Hybrid trucks

With the increasing concern about environmental issues such as pollution and global warming, as well as the unbelievable rise in the price of gasoline, it is no wonder that hybrid vehicles are gaining popularity. Hybrid cars have been relatively common for years, with hybrid Sport Utility Vehicles in close competition, but what about hybrid trucks? We don't see those too often. Automotive manufacturing giant General Motors, however, believes that will change.

In 2005, GM introduced hybrid versions of the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra in Florida, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, and Alaska. In 2006 the company made the vehicles available nationwide. These hybrid pickup trucks have 5.3 liter V-8 engines which have exactly the same amount of power and torque as there non-hybrid counterparts (295 horsepower, 325 pound/feet of torque). They can carry the same size loads, tow the same weights, and accelerate

to the same degree that regular non-hybrid GM pickup trucks can. And they do it all while providing the most efficient gas mileage of any full-sized pickup on the market—about 20 miles per gallon on the highway. These hybrid trucks also feature a 2400 watt generator that can be used to power electrical devices, making them ideal for contractors or construction workers.

When compared to the Toyota Prius, a small hybrid car that gets 50 miles per gallon, 20 mpg might not sound like much. It is in fact only about a 10 percent difference from the fuel consumption of regular non-hybrid GM trucks. This is because the Prius is what is known as a “full hybrid,” which means that its internal combustion engine can shut off completely when the car is idle or driving at low speeds, relying solely on battery power and drastically improving fuel efficiency. This type of fuel savings is great, but it requires a significant compromise of power, which is something that the general pickup truck owner simply will not stand for.