gas price hikes and eco-friendliness are motivating car buyers, the big, luxurious SUV has gone out of the mainstream. Well, as a bridge over that cultural divide, there is now a hybrid version of the Escalade, but is it too little too late?
The Escalade’s hybrid drivetrain is the same found on the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and the GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid
, and the vehicle also adopts the four-wheel drive system from the Silverado in favor of the Cadillac AWD system from the standard Escalade. There is also a rear-wheel drive or traditional 4WD options. In all, the engine and electric motors produce a combined 332 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque. While these seem like impressive numbers, they are necessy, as the Escalade hybrid weighs over a little over 6,000 pounds. Fuel economy for the RWD is 20 mpg city / 21 highway, and the AWD and 4WD versions is estimated to get 19 / 19.
The excessive weight pretty much eliminates all-electric drive at lower speeds. Go over 5 mph and the engine will kick on to help move the car. And where does that extra weight come from? Take a look inside an Escalade, especially one with the $11,750 Platinum package and you’ll see more electronics, gadgets, and luxury items than are in most households.
While the idea of making a vehicle that is all about opulent luxury into a hybrid may seem paradoxical at first, there is reasoning behind GM’s decision to offer the vehicle. First of all, the more hybrid cars it can produce, the better it looks to the federal auto team which is deciding the company’s future. Second, the Escalade has a huge profit margin. The aforementioned cultural cachet of the Escalade allows it to fetch top dollar (the Platinum Hybrid has a base price of $85,000), and GM needs all the profits it can get at this point. What it boils down to is that people are going to continue to buy Escalades and other large luxury SUVs, so if you’re shelling out that sort of money, why not get the Hybrid option on top of it?
May 26th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
cool that’s gr8 , that’s from the best car’s of the world i wish i could have one