canadian perspective: http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/...tid=55810&pg=1 edmunds perspective: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=109253 from what I'm reading so far... its looking very positive. Maybe GM is pretty serious about hybrids but one quote I did like from the chief engineeer he said Quote: "We think we've hit a real balance between technology, fuel economy and price," said Tarnowsky. The Vue Green Line promises to deliver a 20-percent improvement in fuel economy over a standard Vue with a four-cylinder engine. Additionally, the Green Line shaves about 1 second from the 0-to-60-mph time. This added performance and economy can be yours for about $23,000, easily making the Green Line the least expensive hybrid SUV on the market. and reading the canadian review only shows more signs of sucesss. Hm... things can get very interesting!

i got around 20 km a liter when i drove a civic 5 spd using advanced hypermiler techniques
and now I drive a salvage nwh20 prius that gets almost to 25 km/l with 195,000 km to date. (retired)
1997 BMW 318IS with m44 engine (1.9 liters > 130 horsepower on 91 octane, capable of 30 mpg highway)

Very interesting, thanks for the post!

Looks like GM is finally realizing the potential of hybrid technology, and that it might actually make financial sense afterall.
Certainly the green Vue promises to be better than the standard Vue. It is no Ford Escape, but then it will apparently deliver better fuel economy than the HH or the Rx400h!

Not so much that they are finally realizing it as their implementation of the technology is finally ready for prime time and their former cash cow is getting long in the tooth. They've been working on this and the other hybrid system for a good long while. Recent energy considerations are mostly coincidental, though certianly spurring things along.

This added performance and economy can be yours for about $23,000, easily making the Green Line the least expensive hybrid SUV on the market.

LOL where'd they come up with that? "least expencive"

04' # 5, W/leather & JBL omitted.
"Prius, Just ask the person that drives one"
04' Tundra, 18mpg city & 22mpg hwy.
04' Prius, 60mpg city & 53mpg hwy.

Kenstyle NHW20 AERO Kit

My next thought is would you concider the HYBRID technology of today to be dated??

04' # 5, W/leather & JBL omitted.
"Prius, Just ask the person that drives one"
04' Tundra, 18mpg city & 22mpg hwy.
04' Prius, 60mpg city & 53mpg hwy.

Kenstyle NHW20 AERO Kit

I read the thread-starter's link from another car forum. Does anyone want to explain this sentence from the review?

Now I do have a postgraduate engineering degree but I fail to see how that would help me when driving an HCH or a Prius.

My interpretation is that there isn't a LCD display to tell you your real mileage (just the amazingly lame Eco Light) therefore it's the hybrid for the "regular guy". Dumb.

I say the More the Better, not to mention that as all manufactures get into this Hybrid thing to whatever degree is better than doing (NOTHING).


Terry

After seeing the "hybrid system" at the auto show I think 20% will be achievable if the non hybrid system gets 20mpg. 4mpg increase sounds about right to me. However, The hybrid system is a joke and you can probably achieve just as good results by using common sense and changing your driving style. You notice they didn't give real world numbers. There is probably a reason for that. That reason is that when it comes to driving on the road most people driving the non hybrid version will probably get as good milage as the hybrid version.

My hydroponics experiment
My carputer

You ever notice how hard it is to lip read cartoon characters?

Thre BAS system IS simpler than IMA or HSD, period. That's what they're getting at. KISS at work. Easier to see, explain, understand. Hybrids, especially the poster-child Prius, have reveled in their techie pedigree. Tech scares lots of people, especially when it involves new-sounding words, any kind of voltage over 2 digits, and different dash readouts. Not logical, but there nevertheless. GM is barking up a smart tree here with this approach.

WRONG! It's not a heck of a lot more than the IMA. If you saw the size of the motor for the BAS you would be dumbfounded.

Now the 2-mode hybrid system is much more promising. If they can get that going they might have a shot.

As far as BAS goes. I've seen larger alternator on cars for car audio systems than the one used for the BAS. It's a nice idea, but frankly I don't see any significance in it.

My hydroponics experiment
My carputer

You ever notice how hard it is to lip read cartoon characters?