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Hybrid truckin'
Chevy successfully adapts hybrid bus technology to pickup trucks.
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By
Rick
DeMeis
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Automotive DesignLine
(07/05/2009 5:41 PM EDT)
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Rick DeMeis is the Boston Automotive Examiner and former site editor, Automotive DesignLine, and seeks work as a freelance technology editor/writer (http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdemeis).
GM engineers have downsized the hybrid power train on the company's buses for use in the Silverado pickup truck. The idea being a bus drive train would be more robust for towing, rather than up-sizing from a car (thus claiming Toyota Prius architecture wouldn't be well suited for hauling). GM is backing this claim with an eight-year, 100,000 mile warranty on select hybrid components.
My overall impression of the truck, which has a lot of technology goodies, was quite favorable (read it here)—especially since I'm not a truck guy, and even my wife liked it!
My mileage in suburban driving was 20 mpg. EPA numbers are 21 mpg (city)/22 (hwy). A "mileage optimization meter" helps the driver to wring the most out of a tank of gas, as does cruising on electric-only power (below 30 mph) and shutting down four of the V8's cylinders under low torque demand.
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