Peak, I don't agree. This is a mid-sized family car that will compete with the Camry and Altima hybrids. Each of which have over 190 combined HP. Perhaps if they offer the 2-mode system down the line, they could downsize the ICE. Until then, I don't think it would sell.

Also, the Accord hybrid is an unfair comparison. It was over a $3k premium for the hybrid, which was a big part of it's problem. I think GM actually learned from that.

"a combined 27 mpg (8.7 l/100km)."

Bwahaha. That's like your average muscle Volvo or diesel Mercedes.

Pathetic.

"Far better then to ship tens of millions of cars as micro- or mild hybrids than to sell just a few as full hybrids."

Toyota has sold over 1 million full hybrids in 10 years (and they had a slow start - they sold over 300,000 just last year) how many Malibu has GM sold during the same period?

"Bwahaha. That's like your average muscle Volvo or diesel Mercedes"

Great. Please direct me to a $22k version from either brand.

Both the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla, both smaller and less powerful than the Malibu Hybrid, only offer 29mpg combined (using 2008 figures).

@Ai Vin -

Toyota has indeed sold a million full hybrids by now, which is quite an achievement. I don't offhand hoy many Malibus GM has sold in the same timeframe, perhaps more - but until now, none of them were hybrids. For that reason alone, it's a moot point.

However, you should bear in mind that even for Toyota, hybrids represent just a small fraction of overall sales volume. My comments were forward-looking, because I suspect that once the initial hybrid hype dies down, consumers will warm to the cheaper bus less sophisticated systems as well.

For example, BMW is forging ahead with upgrades to its entire product line, adding their EfficientDynamics package which is in fact a micro-hybrid system. They just don't advertise it as such. Other manufacturers, e.g. VW and Citroen PSA also offer micro-hybrids on a few models in Europe already. It's a cheap way to help bring down fleet average CO2 emissions, as they will have to by 2012, so expect more of the same. If CAFE is substantially tightened in the US, the same dynamic will apply there.

There is more here than you might think for an evolutionary car model; starting with the 36 volt electrical system. In some areas of the country red light to red light driving is the norm. For example, the yellow cabs in NYC and the people stuck on driving city streets. A BAS could result in considerable fuel savings in these conditions.

A "VOLT" this isn't and the word "Hybrid" is misused; a retrofitted Chevy is what it is and a marketing trial to see if BAS will sell and perhaps a test to prove some of the systems needed for future BEVs and PHEVs, i.e., electric steering.

We can disagree about the technical aspects of this in terms of percentage cost vs efficiency, but the real story will be "Will it sell". a 2 MPG increase is laughable regardless of cost, to the general consumer. they still worry about GM's falling apart and how much worse it will be with disatisfied overpaid union workers putting together new technology. I just see GM's production of this car as the warning shot that they will be seeking government financing to make them competitive with Toyota in the hybrid world since they are too cheap to bite the bullet.

Even micro hybrid can greatly help exhaust emission and improve fuel economy in heavily congested areas, where cars spend a great deal of time idling and wasting fuel while polluting the air for nothing! GM offering thus is quite encouraging, considering the modest increase in cost in proportion to the modest increase in mpg. One must learn to walk first before one can run. Experience in mass manufacturing of hybrid components will greatly help a mfg. in planning for a full hybrid later on.

However, I have some issues with the Belt drive in this BAS. First, the belt drive is not the best in reliability and adds unnecessary friction. Honda's IMA scheme with the thin but wide motor in-line between the engine and the transmission is more efficient and far more reliable than belt drive, which can get loose or break.

But, even Honda's IMA can even be further improved upon, by providing a synchromesh clutch between the motor and the engine, and between the motor and the transmission. This will eliminate engine's friction while the car is in pure electric mode and during regenerative braking. The ICE has huge amount of internal friction that must be avoided during low car speed and low engine load in order to further increase efficiency. Then, the engine will need its regular starter (~$150 USD at OEM price) to bring it to speed in order to mesh smoothly with the motor-transmission if more torque will be needed to supplement the electric-only mode.

And then, to get a full hybrid without violating Toyota's HSD patents, provide a larger starter-generator mated to the engine, and a larger motor mated to a small CVT (continously-variable transmission), with a clutch between the engine and the CVT. Why a small CVT? Since belt or chain CVT cannot handle a lot of torque anyway, and to reduce friction during cruise! CVT has higher internal friction than geared transmission. If higher torque is needed, the larger motor will supply it, using the currents provided by the battery and the starter-generator when the engine is reved up!

But first, one must learn to walk before one can run.

come guys the bashers have to get their snob on. They are not smart enough to be rich so they can buy a Prius and be snooty for much less. Funny how most of them drive way more than average miles and wind up spewing more than average co2.

Hey don't get me wrong, I think this is the kind of tech every car should have. However, calling this a hybrid when it doesn't have enough battery power to go just 1km (even when *assisted* by the ICE) sounds like GM is riding the coattails of the company that's leading the way.

I think it would have been smarter marketing to cut their own path. Maybe they should call the system "augmented drive" or "intelligent starter" or "flexible something-or-other."

BMW has recently introduced mild hybrids in Europe that get 36- 40 MPG and they do not even need 36 volt NiMH battery, they just use 12 volt AGM lead. They are also changing their entire linw of products to mild hybrid.

Either GM engineers are idiots, or GM thinks their customers are.

And Richard, if you are not rich enough to buy the Prius, consider a Corolla - that will get you 25% more mileage than this "hybrid Impala".

"consider a Corolla - that will get you 25% more mileage than this "hybrid Impala""

Check your figures, that is incorrect. Using 2008 EPA estimates, it's 27mpg for the MALIBU Hybrid and 29 mpg for a Corolla (or Civic). Yes, the same Corolla that is smaller with less power.

Once again the anti-American snobs leap out of the warrens to bash... this time GM.

One gentle man even dared to build up the BMW 30-40K mini-compacts, that are not street legal in the USA because their pollution controls are decades behind and obsolete; never mind the absent safety equipment that would rule them off the road here in the USA, as Naderite deathtraps, as well.

And all for only $40K too. What a bargain!

[sarcasm off]

Seriously, any hybrid components built for these mild hybrids such as regenerative braking or electric brakes, HVAC,steering etc. can only help drive down the cost of genuine hybrids. Closing that cost differential is essential as it the only thing that can stop the coming Electrification of Ground Transport.

Still waiting for the dual-mode hybrid, that obsoletes Toyota's Hybrid Drive.

Stan Peterson my man: Is it Anti-American to point out that American cars are fuel-inefficient than our foreign competitors? No. Angelo ; how it is that foreign competitors can come up with fuel efficient cars Americans crave when gas is $3.00 a gallon and higher while American automakers with the exception of the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV, the other American offerings can't seem to manage to 30MPG Hybrid or not? That's not offereing choices. That's wimping out. My guess is some foreigners are influencing The Big Three to NOT make fuel efficient vehicles and to fight any hike in the CAFE standards. Until Big Oil sells off Big Three stock and until the American automakers sell us what we need, we should "Buy Toyota and Honda".

GM is doing what they can with what they have. They are late coming to the party and the BAS is what they could come with quick. This is "cost effective" is what they would say and if it is reliable, they would be right. I think it makes sense. Should they call it a hybrid?...maybe not.

Wow Stan, Dr spin, what this has to do with being an American? Can't you even handle some criticism? you scared of being compared with other world leaders?

Man! I tell you, guys like you didn't make the America what it is today.

Oh wait, you probably do not believe in evolution either - waiting for someone intelligent to design your future car?

This is not the only thing in the pipeline at GM. This is just one modest thing they are doing to make a mainstream vehicle more environmentally friendly.

This is a mid-sized sedan (not a compact) with almost 170 HP that averages 27mpg. How is this a bad thing? This will be priced much closer to the NON-HYBRID Camry, which only averages 24mpg (using the same 2008 combined cycle number). If you are a consumer who wants to spend $22-23k, which one would you endorse from an environmental standpoint?

There are still many people who will not readily clunk down the extra $3k for a Camry hybrid. Do I think it's a good decision on their part? No. But should we just ignore those consumers and offer them no other options until they become wiser?

As I said before, this BAS application does not detract from their further development of their 2-mode and series hybrid systems.

Now, if GM would put a system like this in an Aveo it might break 40mpg, and I might be willing to buy one.

It's just irresponsible to buy a car that gets less than 40mpg these days.

"Now, if GM would put a system like this in an Aveo it might break 40mpg, and I might be willing to buy one."

That doesn't make sense to me. The BAS system will have it's greatest benefit on the vehicle that will be sold in the highest volumes. GM's market research has likely concluded that the Malibu will sell at much higher volumes than the Aveo.

"It's just irresponsible to buy a car that gets less than 40mpg these days."

It's always all or nothing with too many of you. Well, I guess people like you will still have to buy a Prius for now. This does not get in the way of that.

One micro-step (or is it nano-step) from a very large company is not much of an achievement. This sounds more like a low cost PR job to try to stop GM's decreasing sales.

Two or three more mpg will not boast GM's sales that much.

Anything below 40 or even 50 mpg is not what most people want from our Big Three.

The slightly bigger Prius III (5 cm wider and almost 10 cm longer) is rumoured to offer as much as 70 to 75 mpg. That will be a worthwhile achievement.

How can we honestly compare 25 mpg with 75 mpg?

Come on GM. You can do much better than that...

GM scrapped its PNGV hybrid program in 2001, and fired the engineering team (someone rumored that Toyota hired them).  Now GM is trying to recover from this monumental screwup.  What's pathetic is that this is the best they can do this late in the game.

"The slightly bigger Prius III (5 cm wider and almost 10 cm longer) is rumoured to offer as much as 70 to 75 mpg."

Yet, Toyota is still going to sell this on the same lots as their 15mpg Sequoia.

There will continue to be all sizes and shapes of vehicles. This is not the vehicle intended to compete with the Prius. Apples and oranges....

Lots of GM bashing here.

For large vehicles GM is actually more fuel efficient then Toyota. The problem is for smaller vehicles either GM does not sell them or they are not as good as Toyota models. Each company has its good points.

http://autos.msn.com/research/compare/default.aspx?c=0&n=3&i=0&tb=0&ph1=t0&ph2=t0&dt=0&v=t102449&v=t103750&v=m12574
The link is to a comparo of the Sequoia to the Tahoe and Armada.

On larger vehicles GM as done quite well with mpg. With the Two Mode hybrid comming out the large Tahoe will get 25mpg highway. I don't want one, its too big for me but its a good thing for OTHER PEOPLE.

This is another product that fits in a new slot and does deliver GOOD MPG for its size and usually a very good price too.

Please don't compare this car to a Prius, its not in the same class. Not even when the new Prius comes out will they be, this is bigger car.