GM To Offer eAssist Trucks In California - Is There A Market Outside Of The Golden State For A Hybrid Truck?

General Motors Co. will produce a limited number of 2016 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups with its eAssist mild-hybrid system.

The technology is expected to provide up to 13 percent better fuel economy in city driving, and delivers an additional 13 horsepower and 44 pound-feet of torque from the electric motor.

The Detroit automaker says it will produce about 500 Silverados and 200 Sierras with the technology for this model year, and “adjust production” based on customer feedback for 2017 models. The vehicles will initially only be offered in California. A GM spokeswoman said it’s too early to tell if the company will expand availability to outside of California.

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MDarringer - 2/26/2016 8:43:27 PM

+1 Boost

Pickups, BOF SUVs, minivans, and crossovers should have heavy hybridization by now.

W208 - 2/27/2016 8:28:05 AM

+2 Boost

I'd be curious the benefit of cylinder deactivation vs the mild hybrid approach. I'm not the most technically inclined when it comes to cars, but I would think that a mild hybrid approach would put a lot off strain on a starter if used in stop-and-go traffic, effectively negating the fuel savings when you're having to replace a starter prematurely.

Having driven thousands of miles for work and running my 4 cyl cars overnight in rest stops, depending on the 4 cyl, they're not heavy consumers. Couple that with purchasing a used car, and the fuel savings benefits compound.

Of course, in the current pricing environment, who the hell cares about burning fuel? That is unless GM knows something nobody else does......hhmmmmm.

MDarringer - 2/27/2016 12:13:59 PM

0 Boost

GM's previous mild hybrids have been utter failures at delivering increased MPG in the real world.

TomM - 2/28/2016 2:23:54 PM

+1 Boost

And does not make sense - Chevy had a Full Hybrid Tranmission/eVmotor - that sold in insignificant numbers that was also available in the RAM trucks for a while too. Making a LESS capable thing cannot be expected to sell in great numbers.