Power Hybrids: Luxury Green Muscle Machines

By Shannon Arvizu

Shannon Arvizu

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Shannon Arvizu is a clean-tech strategist and educator. She is currently a doctoral researcher at Columbia University and has spent the last two... More

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1,963 views Apr 8, 2010

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Can hybrid vehicles deliver on muscle performance? Is it necessary to sacrifice luxury for fuel economy?

To answer these questions, I took two luxury hybrid vehicles, the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 and the 2010 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, for a week-long test drive through Southern California.

Shannon Escalade

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Escalade driveway

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2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6

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The 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 and the 2010 Escalade Hybrid are intended to redefine the nature of hybrid technology. Both feature a two-mode hybrid system that runs the vehicle in all-electric mode at low speeds, yet kicks in a powerful V8 engine at higher speeds.

From the outside, the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is an elegant crossover "sport activity coupe." Underneath the hood, however, is a serious muscle machine.  It provides 485 horsepower and 575 foot-pounds of torque. It is also capable of towing up to 6000 pounds.

For those who enjoy added control, the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 has a manual shift mode with paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel. When I engaged the paddle shifters, the X6 delivered a superior driving experience in true BMW-fashion.

The 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 I drove came with a sleek ivory leather interior, XM satellite radio, a navigation system, and a dark bamboo wood trim made from sustainably produced bamboo.

It also featured heated front and rear seats, which received warm accolades from my passengers when stepping in from the brisk Los Angeles spring air.

The Escalade Hybrid, on the other hand, is a full-fledged SUV. It is larger in size, obviously, but provides less power than the X6, with  332 horsepower and 367 lb-ft of torque.

Compared to the four-passenger seating of the X6, the Escalade Hybrid seats eight. The Escalade Hybrid also featured XM satellite radio and a navigation system, as well as built-in passenger LCD screens for personal entertainment on-the-go.

In terms of fuel usage, the two vehicles average higher mpg from similar non-hybrid models. The Escalade Hybrid improves the standard Escalade’s mileage from 10 mpg city / 16 mpg hwy to 21 mpg city / 22 mpg hwy.

The 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is rated at 17 mpg city / 19 mpg highway, whereas the standard X6 xDrive 50i gets 13 mpg city / 18 mpg highway.

EPA estimates for hybrids, however, are often less than what can be achieved in real-world conditions. For the Escalade Hybrid, I averaged 17.4 mpg with 228 miles on the odometer.

For the BMW X6, I averaged 21.1 mpg with 645 miles on the road. By keeping a light foot on the accelerator and brake pedal, I achieved higher mpg on both vehicles.