Jump-Starting An Already Solid Sedan



Hybrids only account for about two percent of annual U.S. auto sales, yet there is a huge push by most automakers to incorporate the green tech into future product. The reasons for this are many, and they include improved public perception, better Corporate Average Fuel Economy numbers and a push to continually improve the technology. The craze really caught on with the Toyota Prius, though it was started in the U.S. by Honda and Ford got in the game with the Escape Hybrid.

General Motors has taken a different approach to hybrid tech with a combination of technologies that includes the Voltec system used in the Chevrolet Volt and the Two-Mode Hybrid system that has been relegated to GM light-duty trucks and large SUVs. The third and most affordable option is eAssist, which utilizes a small, 65-pound 115V lithium-ion battery and a 15-horsepower electric motor to improve fuel economy by up to 25 percent.

We spent a week in a well-heeled 2012 Buick Regal with eAssist to gain a better understanding of the technology and to see how well GM's Gen II mild hybrid tech works in the real world.Continue reading 2012 Buick Regal eAssist [w/video]

2012 Buick Regal eAssist [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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