Getting to Know You

I wanted to start this blog to let people know of my experiences driving Cadillac’s new Escalade Hybrid. I am a District Sales Manager for Cadillac and my territory is North and South Carolina. Along the way I’ll point out some of the interesting sites to see in my travels as well as educate you on how well this luxury vehicle operates.

I grew up in Northeast Ohio and remember the logo for Ohio Edison. It was a caricature of a man with lightning bolts for arms and legs with light bulbs for facial features. His name was Sparky. Given that this advanced Hybrid can operate up to 25 mph from a 300 volt electrical system, it only seemed fitting that I nickname it Sparky as well.

I’ve wanted to drive a Hybrid for some time, but the timing never seemed right. I must admit it is a little out of character for me wanting to drive a Hybrid. I’m a 25 year member of Sports Car Club of America and still volunteer to work both professional and amateur road racing. A CTS-V is more my style. However, the technology is what draws me to this version of the Escalade. You can see for yourself by going to the Cadillac website.
http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/model/landing.jsp?model=hybrid&year=2009

As a company car driver, I was hoping to grab a two wheel drive in order to maximize the fuel economy, but only had 4 wheel drives to pick from. The 4 wheel drive system can be put into a two wheel drive mode and the transfer case can be placed into a neutral position so it can be “dingy” towed behind a motorhome. I was however, drawn to this Platinum series. I wanted it for the LED headlight assembly. This just sets this truck apart from anything else on the road today.

So why a Hybrid, why now? Back when gasoline was going for $4 a gallon, there was a great deal of interest in the Hybrid. It is a full size luxury sport utility that offers exceptional fuel economy for its size. Back then the story was very compelling. Even today with gasoline selling at $2.50 a gallon the added cost of a Hybrid over a regular Escalade you can recoup the price difference in fuel savings in as little as 8 months.

This is based on comparing the two wheel drive versions of the Escalade and the Escalade Hybrid. The base price of a Hybrid includes the Premium Luxury Package available on the Escalade as well as Tri-coat Paint such as White Diamond. There is a $2200 tax credit for buying the two-wheel drive Hybrid (consult a tax professional) which leaves a price difference of $405. At 15,000 miles a year the annual fuel savings between the two Escalades at $2.50 a gallon would be $590.

The brand of gasoline you buy can also make a big difference. I try and buy Shell gasoline whenever I can. I’ve been using Shell for decades and have never had a gasoline related problem. Sparky only has about 1500 miles and at 65 mph the 6.0L engine will run on 4 cylinders and get about 25 miles per gallon. This week I was running along the coast and had to fill up in Myrtle Beach, SC and couldn’t find a Shell gas station, so I filled up with Mobil.

I was leaving Conway, SC going to Charleston. I use US 701 to Georgetown and then US 17 to Charleston. Sparky was in need of a bath so I stopped at the TLC Carwash in Georgetown. This place didn’t look like much, but I’ve never had a car look as good as it did when they were done. When they were done it looked better than it did the day I picked it up. I’ll be using them again.

Anyway, you can’t find a flatter road than US 701 & US 17 this side of the Mississippi. I set the cruise at 60 and watched to see how high the fuel savings would be. To my surprise, the engine never shifted out of the V8 mode. The only time I noticed it shift to running on 4 cylinders was when I was going downhill on the back side of a bridge over the many waterways. The next day after leaving Charleston and having used a third of a tank of gas, I stopped and topped it off with Shell. After a few moments of running down the road, the four cylinder running was back. I’m sure Mobil refines a fine product and I may have just got a bad load of fuel that day, but it sure made a difference.

I forgot to bring my camera this trip, but my next posting will have some of the different and interesting sites along the way.