If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a mouse, right? Such is the case with the 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist, GM’s latest hybrid. Just don’t call it a hybrid.
First, the nitty gritty on the not-hybrid Buick LaCrosse eAssist. As the LaCrosse accelerates, a 15-kilowatt electric motor kicks in, providing 15 horsepower and 79 ft-lbs of torque to get the car going. When slowing down or coming to a stop, the electric motor kicks in again, shutting off the fuel supply and applying regenerative braking to the 115 volt lithium-ion battery pack. At cruising speed, a 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower and 172 ft-lbs of torque takes over.
This boosts fuel economy by 25% over a non-eAssist LaCrosse, delivering 27 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. Underbody panels, an automatic front grille air shutter, and six-speed automatic transmission contribute to the improved fuel mileage. A 2011 Buick LaCrosse equipped with the same 2.4 liter engine gets just 19 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. Starting with the 2012 model (which comes out next year), GM will offer the eAssist as standard equipment on all 2.4 liter-equipped LaCrosses, and prices should be at or under the $30,000 mark.
For whatever reason, GM seems to want to segregate itself from standard terminology regarding electric vehicles and hybrids, and come up with their own nomenclature. For example the Volt is an “extended-range electric car”, and this new Buick LaCrosse uses an “eAssist” system, rather than just calling it a hybrid (which it obviously is). It doesn’t really bother me, though I wonder if not calling it a hybrid might actually lose them sales.
Buick is starting to really shape up though. Once neglected and almost assuredly marked for death, GM has salvaged the brand, first with the sharp-looking 2011 Buick Regal, and now offering a hybrid system as a standard feature for the LaCrosse. They also announced a Buick Regal GS, a faster version of the regular Regal with a nice horsepower bump. I’m sure eAssist will start showing up in other GM cars, and while the mileage isn’t exactly Earth-shattering, making it standard equipment and keeping the price down will go a long way towards moving these cars off the showroom floor.
Source: GM
Chris DeMorro is a writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to Hemis. You can follow his slow descent into madness at Sublime Burnout.
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I’m not sure what GM’s reasoning is here. Maybe they’ve market-researched the word “hybrid” with the Buick demographic (usually elderly and upscale) and it didn’t do well.
The word eAssist is clearer and almost provides an explanation of itself. When you think about it, the word “hybrid” is actually very generic and can be confusing to anyone who’s not into technology (as most old people aren’t).
I think they spent a decade presenting the image of horsepower and reliability and their customers are scared of a hybrid because of the assumption that a hybrid will have low horsepower/performance and unknown reliability.
While I’m sure that most car buyers would be happy to get more MPG out of the car without making a big deal out of how it happens.
I think all this messaging will change in time but they’re pretty risk averse over there and this may help bridge the gap.
Personally, I think this technology is a huge win for Buick to include and I’m looking forward to the 45 mpg as the next milestone so I can buy a Buick again.
Anybody who supports Government Motors is nuts.
Not bad. Two minutes boost at 79ft-lbs torque with modest weight penalty. It’s torque we need and hp we check on – that torque number is impressive. Porsche seems to agree with the strategy of short duration power boost – see a description of the GT3 hybrid race car. Does the Buick have a start-stop option? That would sure help in city driving even if it didn’t show up the mileage numbers.
A 25% increase in fuel economy is impressive. Even if normal driving doesn’t pay for itself- you still can save a few trips to the gas station.
I think people are figuring out that “green” is really a luxury good. But- if its a luxury good people will pay for- great.
There’s the immediate possibility of nasty trademark battles over the term “hybrid”.
There’s also the problem with opening yourself up to negative marketing; Toyota ads saying “Buick *says* they’re hybrids, but they’re not REALLY hybrids. Go with the ORIGINAL REAL hybrid.”
These minimal hybrids make some sense for stop-’n-go traffic in congested urban areas: The small electric motor is big enough to move the car 100 feet at a time and the driver never has to make a decision to shut-off the engine. I also like the idea of having a really large,impossible to drain battery under the hood.
They know that the word hybrid is the same as the word “hairshirt” in some peoples minds, and the association with prius-smugs is negative for their demo… e-assist describes what it is.
What I want to see is something called “electrogas” version of the GranSport or maybe even electrosport… “throws down an extra 100ft# on your takeoff, and increases your braking power!” and oh, yeah, increases your gas milage…
Funny, that, as Honda’s hybrid IMA system is exactly what eAssist is. IMA = Integrated Motor Assist.
This is brilliant. Keeping it simpler and taking the low hanging fruit. It does show the advantage of constantly experimenting, looking for the ideas that work. In contrast, I don’t think the Volt will be as good an idea. But that’s the way the game works; not all the ideas work out.
I wonder how long the eAssist can last? Long enough to make a high speed pass on the highway? Do they provide a gauge so you know how much is left in the eAssist?
I get 30 mpg in a regular 2000 Toyota minivan. I got 55 mpg in a (dearly missed) Toyota Echo stick-shift. Why would I want something with potentially more computer problems and less efficient fuel usage?
You already had a more troublesome car – it’s called an Echo. Buick ranked higher in reliability than Lexus, Toyota, Honda and Nissan in 2011, 2010, 2009 and tied Lexus in 2008.
An Echo is a @#$!ty car. Toyota can’t make a good subcompact, that’s why they can’t carry the name over. Remember such quality icons as the Tercel, Paseo and Echo? Me neither.
My 2003 Echo is a great car. 40-43 mpg around town. 47- 51 on the highway. I don’t wory about gas prices. I paid less than $5 k for this car with 46,000 miles on it. I think I could still sell it for more, 2 years later. Compared to my former 66 Corona, or 74 Corolla wagon, this is a great car. You want to talk about trash? any Ford, GM, or Chrysler small car.