Chevrolet Axes Malibu Hybrid For 2020 Due To Slow Sales

While Chevrolet’s plans for the Malibu include an update for 2022, the same does not apply for the Hybrid model which is getting axed from the 2020MY lineup.

GM spokesman Kevin Kelly confirmed the death of the Malibu Hybrid to Green Car Reports, signifying the end of one of the company’s few remaining hybrid models.

The Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid shared most of its powertrain components with the also discontinued plug-in hybrid Volt, which ended production last year. Thanks to the shared parts, the Malibu Hybrid could use the electric motor alone for up to 55 mph (90km/h) in certain driving scenarios.

Also Read: Current Chevrolet Malibu To Get Update In 2020, Bite The Dust In 2024

The powertrain of the Malibu Hybrid combined a 1.8-liter four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor for a combined 182 HP, together with a 1.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Fuel economy was a combined 46 mpg (5.1 l/100km).

The departure of the Malibu Hybrid leaves the mid-size Chevrolet sedan with just two powertrain options available: a turbocharged 1.5-liter with 160 HP hooked to a CVT and a 2.0-liter turbo four mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

GM has already confirmed that the current Malibu will not get a direct successor after 2024, which could mean that it will be indirectly replaced by one of the 20 new electric vehicles the company promised to launch by 2023.

The death of the Malibu Hybrid also means that Chevrolet doesn’t currently offer any hybrid models in its lineup, leaving the Bolt EV as the only electrified option in the range for now.