AutoGuide Feature: GM’s eAssist Hybrid Bet Doesn’t Pay Off

Feature: GM’s eAssist Hybrid Bet Doesn’t Pay Off | AutoGuide.com News

eAssist is GM's name for the 2nd gen BAS mild-hybrid system.

GM's had an interesting strategy w/rolling it out this time so they've left out terms like hybrid and names like "Green Line" and instead using Eco and eAssist. They also shipped the '13 Malibu Eco (which is eAssist) prior to putting out '13 non-eAssist versions while still selling the '12 Malibu. It surprisingly puts GM in the # spot for hybrid sales in the US.

At least in terms of sales, these eAssist based models are selling WAY better than when they had the Hybrid/Green Line badge (June 2012 Dashboard | Hybrid Cars - in that table, they still call use the Malibu Hybrid terminology).

Take a look at how badly the Malibu Hybrid and other (1st gen) BAS mild hybrids sold in June 2009 Dashboard: A Hybrid Recovery? | Hybrid Cars and June 2008 Dashboard: Automakers See Red | Hybrid Cars. That was before the Malibu Hybrid was discontinued for the '10 model year.

The article is right though that the '13 Malibu Eco (eAssist) is badly outclassed by say the '12 Camry Hybrid. Besides the EPA ratings, in Consumer Reports testing, the '12 200 hp HyCam got 32 city/43 highway, 38 mpg overall. It had a 0-60 mph time of 7.6 seconds (thus making into Consumer Reports - Fuel economy vs. performance) and a 1/4 mile of 15.9 @ 92 mph.

The '13 Malibu Eco got 20 city/41 highway, 29 mpg overall w/a slower 0-60 time of 8.6 seconds and much slower 1/4 mile of 16.8 @ 85.1.

One thing that annoys me is to see the Buick LaCrosse (eAssist) ad where the guy refers to "36 mpg" and makes a jab at hybrids, saying something like he's got some shoes bigger than and more attractive than hybrids. They then mention "36 highway mpg" later in the ad. Well, per Compare Side-by-Side, that car is EPA rated at 25 city/36 highway, 29 mpg combined.