hybrid

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist Review

by

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist Quick-Specs MPG-o-Matic 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist Review Summary: The 2012 2012 LaCrosse with eAssist plays the efficiency card, as it targets the more affordable end of the luxury full-size market, with the Lincoln MKS, Acura TL, and Lexus ES350 as its primary competitors. The LaCrosse eAssist mates a 2.4-liter inline four with a lithium-ion battery powered electric motor, which achieves significantly better fuel economy (25/36) than the conventionally powered MKS (17/25), TL (20/29), and ES350 (19/28). When compared to the slightly smaller Lincoln MKZ Hybrid (41/36), the LaCrosse eAssist is an equal in the highway efficiency, but drastically behind in the city.

The 2012 LaCrosse eAssist is powered by a Direct Injected VVT 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine with an eAssist mild hybrid system that produces 182 horsepower (HP) and 172 foot pounds of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard. A conventional 3.6-liter VVT V6 is available with either all-wheel-drive (AWD) or front-wheel-drive (FWD). The LaCrosse eAssist is not offered with AWD. (The eAssist system is shared with the Chevy Malibu Eco and Buick Regal eAssist.)

Read more

Hybrid vs Conventional: Are Hybrids Worth the Added Cost?

by

There’s no shortage of folks that want you to believe that hybrid technology isn’t worth the added cost. They’ll throw an equation together that seems to prove their point, then hammer away at the issue without approaching the question without bias. There’s no question whether hybrids are more expensive. It’s whether or not you can expect to recoup the cost within the period of time that you own the vehicle.

In order to do so, you have to consider the specifics. You need to look at the characteristics of your driving cycles, then apply these to the equation. This can only happen when you take your annual miles driven into consideration, along with the percentage of city driving (as opposed to highway or rural driving), and your average local fuel prices.

Read more

Gas Mileage Testing Service for Honda Civic Hybrids and Other Vehicles

by

With all the controversy surrounding the recent Honda Civic Hybrid lawsuit reportedly won by Heather Peters, one thing remains clear: the need for an independent gas mileage testing service. While this landmark case may change the game for Class-Action and Small Claims Court, there is a pressing need for third-party verification.

Before a suit is filed, a Honda Civic Hybrid owner should know whether there is an actual fault in their vehicle or if the deficient fuel-efficiency is caused by driving habits. In order to do this, the vehicle should be run through a specific, regimented test routine that includes:

  • City gas mileage testing
  • Highway gas mileage testing
  • Mechanical system checks
  • Onboard computer system scan

Read more

Jeep Wrangler Gas Mileage Improvement – SEMA (Part 2)

by

Our Jeep Wrangler gas mileage improvement project is proceeding, albeit slowly. We headed out to SEMA last month to see what the aftermarket options exist to help squeak an extra mile or two out of a gallon of gas. Lo and behold, we quickly tripped into two very cool alternatives that offer a peek into a domestic energy-independent future.

One thing’s for sure. If you’re serious about improving the fuel economy of your Jeep and have serious money to spend the options are out there. The first article in this series mentioned the HPA Motorsports TDI diesel engine swap. We found another cool diesel swap option while scouring the aisles of SEMA’s off-road exhibit hall at the Bruiser Off-Road booth.

Read more

New Gas Mileage Standard:
54.5 MPG by 2025

by

Hold onto your hats. The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have finally pulled the curtain on their proposed rule for the Obama Administration’s new gas mileage standard. An average of 54.5 miles per gallon (MPG) by 2025 may seem like a huge leap in a short time, but the numbers are not what they appear.

The 54.5 MPG figure is the EPA number for passenger vehicles, not what you’ll see on the window sticker. It’s a fudge factory powered by greenhouse gas emissions. The automakers will be able to use a range of technology incentives in one place to offset their numbers in another, including flex fuel, hybrid, and electric power trains. In real world terms, we might expect a sticker average of 40 MPG for cars that run on liquid fuel. That’s not all that extraordinary, considering all the cars with gas mileage ratings around 40 MPG highway that we can buy today.

And they wonder why so many Americans are so skeptical of what goes on in Washington.

Read more