Quote:
Originally Posted by jpgmtech
3% to LRR tires
4% to Auto Stop (Hybrid Function)
3.5% to new Defuel Cutoff (ECM Programming)
1% to Regen braking (Hybrid Function)
4.5% to Engine/Trans/Driveline optimizations (some of this is also in ECM programming)
0.5% to Aerodynamic modifications
That means that 5% of the fuel economy comes from the actual Hybrid strategy. The question I have: Why doesn't GM incorporate the other 7% benefits to the conventional Malibu/Aura/VUE? 
I'll provide more specifics on the details of the modifications as I have time |
LRR tires are the last thing you want on a Malibu or other cars sold as a performance car. They won't grip well on a performance test track. Bad way of marketing a performance car.
The engine, transmission and driveline optimizations are also probably partly antithetical to race type performance, so that would hurt sales on those cars. And Aerodynamic modifications are things which might make the car look less aggressive, also hurting sales in a lot of the market.
People who are buying hybrid cars don't care about things like this, so it's sensible to put all of these modifications on a hybrid car, since performance oriented people wouldn't buy one anyway.