[AGstone]

I'm curious about the number of Malibu Hybrids that would have been built / sold during the '08 model year. Or, the percentage of Hybrids compared to the total Malibus built / sold.

Where can this information be found?

 

[Lee]

I have not seen a Malibu Hybrid and have been wondering if they went into production.
I wonder how well they will sell when you can get the same 32 MPG on the highway with the 4 cyl. 6 spd.

 

[FenwickHockey65]

They are in production. We've sold very few of them in the first half of this year, I think around 500 units. The Aura Hybrid only sold 30 units. Not sure, but they aren't exactly selling too well.

 

[Lee]

I did a search and I see we have at least one member with a Hybrid.

 

[USA1fan]

I have not seen a Malibu Hybrid and have been wondering if they went into production.
I wonder how well they will sell when you can get the same 32 MPG on the highway with the 4 cyl. 6 spd.

And if they're working right, they shouldn't do any better on the highway. The BAS mild hybrid system doesn't do anything at cruising speeds, so it's all down to the normal engine / tranny for efficiency (and GM generally has tall overdrives). The mild hybrids benefit most where most cars suck the most juice- at stops and right on initial takeoff. That's when the electric 'generator' / 'motor' / 'alternator' provides a short boost, or when the engine is completely cut off.

For as inexpensive as it is, I wish all models of GM cars had it. The highway numbers wouldn't change, but the city and combined EPA fuel economy estimates would go up quite a bit.

 

[Lee]

And if they're working right, they shouldn't do any better on the highway. The BAS mild hybrid system doesn't do anything at cruising speeds, so it's all down to the normal engine / tranny for efficiency (and GM generally has tall overdrives). The mild hybrids benefit most where most cars suck the most juice- at stops and right on initial takeoff. That's when the electric 'generator' / 'motor' / 'alternator' provides a short boost, or when the engine is completely cut off.

For as inexpensive as it is, I wish all models of GM cars had it. The highway numbers wouldn't change, but the city and combined EPA fuel economy estimates would go up quite a bit.

I may be wrong, but I thought the city mileage was only one MPG better than the 4 cyl. 6 speed.
I'm not really up on Hybrid, I thought the term mild Hybrid meant the car could not run only on batteries like a Toyota Prius.

 

[USA1fan]

I may be wrong, but I thought the city mileage was only one MPG better than the 4 cyl. 6 speed.
I'm not really up on Hybrid, I thought the term mild Hybrid meant the car could not run only on batteries like a Toyota Prius.

Actually, I just looked it up on fueleconomy.gov, and it's only 2 mpg better than the 4 cyl 6AT. The two real-world hybrids that owners have reported on have had a low of 32 mpg though (high of 34). Not that two cars are statistically significant.