Is the Market Ready for a New Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid?
The Chevrolet Tahoe is one of the best large SUVs on the market and has been for a while. However, one issue for many potential owners is that it’s largely inefficient. Because of this, Chevy once made a Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. It lasted for a few model years but ultimately failed.
So, is the market ready for a new Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid?
Why was the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid such a flop?
The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid came about in 2008 as GM wanted to find ways to make one of its best large SUVs more efficient. Unfortunately, this experiment concluded just a few years later with the 2013 Tahoe Hybrid. There were a few reasons for the SUV’s failure, but the biggest reason had to do with the U.S. economy, which was heavily impacted by the Great Recession.
Pricing was another issue. The Tahoe isn’t a cheap vehicle, which means the hybrid version was even more costly. Notably, the starting price for the more efficient version was a staggering $49,590. However, buyers could get the version they knew and loved for only $33,810.
Fuel economy also held back the Hybrid Tahoe. The first model only averages 20 miles per gallon in the city, while the standard version gets 14 MPG for city driving. Sure, that’s an increase, but not one worth the significant price difference. The 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid wasn’t much better in this regard. Because of this and a few other issues, very few people purchased this version of the iconic SUV.
Is the market ready for a new version?
Unfortunately, the evolution in technology has not led to many of the best large SUVs having hybrid options. As the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid proved, this is a difficult thing to do. This is partly due to the overall size of these vehicles. However, it’s not entirely impossible, and there are probably ways for the automaker to better control the price so it’s not as costly for buyers.
However, a full-on EV might be more likely than a new Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. As many people know, the all-electric Cadillac Escalade should be on the market by late 2024. It’s much easier to make a full-size SUV efficient by making it an electric vehicle instead of trying to make it hybrid. Regarding SUVs, hybrids work best for smaller options.
The Chevrolet Tahoe is still one of the best large SUVs on the market. Not only that, but it remains popular. According to the Chevy, there will be a redesign for the 2025 model. The diesel version of the 2024 Tahoe gets 21 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway, so it’s pretty solid already regarding fuel economy for such a large vehicle. In fact, it’s better than the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid.
