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Feb 24, 2008 7:56 pm US/Mountain
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New Chevy Tahoe Hybrid Is Largest Green SUV
Reporting
Paul Day
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Higher gas prices have a lot of Coloradans buying hybrid vehicles, but can gas guzzlers go green and still give customers what they want from a supersized SUV?
The new Chevy Tahoe hybrid will carry eight passengers and even tow a boat. In the all-wheel drive version, the giant SUV is Environmental Protection Agency rated at 20 miles per gallon.
"A lot of the problems with the hybrids, (they) have been the smaller cars, so we haven't been able to fit our family in it," Sara Ford from Castle Rock said.
Tthe in-dash display indicates when the SUV is in hybrid power. It has two electric motors helping the big V8 engine save on gas. Batteries recharge during braking, so there's no need for a plug-in.
It's during stop and go traffic when the system really delivers. Gas mileage in the city is 42 percent better than the non-hybrid Tahoe. But on the highway it's only 5 percent better.
Pam Kiely, an environmental activist whose issues are clean air and renewable energy, was eager to see the Tahoe hybrid.
"Twenty miles per gallon doesn't sound great, but when you compare it to 16, it's a lot better," Kiely said.
Unfortunately, the only way to buy the Tahoe hybrid is loaded down with options. So time will tell if the greened-up gas guzzler is the solution for all those people who still need a lot of room in a more environmentally conscious world.
The list price for the Tahoe hybrid is a little more than $55,000.
Environmental SpecialistPaul Day is CBS4's Environmental Specialist. Many of his recent reports have focused on renewable energy and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter's environmental initiatives. Read his bio.
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