In an effort to tap into the ever-expanding market for eco-friendly cars, General Motors (News - Alert) has announced that its highly-popular Buick Lacrosse sedan will come standard with a hybrid system in 2012. The new vehicle will be unveiled later this week at the annual Los Angeles Auto Show.
The base model 2012 Buick LaCrosse will be powered by a 4-cylinder, 2.4-liter combustion engine and the inaugural version of Buick's eAssist technology, which is made up of a 15-kilowatt electric motor and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack.
GM's hybrid setup is expected to enable the vehicle to get 37 miles-per-gallon on the highway and 25 mpg in the city, marking a 25 to 30 percent better fuel efficiency rating than your traditional powertrain, according to CNN Money. The system uses automated fuel shut-off functionality to save gas during braking and deceleration.
"The LaCrosse with eAssist technology is the latest example of how this successful car – with sales up more than 200 percent for the year – is shaking up the segment and reinventing Buick," John Schwegman, vice president of Buick marketing, said in a statement.
"It is the smart choice for those who want great fuel economy and performance in a luxury vehicle," he added.
Meanwhile, Buick has been very careful to not refer to the new vehicle as a hybrid, even though it technical fits the bill. GM is looking to position the 2012 Buick LaCrosse as a mass-market sedan with great gas mileage, not as a competitor to the eco-friendly Toyota Prius or the Lincoln MKZ hybrid, Buick spokeswoman Carolyn Normandin told the news source.
"We're clearly not trying for the largest fuel economy number we can get," she said.
The starting price for the 2012 Buick LaCrosse is expected to be around $30,000, which is about $2,000 more than the current base model.
General Motors decision to launch a mass-market vehicle with hybrid technology is a clear indication that the auto industry no longer sees environmentally-friendly cars as a niche product.
Beecher Tuttle is a TMCnet contributor. He has extensive experience writing and editing for print publications and online news websites. He has specialized in a variety of industries, including health care technology, politics and education. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Tammy Wolf
