GM To Push Large SUV Hybrid Models

General Motors will begin a new advertising campaign to promote the company's two-mode hybrid large SUVs. Mark LaNeve, GM's Vice President for North American Sales says that GM's research shows that few members of the buying public are even aware that GM has hybrid SUV's for sale. The company's goal is to increase sales of the dual-mode hybrids to between 5 and 10 percent of all full-sized SUV sales.

In an interview with Automotive News, LaNeve acknowledged that the company would be hampered by the same battery problems that have plagued the Saturn division's Aura and Vue hybrids, and have put a damper on the Chevy Malibu. To ensure that battery problems do not continue to damage hybrid sales, GM is considering purchasing its battery supplier Cobasys.

The strategy of pushing hybrid SUVs has some merit. Consumer preference surveys repeatedly have shown that vehicle buyers overwhelmingly choose replacement vehicles that are in the same class as the vehicle they're replacing. With so many SUVs on the road, it stands to reason that buyers would continue to choose them if they could operate large-sized vehicles efficiently.

GM also announced last week that the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid will be offered with a no-cost FlexFuel option. Vehicles that operate on flex fuel mixtures can reduce carbon emissions by up to 23%. GM has committed to making half of its vehicle lineup flex-fuel capable by 2012 to accommodate more stringent CAFE standards slated to go into effect that model year.