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| 2014Hybrid.Com |
The magic of the two-mode hybrid system is that the hybrid system itself generates the electric power used to propel the vehicle. When the regenerative brakes are applied or the vehicle is coasting, the electric motors within the hybrid system produce electricity that is stored in the battery pack. This stored energy is then used to move the vehicle, and the cycle repeats itself continually to increase fuel economy.
During low-speed, low-impact driving, the powertrain works just like other hybrids; it stops the V8 engine whenever possible so that it may draw power from one or both of the electric motors. With a deft foot on the go pedal, the big SUV can travel under electric power for around two miles at up to 35 mph.
The second mode is mostly for highway driving, at which time one or both electric motors can run concurrently along with the gas engine in order to provide a power boost. The two-mode transmission attempts to keep the engine running at the optimum rpm for low fuel consumption. Essentially, it manages a balancing act between the V8 engine and the electric motors. It is also responsible for making the transitions between the two modes practically seamless.
The two mode isn’t the 2014 Escalade’s only fuel saver. The V8 engine employs cylinder deactivation technology (known at GM as active fuel management). Four of the V8’s cylinders can take a rest and the engine can operate in an economical V4 mode from around 40 mph up to near 70 mph. Master this technique along with the characteristics of the two-mode, and the 26-gallon fuel tank will let you cruise for more than 500 miles on unleaded gasoline.
Not as dramatic in saving fuel as cylinder deactivation, an electrically driven, 42-volt variable-assist power steering system provides up to a 0.5-mpg fuel economy improvement compared to the common belt-driven hydraulic systems. Hey, 0.5-mpg here, 0.5-mpg there, it all adds up.