Chevrolet Sedans Lose Weight, Increase Efficiency
There are roughly 30,000 parts in the typical automobile and we’re reimagining all of them for greater efficiency.
Our engineers are developing vehicles powered by non-traditional sources like electricity and hydrogen that dramatically reduce emissions and petroleum use. But, as the vast majority of vehicles on the road today are powered by gas, we’re also improving their efficiency through advanced technologies that reduce weight and improve their fuel economy.
You’ll find many of these engineering breakthroughs in the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu and Cruze, which dropped a combined 550 pounds.
How? Here are a few of their weight-loss secrets.
Bigger, stronger, leaner body
Beneath the new Cruze and Malibu’s athletic-looking skins are stronger, lighter body structures that contribute to their efficiency and driving dynamics. Both vehicles feature greater use of high-strength steels that are stronger yet much lighter than traditional steel and deliver comparable crash performance.
The 2016 Malibu’s hood and the cowl – the area where the windshield meets the hood – are lower than the current model and contribute to its greater aerodynamic performance. Technologies like the active grille shutters on select models improve efficiency by opening and closing air vents to the engine automatically, rerouting air around the vehicle to lessen aerodynamic drag and reduce fuel consumption.
Lighter materials
Light and strong, the incorporation of more aluminum in the 2016 Malibu contributes significantly to its lower weight. Examples include an aluminum hood, suspension knuckles and chassis components, as well as lighter mounts.
Aluminum is used strategically in the Cruze’s suspension systems to optimize weight and handling characteristics. Its engine also features an aluminum cylinder block and head, which helps reduce the vehicle’s overall mass to enhance performance and efficiency.
Under the hood
Our new family of Ecotec small gas engines deliver both power and efficiency.
In North America, the Cruze Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged engine features direct injection to help offer a GM-estimated 40 mpg on the highway, a five percent increase over the current model.
An all-new, Ecotec 1.5L turbo is the standard engine in the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, offering an estimated 37 mpg on the highway. That’s eight percent greater efficiency than the 2015 model.
Both engines feature start/stop technology, which automatically shuts down the engine when the car comes to a stop under certain driving conditions, such as a stoplight. Similar in concept to how we turn off the lights when we leave a room, this technology stops the engine when it’s unneeded. The engine automatically restarts when the driver takes his or her foot off the brake.
Chevrolet will offer a hybrid version of the Malibu, which uses technology from the Chevrolet Volt including the drive unit and a blended regenerative braking system, which recovers kinetic energy during braking to be stored in the battery system for later use. The Malibu Hybrid will offer an estimated 47 mpg combined fuel economy, unsurpassed in the midsize segment.
