A Hybrid Affair

Buying green wheels is good for the environment and the road

From the $22,790 chevy malibu hybrid to the $104,000 Lexus LS 600h L, there’s now real choice for consumers captivated by hybrids. Total U.S. hybrid sales grew by 40 percent in 2007, according to J.D. Power, and by the end of this year more than 15 hybrid models will be on the market.

That gives potential buyers the opportunity to actually match a hybrid to their life needs rather than matching their life needs to a hybrid. But whether you’re motivated by fuel economy, the environment, or a taste for new technology, be aware that there is a tremendous amount of information out there, including a fair share of “hybrid hyperbole.” Making sense of it can be difficult.

Hybrid vehicles combine conventional engines with battery-driven electric motors to improve fuel economy and reduce pollutants at the tailpipe. At rest and at low speeds, they typically run on battery-supplied power, creating almost zero emissions. When it’s time to accelerate or run at high speed, a hybrid’s conventional gasoline or diesel engine kicks in to provide the necessary thrust. Augmented by one or more electric motors, the conventional engine need not be as large, and is therefore more efficient.

Keep in mind, however, that the efficiencies you’ll realize are tied to your driving habits. If you commute long distances over highways, a hybrid is less likely to make a big difference in your fuel use or emissions. Nevertheless, hybrids like those we’ve highlighted below are making significant progress, and their pricing is offset by federal tax credits.

Cadillac Escalade Hybrid — $76,000
By summer, Cadillac will offer its popular Escalade SUV as a hybrid. Ironically, Cadillac’s bling-mobile is a perfect foil for hybrid technology.

Why? Because applying a hybrid power train to a vehicle that weighs 5,000-plus pounds and seats eight (the Escalade is the first large luxury SUV to be hybridized) yields more meaningful fuel/emissions efficiency than adapting already efficient smaller cars. The Escalade’s two-mode hybrid system is expected to yield a 50 percent improvement in city fuel mileage, raising its current average (12 mpg city/18 mpg highway) to 20 mpg or more. Teamed with a V-8 gasoline engine, the Escalade’s electric motors will produce power in the 330 hp range in a vehicle that looks like its conventional brethren and includes the same amenities.

Lexus GS 450h — $54,900
With the GS 450h, Lexus proves that the terms “sport sedan” and “hybrid” are not mutually exclusive. Visually, the 4,134-pound sedan is indistinguishable from the conventional GS 450, save for small “Hybrid” badges on the rockers. But it performs even better. The GS’ 3.5-liter, four-cam V-6 combines with permanent-magnet electric-drive motors to send a maximum 340 horsepower to the rear wheels, power enough to go from zero to 60 in 5.2 seconds.

Passing power, braking, and handling are similarly impressive. Rated at 22 mpg city/25 mpg highway (and with an electronically limited top speed of 131 mph), the 450h is classified as a Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV), capable of meeting the most stringent California emission requirements.

Ford Escape Hybrid — $26,505
The light SUV market is already hot. The Ford Escape Hybrid, redesigned for 2008, offers the “soft road” utility (two-wheel or four-wheel drive) and fuel efficiency that characterize the segment, but with better gas mileage and reduced emissions. The Escape’s combination of a 155 hp, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with electric motors has benefited from extensive software modifications and returns an EPA-estimated 34 mpg city/30 mpg highway. The Escape Hybrid has proven a competent light off-roader and enjoys one of the airiest and most attractive interiors in the segment, with a price that makes it an attractive choice.

Lexus LS 600h L — $104,000
Here’s proof that a hybrid need not always be basic. The Lexus LS 600h L is a super-luxury sedan with hybrid power (5.0-liter, 438 hp V-8/permanent-magnet electric-drive motor), that offers the performance of a V-12 with the economy of a V-6 (20 mpg city/22 mpg highway).

The LS 600h L is as impressive a limo as any in this class (Mercedes, Audi, BMW, Maserati, Jaguar), rich with the latest stability and communications/entertainment technology. But most impressive is the seamlessness with which it transitions from electric drive to electric/gasoline to gasoline drive. Drive the LS 600h L for more than 15 minutes and you’ll completely forget it’s a hybrid.