2008 Chicago Auto Show
By Nina Russin
When the going gets tough, the tough get hybrids. While the Chicago Auto Show didn't have the green car focus of Los Angeles last November, sustainable energy was the buzzword of almost every press conference.
Troy A. Clarke, president of GM North America, set the stage with his keynote address at the annual Midwest Automotive Media Association breakfast.
“The buyers say who wins and loses,” said Clarke. Recent GM focus groups indicate that customers don't want to sacrifice full-sized utility for fuel economy. While small, fuel efficient cars might be the easiest road to a sustainable future, General Motors is forging an alternate route: hybrid, full-sized sport utility vehicles and trucks.
The automaker revealed two in Chicago: the 2009 GMC Sierra Hybrid, and 2009 GMC Yukon. Both vehicles use the same two-mode system as the Tahoe: they run on pure electric power at low speeds, and on four or eight cylinders on the highway, depending on engine load. Like the Tahoe, the Yukon Hybrid offers V8 power with fifty percent better fuel economy than a comparable gas-powered vehicle. The two-mode system on the Sierra pickup yields forty percent better gas mileage. Most of the improvement is in stop-and-go driving, since the gas engine cuts out at idle.
Despite its unusual power train, the Sierra Hybrid has the same hauling capabilities as its gas-powered cousin. The truck will come in either two- or four-wheel drive configurations with an available crew cab. Towing capacity is 6100 pounds.
General Motors also took the wraps off the Chevrolet Traverse, a mid-sized crossover with three rows of seating and a 4500 pound towing capacity. The Traverse rolls into showrooms at the end of the year. Like its Saturn counterpart, it will appeal to families with active lifestyles via a interior that can be reconfigured for large cargo, and a high level of standard safety features: stability control, traction control, and side curtain airbags for all three rows. The automaker did not announce pricing.
A new-generation Chevy HHR is on the boards for the 2010 model year: it will be the automaker's first E-85 compatible four-cylinder car.
The Denali XT concept, designed in Australia, is an E-85 compatible hybrid that appeals to sports car fans with aggressive styling. Designer Brian Nesbitt described the concept as “industrial sculpture.” Its low roof and large wheel arches give the Denali XT a lean, mean look, in keeping with its pickup truck roots. The concept truck can carry up to 1100 pounds of cargo in its bed, and tow up to 3500 pounds. A convertible midgate extends the cargo area for longer items.
Toyota 1/X Concept
Pronounced “1/Xth,” Toyota's hybrid concept has vast economy gains over current models due to its extremely lightweight body. The concept was first shown at the Tokyo Motor Show; it makes its North American debut in Chicago.
The 1/X has the interior space of a production Toyota Prius, but weighs a third as much: 926 pounds. The body is made of lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The roof is a bio-plastic produced from kenaf and ramie plants: the material improves heat insulation, emits less carbon dioxide, and increases the amount of light entering the car.
Power comes from a 500 cc flexible fuel engine paired up with a plug-in hybrid unit. The lithium ion battery can be recharged at home. Driving range is 600 miles on a four-gallon tank of gas. According to the manufacturer, the 1/X has the same acceleration and performance as the current Prius.