Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Debuts at All-Star Game
According to GM, the 2008 Malibu hybrid features a 36-volt electric motor/generator mated to a 2.4-liter Ecotec VVT four-cylinder engine and Hydra-Matic 4T45 four-speed transmission. GM boasts that the Malibu hybrid gets better gas mileage – it has an EPA rating of 24 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 32 mpg on the highway –than the non-hybrid four-cylinder Malibu.
According to GM, the Malibu’s hybrid system “seamlessly reduces fuel consumption” by:
- Shutting off the engine when the vehicle is stopped.
- Promptly restarting the engine when the brake pedal is released.
- Enabling early fuel shut-off during deceleration.
- Capturing vehicle kinetic energy during deceleration through regenerative braking to charge the advanced nickel metal hydride battery.
- Performing intelligent battery charging when it is most efficient.
“The beauty of the Chevy Malibu Hybrid is that customers don’t have to choose between a stylish, expressive, fuel-saving sedan full of standard content and the gasoline that goes in the tank,” Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper said. “The Malibu Hybrid‘s winning package of uncompromising design and fuel economy will help us assert leadership in the midsize sedan segment and meet the needs of Chevy customers.”