One will be hard-pressed to notice that Buick's 2012 LaCrosse will soon be powered by a modified four-cylinder engine featuring a "light electrification" system. There are no markings anywhere on the car that indicate the presence under the hood of the latest evolution of GM's mild hybrid system, which was initially developed for the Chevrolet Malibu hybrid.
Dubbed e-Assist, this latest evolution pairs an electric motor supplied by a 115-volt lithium ion battery pack (good for a maximum output of 15 horsepower and 79 pound-feet of torque) with the 182-hp 2.4-litre four-cylinder Ecotec engine.
2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist
The liquid-cooled induction electric motor-generator is mounted at the front of the engine -- where it replaces the conventional alternator -- and is hooked up by way of a new engine belt drive. The battery pack and inverter module are located in a compartment between the rear seat and trunk, reducing cargo capacity to 10.8 cubic feet and blocking part of the pass-through opening between the trunk and the cabin.
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