In addition to electrical supplementation, the efficiency of the 6.0-litre V8-engine serving as the core of the hybrid powerplant is enhanced with the use of variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation. When you put it all together, the hefty Escalade achieves in-city economy more inline with smaller V6-powered SUVs despite having 332 horsepower and 367 pound-feet of torque on-tap.
In typical stop-and-go city driving the gas engine cuts-in just after an electrically-powered launch. Drivers will notice a slight jiggle as the engine fires-up. Normal operation seldom sees the tachometer crest 2,000-rpm thanks to the fuel-saving technology of GM's Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT), which combines continuously variable operation with fixed-gear operation; the latter of which enables the Escalade to tow up to 2,540-kg (5,600-lbs).
Behind the hybrid wheel
Unless they are hybrid-savvy, passengers are unlikely to detect the binary functioning of the gas engine or the inclusion of electrical propulsion. What they will detect is the near silent operation of the Escalade Hybrid irrespective of which power mode or combination thereof it is employing at any given moment.
From a driver's perspective, it's rewarding to see the tachometer drop to zero when the vehicle is stopped, and to remain there while the throttle is gently prodded to commence movement. The dual-mode system will allow the Escalade to drive at speeds up to 50kph or so, strictly on free electrical power but doing so requires a delicate right foot.
I took great pleasure in knowing that once I pulled off the main drag and drove the six or seven residential blocks to my home, I was no longer burning the golden nectar for which we pay a king's ransom. My gloating was further bolstered by the knowledge that I wasn't contributing to the soupy airborne mess infecting most urban air spaces.
Full-on Cadillac luxury and safety
The Escalade Hybrid lives up to Cadillac's reputation for luxury and comfort. It spoils occupants with a smooth, stable ride while entertaining them with high-end audio and video. This is the ultra road-trip vehicle for those whose wallets can withstand the hit needed to acquire such a behemoth of excesses.
With its options, my tester rang in at a whopping $98,115. Fortunately Cadillac tosses in a full suite of occupant protection and crash avoidance technology for the lucky few capable of affording this decadent example of "green" envy.
photo:Rob Rothwell, General Motors
In typical stop-and-go city driving the gas engine cuts-in just after an electrically-powered launch. Drivers will notice a slight jiggle as the engine fires-up. Normal operation seldom sees the tachometer crest 2,000-rpm thanks to the fuel-saving technology of GM's Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT), which combines continuously variable operation with fixed-gear operation; the latter of which enables the Escalade to tow up to 2,540-kg (5,600-lbs).
Behind the hybrid wheel
Unless they are hybrid-savvy, passengers are unlikely to detect the binary functioning of the gas engine or the inclusion of electrical propulsion. What they will detect is the near silent operation of the Escalade Hybrid irrespective of which power mode or combination thereof it is employing at any given moment.
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| In typical stop-and-go city driving the gas engine cuts-in just after an electrically-powered launch. |
From a driver's perspective, it's rewarding to see the tachometer drop to zero when the vehicle is stopped, and to remain there while the throttle is gently prodded to commence movement. The dual-mode system will allow the Escalade to drive at speeds up to 50kph or so, strictly on free electrical power but doing so requires a delicate right foot.
I took great pleasure in knowing that once I pulled off the main drag and drove the six or seven residential blocks to my home, I was no longer burning the golden nectar for which we pay a king's ransom. My gloating was further bolstered by the knowledge that I wasn't contributing to the soupy airborne mess infecting most urban air spaces.
Full-on Cadillac luxury and safety
The Escalade Hybrid lives up to Cadillac's reputation for luxury and comfort. It spoils occupants with a smooth, stable ride while entertaining them with high-end audio and video. This is the ultra road-trip vehicle for those whose wallets can withstand the hit needed to acquire such a behemoth of excesses.
With its options, my tester rang in at a whopping $98,115. Fortunately Cadillac tosses in a full suite of occupant protection and crash avoidance technology for the lucky few capable of affording this decadent example of "green" envy.
photo:Rob Rothwell, General Motors
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