General Motors Beats Ford to Hybrid Pickup Punch … Again

by Mark Stevenson

Published: February 25th, 2016

general motors beats ford to hybrid pickup punch again

General Motors will test the coastal waters with mild-hybrid versions of its 1500-series trucks beginning this spring, the automaker announced Thursday.

A total of 500 Chevrolet Silverado and 200 GMC Sierra eAssist trucks will be sold exclusively to granola-fed Californians. GM claims the trucks are good for a 13-percent boost in city fuel efficiency, the natural habitat of the vinyl trading, furniture refinishing, kale-eating millennials hopefully interested in a full-size domestic pickup.

The latest effort is unlike GM’s earlier foray into utilitarian electrification, which employed a two-mode hybrid system on GM’s full-size pickups and SUVs jointly developed with BMW and the former DaimlerChrysler. The new, modular eAssist system will rely on a small lithium-ion battery providing electrons to a 13 horsepower compact induction electric motor. The system adds electric power boost, stop/start capability, and regenerative braking to equipped pickups.

According to General Motors, the mild-hybrid system is mated exclusively to two-wheel drive trucks powered by the 5.3-liter EcoTec V8 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission. Battery cells are the same as those found in the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, and software controls are lifted from the Chevrolet Volt, the company stated in its release.

By employing the new tech, General Motors claims its V8 engine can run in four-cylinder mode for longer periods of time thanks to assist from its electric motor, improving efficiency in the process.

Total system output is estimated at 355 horsepower and 383 lbs-ft of torque, with 13 horsepower and 44 lbs-ft provided by the electric motor.

If this particular solution interests you, expect to shell out “just over $50,000” for the GMC Sierra eAssist, said product representative for Sierra light-duty pickups Kelly Wysocki. That’s before the inescapable taxes associated with living in California are tacked on top. ~~TTAC estimates Chevrolet models will be in the mid-$40,000 range before taxes and fees.~~ The Silverado eAssist will sell for a more modest $42,950 including destination.

The eAssist powertrain will only be available in Silverado 1LT and Sierra SLT Premium trims.

Ford is planning to give its F-150 pickup hybrid capability by 2020. Chrysler has developed an all-new hybrid powertrain for the Pacifica minivan, but the Auburn Hills automaker stated the minivan will be the largest vehicle in its fleet to use the system. GM killed off its earlier two-mode hybrid pickups with the introduction of its current-generation models.

#California #Chevrolet #ChevroletSilverado #Eassist #Electrification #GeneralMotors #GMC #GmcSierra #Hybrid #HybridPickup #Pickups #Trucks #Two-modeHybrid

Mark Stevenson

More by Mark Stevenson

Comments

Join the conversation

3 of 119 comments

Motormouth on Feb 26, 2016

This article makes it sound like this is the first Silverado hybrid, where the previous-generation model had a hybrid option for the 2009 model year.

Like Reply
- Drzhivago138 on Feb 26, 2016
  
  Hence the "...Again". And actually, this is the third Silverado hybrid.
  
  Like
Andrew Justus on Feb 28, 2016

I drove a Buick LaCrosse with the e-assist mild hybrid system in 2012. The 15hp motor-alternator added a nice bump in torque for a car that size, even if the fuel economy bump wasn't very big. Can't imagine a similar system would help much in a truck weighing so much more. Via Motors already makes Chevy vans, and soon trucks, into gas-electric plug-in hybrids that make a much more compelling economic and engineering case than the e-assist truck. They're like a big Volt.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

EngineerfromBaja_1990 A friend from college had its twin (2003 Cavalier 2dr) which fittingly re-named the Cacalier. No description needed
Lorenzo GM is getting out of the car biz, selling only trucks, EVs and the Corvette. They're chasing the bigger margins on lower volume, like the dealer trying to sell a car for $1 million: "I just have to sell one!"
SCE to AUX "The closeness of the two sides"56-44 isn't close, if that's what you mean.
Jalop1991 expensive repairs??? I've heard that EVs don't require anything that resembles maintenance or repair!So let me get this straight: as EV design and manufacture technology, and as battery technology, improves over time, the early adopters will suffer from having older and ever-rapidly outdated cars that as a result have lower resale value than they thought.And it's the world's obligation to brush their tears away and give them money back as they realize the horrible mistake they made, the mistake made out of some strong desire to signal their virtue, the mistake they could have avoided by--you know--calmly considering the facts up front?Really? It's Tesla's obligation here?If Tesla continued to manufacture the Model 3 (for example) the same way it did originally when the Model 3 was introduced, Tesla would not have been able to lower prices. And they wouldn't have. But they invested heavily in engineering in order to bring prices down--and now the snowflakes are crying in their cereal that the world didn't accommodate their unicorn dreams and wishes and wants and desires.Curse the real world! How dare it interfere with those unicorn wishes!
Canam23 I live in southwest France and I am always surprised at how many Teslas I see on the road here. Mind you, I live in a town of 50k people, not a big city so it does seem unusual. On the other hand I also see a lot of PT Cruisers here (with diesel engines) so there's that...