Clean Machines After years of leading us on, carmakers roll out the first generation of off-road-ready hybrids
By Marty Padgett
1a. - 1b. The Silverado/Sierra battery is stored below the backseat. It recharges during braking, and feeds the electric motor and two pairs of 120-volt outlets, one in the cab, the other in a rear cargo box. 2. The 14-kilowatt electric motor replaces the Silverado/Sierra alternator and starter, and can power the heat, air-conditioning, steering, and other essential functions while the V-8 engine shuts off during cruising and braking(Courtesy, GM)
SINCE THE INTRODUCTION of the Honda Insight to U.S. roads in 1999, hybrid vehicles, which pair electric and gas motors to boost fuel efficiency, have been great for saving cash at the pump but useless off pavement. That'll change later this year, when manufacturers sell the first hybrids capable of hauling you to the edge of the wilderness and back. These SUVs and pickups will feature reduced emissions, travel up to 64 percent farther on a single tank, and (here's the real kicker) have the same engine power as their gas-only counterparts.
This is just the beginning. Walter McManus, an automotive analyst with J.D. Power and Associates, a market-research firm, estimates that by 2010, more than 50 percent of the 500,000 hybrids sold in the U.S. will be trucks. Why the surge? "Consumers want
alternatives," he says, "and SUVs and pickups remain the fastest-growing sectors of the automotive market. It only makes sense to invest this technology in vehicles people want to drive." Here are three expected to be available in 2004.
It Is Easy Being Green
To learn more about hybrid vehicles and other alternative fuel technologies—including an instructional slideshow on how to make your car run on cooking oil—CLICK HERE.
Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra >>Estimated price, $27,500
The "mild hybrid" system in GM's full-size 4WD truck boosts mileage up to 13 percent over the 15-mpg gas-only version by shutting the engine down when it's not needed for propulsion. The electric motor handles key systems and also feeds four 120-volt outlets—bring your DVD player to Moab! >>ON SALE: Late summer
1. The 65-kilowatt electric motor can drive the Escape alone at up to 25mph; when more power is needed the four-cylinder gas engine kicks in. 2. The Escapes's 300-volt battery, tucked under the floor, is charged with energy collected during breaking. (Courtesy, Ford)
Ford Escape Hybrid>>Est. $25,000
The all-wheel-drive Escape Hybrid will maintain the pep and 1,000-pound towing capacity of its gas-only predecessor, but deliver up to 35 miles per gallon in the city—a 72 percent improvement. And at 14.5 feet long and six feet wide, it'll still leave room for those four bikes in your garage. >>ON SALE: Late summer
A touch-panel display screen allows drivers of the Lexus RX 400h to monitor gas-electric power distribution, and doubles as the GPS-navigation-system interface (Courtesy, Lexus)
Lexus RX 400h>>Est. $42,000
Combining a V-6 engine with two electric motors, the all-wheel drive 400h will get at least 27.5 mpg—better than the EPA average for compact sedans—allowing it to journey 600 miles on a tank. It's expected to be rated a super ultra low-emission vehicle, one of California's top scores. >>ON SALE: Late fall
COMING SOON: Hybrid Dodge Ram pickup in late 2004; and SUVs from Toyota (Highlander, 2005), Saturn (VUE, 2006), and Chevy (Tahoe and Yukon, 2007).
