eAssist is kind of Bogus. It does help a little bit on the Hwy. Doesn't help much at all in the City. Its a small alternator/motor which adds a few HP to the Engine via a Fan Belt at Highway Cruising Speed.
Mostly it makes stop-start and minor regen braking practical with fewer mods. Give them credit for the improvement over the conventional car. - Chris
grade = D Selling a car that only delivers MPG in the low 30's should not be accepted as much of an effort to improve the typical consumer vehicle at a time when $4 gas is becoming common. .
36 mpg US (43 mpg uk) is supposed to be good? Ha ha ha ha OK it's a step in the right direction but it isn't World class or ever class leading. As the teachers used to say on my report card "Must try harder"
I know squat about Buicks, but don't they tend to be large cars ? As others have said, the improvement over the non-hybridized model is quite nice. I wonder why it so much better than the pathetic improvement seen in the Malibu twins.
I skimmed the article, but did not read anything that explained the improvement. Help me out here. Honestly, this mild-assist system strikes me as nothing more (or less) than a stop-start solution. I do not know specifics of ICE off coasting, but in any case I doubt it came into play in EPA testing.
The MG has increased to 15hp from 5hp and the batteries are Lithium instead of NiMH. Improved transmission is a big one too. Also shutters on the grill, LRR tires, undercoating panels, and other little things.
I guess it's better than nothing. I had read that there would be some stress on the Fan Belt since that is helping drive the Engine from the MG during cruising.
Buick is actually big in China whereas it's nearly dead in the US. Contrast http://investor.gm.com/sales-production/docs/sales_prod/11_12/DeliveriesDecember2011.pdf to China's Top Seller Is...a Buick and General Motors Sets Sales Record in China in 2011. I have posted other threads about GM's eAssist stuff (aka 2nd gen of their BAS mild hybrids) like these: http://priuschat.com/forums/gm-hybr...assist-doesnt-waste-gas-running-in-place.html http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-h...2-buick-regal-eassist-will-get-26-37-mpg.html http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-h...rosse-eassist-achieves-up-37-mpg-highway.html http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-h...s-2013-malibu-surprises-38-mpg-eco-model.html
Based on a look I took under the hood of one of the original Saturn Vue hybrids it is much beefier than a standard serpentine belt, and the tensioning arrangement's different, since it has to be able to transmit torque in either direction. Assuming they sized things right, the belt could work out fine. - Chris
