Chrysler to price hybrids lower than GM's

[Mr. Wyndham]

General Motors came up with the idea for the Two-Mode system, but needed extra funding to persue it. That's where Chrysler (at the time, DiamlerChrysler), and BMW came in.

And here we are. I guess if it helps them...

Chrysler LLC set the prices of its new gasoline-electric sport- utility vehicles about $5,000 lower than those of General Motors Corp. models that use the same technology, Bloomberg News reported today.

The 2009 Dodge Durango version will start at $45,340 and the Chrysler Aspen version will start at $45,570, the Auburn Hills-based automaker said today in a statement The four-wheel-drive SUVs are Chrysler's first hybrids and are slated to reach dealers in August.

GM's comparable Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid starts at $50,490 and its GMC Yukon starts at $50,945, said John McDonald, a spokesman for the Detroit-based automaker. The GM and Chrysler hybrids use a system developed by those two companies, Daimler AG and BMW.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...70410/1001/BIZ

[Chevyrocker]

The sad thing is, even with a $50,000 price tag, there's only $1,700 mark up from invoice. From a salesman's point of view, even selling the thing for MSRP would only put $300 on your paycheck...and we all know that things just don't sell for sticker anymore...

[TAG UR IT]

Sorry....but with an SUV as large as the Tahoe, and with the perception that it's still not going to get the best mileage, I think 50K is waaaay too much.

Shoot...when we were looking at Tahoes in 05, they were priced at 37K-45K. I think 50K is just getting too far up there in price for a large sized family towing capable vehicle. Now, if it were getting 40 mpg's, that'd be a different story.

[theholycow]

Are we talking about the same hybrid system that's been in GM trucks for YEARS now? Why did it take Chrysler so long to get them into the showroom?

A $5,000 difference in a $50,000 vehicle is just not that big a deal. At that level you're talking about people who have extra money to blow on a car, not people who can't afford a few options. It's nowhere near as meaningful as the same 10% is at a lower level, like talking about a car that costs $18,000 vs. $20,000; at that level there's a lot more people who just can't afford ten percent more.

[Chevyrocker]

$50,000 for a tahoe that gets 22MPG city and highway is pretty good considering the regular Tahoe only gets 14/20. A lot has changed on the Tahoe in the last few years. The new ones are really nice. Granted you can get an almost fully loaded Tahoe for $45,000, the $50,000 one is pretty much an escalade as far as features goes, it's just not as ghetto looking.

[MerF]

It's still a Chrysler. Quality alone makes the Tahoe a better value. THat being said, truck/SUV prices are effing rediculous these days...you should not have to pay the cost of a small HOME to buy a vehicle.

[chadrcr]

Originally Posted by MerF

It's still a Chrysler. Quality alone makes the Tahoe a better value. THat being said, truck/SUV prices are effing rediculous these days...you should not have to pay the cost of a small HOME to buy a vehicle.

West TX dealer was having a sale: Buy a Tahoe/Suburban, get a hyundai for $1. seriously. I assume you pass up the rebates and discounts on a $40,000+ and get a tiny $7000 car...... avg mpg for both= 30mpg

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by theholycow

Are we talking about the same hybrid system that's been in GM trucks for YEARS now? Why did it take Chrysler so long to get them into the showroom?

Could you please specify? The tahoe and yukon hybrids only went onsale within the last year, and they are the only hybrid trucks that GM offers as far as I know. It is based on the system used in busses.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Could you please specify? The tahoe and yukon hybrids only went onsale within the last year, and they are the only hybrid trucks that GM offers as far as I know. It is based on the system used in busses.

I just googled it, and apparently GM quit making them. They made some ~3000 hybrid full size trucks (I thought they were doing the whole line, pickups and SUVs) from 2004 to 2006 but didn't publicize them well and didn't sell many. They were really cool, they had the battery pack under the extended cab back seat, and an inverter that let you run power tools off the battery pack.

From http://www.hybridcars.com/trucks/gm-...up-trucks.html

In late 2004, General Motors launched an ultra-light hybrid system on the Silverado and Sierra models. The total production run on both was about 3,000, but it was never entirely clear if or where you could buy one. Then, in December 2006, GM “quietly dropped the hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups,” according to Automotive News.

Before the conspiracy theorists go too far, don’t expect a documentary release of “Who killed the hybrid pickup?” GM phased out the ultra-light hybrid pickups that produced a 10-15 percent increase in fuel economy to make room for full hybrid versions of the Silverado and Sierra, which are expected to get a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency. The so-called two-mode hybrid pickups are scheduled to launch in late 2008.

The phased-out hybrid pickup trucks featured a cool bonus feature: they acted as power generators, using two conventional, three-prong plug-ins under the rear seat, and two more in the back of the bed. The four 120-volt, 20 amp electrical auxiliary power outlets provided power to electric saws, grinders, hairdryers or laptops. The juice was activated while the truck was running. And with the shifter in PARK, the driver could choose to turn the truck into a stationary generator and walk away with the keys in his pocket. The power supply circuits were protected by a ground fault detection system so overloads and short circuits could be avoided. According to GM, the hybrid pickups maintained power for up to 32 hours non-stop before needing to fill the tank. (They shut off before the gas tank was completely drained, so drivers wouldn’t be stranded.)

There’s no word yet if the two-mode hybrid pickups will have the three-prong outlets.

I was very excited about that truck, despite the fact that I could not afford one. I've been talking about it for years, not knowing that they quit making them...