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Hybrid Pickups are
back, and this time for real! And unless you've been
following the industry closely, you might not be aware that General
Motors introduced the first
hybrid pickups in 2004. Those hybrids (the
Chevy Silverado and Chevy Sierra) were discontinued in 2006, mainly
because their light-hybrid technology never caught on. It was
estimated that total production was less than 3,000, and if you watch
closely, you might still be able to find a few on eBay.
At the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, GM unveiled the new and improved,
2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid; the first pickup truck built using
GM's two-mode hybrid system. According to reports, the '09 Hybrid
Silverado is expected to get around 20 miles per gallon, which would
make it the most fuel-efficient, full-size pickup on the market.
At the same time, it will offer 6,000 pounds of towing
capacity via it's 6.0 liter v8 engine, and will be able to reach 30 mph
in all-electric mode.
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So the questions now shift from "who will build the first hybrid
pickup, and when will it be available?" to "who will build the next
hybrid truck, and will it be even better?". Some guesses
include a hybrid Ford F-150 (as Ford already has a hybrid Escape), or a
hybrid Toyota Tundra (as Toyota already has the Prius, Highlander, and
Camry). And don't rule out a hybrid Nissan Titan (Nissan has
recently launched a hybrid Altima), or a hybrid Honda Ridgeline (Honda
knows a thing or two about hybrids as well.). With all the
buzz surrounding green vehicles, it won't be long before we know, and
the improvements will just keep coming. Congrats GM!
* HybridPickups.net
is for sale or lease, and is also available
within a portfolio of hybrid domain names at Hybrid Kingdom.
Serious inquiries can be made through info@HybridKingdom.com.
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