Topic: Test Drive: 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist

[nlm]

How does the 15hp eMotor interact with the main motor? Mike you were careful to state the power outputs separately and through your description it doesn't appear that peak power of both gives you more than 184hp from the main motor. It's more like the 15hp kicks in when the main motor has zero gas input?

[Mike]

How does the 15hp eMotor interact with the main motor? Mike you were careful to state the power outputs separately and through your description it doesn't appear that peak power of both gives you more than 184hp from the main motor. It's more like the 15hp kicks in when the main motor has zero gas input?

It isn't the usual combined figure of a normal hybrid.  My understanding is it kicks in and works with the gas engine when leaving from a dead stop or hammering to the gas on the highway to get the gas engine up to speed quicker, but not to add additional power to the engine's top end.

Clear as mud?

[wing]

It doesn't seem to kick in at all when flooring it.  Watching the onscreen display in the Regal it seems to very rarely kick in at all actually LOL

[Mike]

It doesn't seem to kick in at all when flooring it.  Watching the onscreen display in the Regal it seems to very rarely kick in at all actually LOL

Did in the Lacrosse.....after coasting.....for maybe a second, lol

[Jaeger]

Okay, so not a lot of help from the electric motor once underway, and what help comes doesn't last very long?

[Mike]

Okay, so not a lot of help from the electric motor once underway, and what help comes doesn't last very long?

yup

[Spec5]

I'd be curious to see what a full on hybrid version of this car would get. At 4,000lbs I wouldn't expect it to be that much better. Like someone else said - if its just to help get the vehicle rolling (really the hardest part) and you don't have to carry around a 300lbs battery pack - maybe this IS the way to go. But again, I'd love to see this in something that already exists in a full on hybrid vs this "half @$$'d" version and just see exactly how much of a difference there actually is. I bet it wouldnt be much.

[nsmyhte]

A car this size with a trunk that small is an instant deal breaker.  If it seats 4-5 people, it should be able to hold 4-5 people worth of stuff.
Just put a diesel in it and be done with it.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So it's quicker to 60 by 0.2 seconds (8.9 sec) than the regular 4 cylinder LaCrosse, and gets better EPA numbers (12.4L/100km city/ 7.8 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 9.4/6.3) and this is a bad thing?

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-buick-lacrosse-eassist-first-drive-review

The assist is 15hp and 79ft-lbs which allows it to maintain 6th gear longer as well as in acceleration.

The 4 cylinder goes away for 2013 and this is the new base drivetrain. No big deal, but it does score some points with CAFE.

[Mike]

So it's quicker to 60 by 0.2 seconds (8.9 sec) than the regular 4 cylinder LaCrosse, and gets better EPA numbers (12.4L/100km city/ 7.8 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 9.4/6.3) and this is a bad thing?

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-buick-lacrosse-eassist-first-drive-review

The assist is 15hp and 79ft-lbs which allows it to maintain 6th gear longer as well as in acceleration.

The 4 cylinder goes away for 2013 and this is the new base drivetrain. No big deal, but it does score some points with CAFE.

2.4L is already gone and this is not the base engine, it is $690 upgrade over the V6

[Ace]

Pretty slick, replacing the alternator with a 15hp 79 ftlb generator/ motor. I wonder how tough it will be on the belt?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So it's quicker to 60 by 0.2 seconds (8.9 sec) than the regular 4 cylinder LaCrosse, and gets better EPA numbers (12.4L/100km city/ 7.8 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 9.4/6.3) and this is a bad thing?

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-buick-lacrosse-eassist-first-drive-review

The assist is 15hp and 79ft-lbs which allows it to maintain 6th gear longer as well as in acceleration.

The 4 cylinder goes away for 2013 and this is the new base drivetrain. No big deal, but it does score some points with CAFE.

2.4L is already gone and this is not the base engine, it is $690 upgrade over the V6

Weird. It is the base engine in the US. Maybe they figure Canadians will fork over more to get better mileage?

[ArticSteve]

The only real complaint with the drivetrain has to do with jerky downshifts at low speeds, caused by either the six-speed automatic itself or the eAssist system.

"Not a problem.  Should smooth out with age." says the desperate first owner to a prospective private buyer after every dealer in town has offered him/her squat.

[jaari]

A Buick is a Buick and always will be a Buick.  It's still not something I'd want to be seen in and I'm soon to be 64.  I much prefer European design and engineering.  I guess I'm still young at heart.

It pretty much is european tuned etc, it's just a rebadged Opel.
GM changed very little for the North American version which is a good thing I've read...

[nlm]

So it's quicker to 60 by 0.2 seconds (8.9 sec) than the regular 4 cylinder LaCrosse, and gets better EPA numbers (12.4L/100km city/ 7.8 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 9.4/6.3) and this is a bad thing?

But you forgot to include the great equilizer in the above mix: price. The price of the eAssist to obtain the quicker 0.2 sec and better EPA numbers, that is source of the grumble.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

So it's quicker to 60 by 0.2 seconds (8.9 sec) than the regular 4 cylinder LaCrosse, and gets better EPA numbers (12.4L/100km city/ 7.8 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 9.4/6.3) and this is a bad thing?

But you forgot to include the great equilizer in the above mix: price. The price of the eAssist to obtain the quicker 0.2 sec and better EPA numbers, that is source of the grumble.

$690 over the V6. The regular 4 cylinder has already been discontinued. Using American gas prices, you'd make back the difference in the first year.

[whaddaiknow]

So it's quicker to 60 by 0.2 seconds (8.9 sec) than the regular 4 cylinder LaCrosse, and gets better EPA numbers (12.4L/100km city/ 7.8 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 9.4/6.3) and this is a bad thing?

But you forgot to include the great equilizer in the above mix: price. The price of the eAssist to obtain the quicker 0.2 sec and better EPA numbers, that is source of the grumble.

$690 over the V6. The regular 4 cylinder has already been discontinued. Using American gas prices, you'd make back the difference in the first year.

You say it's 0.2 sec quicker than the 4-cyl but then give us the $690 over the 6-cyl. Talking about trying hard to put a positive spin?
What's the premium the eASSist commands over the base 4-cyl? Take last year's pricing as a reference point if it's been discontinued for the current year. That should be quite a revelation.

[Jaeger]

What's the premium the eASSist commands over the base 4-cyl? Take last year's pricing as a reference point if it's been discontinued for the current year. That should be quite a revelation.

Bingo.

[Mike]

So it's quicker to 60 by 0.2 seconds (8.9 sec) than the regular 4 cylinder LaCrosse, and gets better EPA numbers (12.4L/100km city/ 7.8 highway for a four-cylinder 2011 LaCrosse to 9.4/6.3) and this is a bad thing?

But you forgot to include the great equilizer in the above mix: price. The price of the eAssist to obtain the quicker 0.2 sec and better EPA numbers, that is source of the grumble.

$690 over the V6. The regular 4 cylinder has already been discontinued. Using American gas prices, you'd make back the difference in the first year.

You say it's 0.2 sec quicker than the 4-cyl but then give us the $690 over the 6-cyl. Talking about trying hard to put a positive spin?
What's the premium the eASSist commands over the base 4-cyl? Take last year's pricing as a reference point if it's been discontinued for the current year. That should be quite a revelation.

$31,645

[dirtyjeffer]

$31,645

in otherwords, a $4k price premium?