Following the 2019 model year, the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid will no longer exist, Green Car Reports reports and a source from Chevy has confirmed to Autoblog. The news comes less than a year after the Volt PHEV, a technology relative of the Malibu hybrid, was also canned. As it stands, the 2020 Chevrolet lineup will not offer a hybrid model.
The Malibu Hybrid did not live a long life. Introduced for 2016, it used a similar setup to the Volt's with a 1.8-liter Ecotec four-cylinder paired to two electric motors. It had a much smaller 1.5-kWh battery pack, however, and could not run on pure electric power. It was rated at 48 mpg in the city, 45 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined. But with General Motors undergoing restructuring, consumers and manufacturers showing less interest in sedans, and a push toward more full electric vehicles, the mid-size hybrid sedan no longer makes business sense.
According to Senior Manager of Chevrolet Cars and Crossovers Kevin Kelly, the car was killed due to low demand. General Motors does not break down exact sales of the hybrid from its general Malibu numbers, but overall sales for the Malibu are on a downward trend. Through Q2 of 2019, Chevy had delivered 65,171 units, down 14.7 percent from 76,417 delivered through Q2 of 2018.
The 2020 Malibu is left with five different trims and two powertrains. The L, LS, RS, and LT pair a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder with a continuously variable transmission. The Premier trim pairs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
With the demise of the Volt and Malibu Hybrid, Chevy offers one green vehicle choice: the fully electric Bolt. Good thing more EVs are on the way.
