GM Rolls Out 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid Concept

[Android1]

GM's 2-mode hybrid system boost fuel efficiency by 25 percent overall.

General Motors is stepping up its efforts in the hybrid game with its second generation Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid pickup. The new Silverado Hybrid goes far beyond what the first generation "mild hybrid" model could achieve and instead uses GM's much-touted 2-mode hybrid system.

The standard gasoline-powered Silverado is already the most fuel-efficient full-size pickup on the market, but the 2-mode hybrid system -- which is shared with the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade hybrids -- boosts efficiency even further. The Silverado Hybrid can travel up to 30 MPH under electric power alone (even while towing) and still has the ability to tow up to 6,100 pounds.

The 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery used in the Silverado Hybrid is mounted under the rear seats. A 300-volt air conditioning compressor is also used to cool passengers even with the gasoline engine is not running.

When all is said and done, the 2-mode hybrid powertrain boosts the fuel efficiency of the Silverado by 40 percent in the city and 25 percent overall. This achievement is quite remarkable when you consider that the Silverado Hybrid is still packing a 6.0 liter V8 engine with 332 HP and 367 lb-ft of torque.

GM also notes that thanks to the hybrid powertrain and its 26-gallon fuel tank, the Silverado Hybrid will travel more than 500 miles on a single tank of gas.

"The Silverado Hybrid is the newest example of Chevy's heritage of truck innovation, which stretches back 90 years, and exemplifies Chevrolet's commitment to fuel solutions," said Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper. "Silverado Hybrid will deliver fuel economy comparable to many small and midsize trucks that are equipped with four- or six-cylinder engines -- all while delivering the capability customers expect of Chevy full-size trucks."

The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid will launch in late 2008 and will be available on Crew Cab models in both 2WD and 4WD trim levels.

Source: DailyTech

 

[JesterOnYer6]

GMC had the first hybrid we had one sit here forever it was a 2006 model, the Yukon is also comming with a hydrid in 2009.

 

[gamefoo21]

500miles on 26 gallons is what... ooo... be amazed! 19mpg!!

 

[Elysian]

meh.

 

[Martin3]

Gas/electric hybrids are just a stupid concept. Same with the prius, a simple efficient diesel would get better gas mileage. A really efficient diesel/electric would work good. But in most cases just a diesel alone does better then gas/electric.

I drive a 3/4 ton dodge cummins. With injector, intake/exhaust mods it gets 17/22mpg. Weights nearly 8,000 loaded and has the aerodynamics of a wall.

 

[nextbillgates]

Gas/electric hybrids are just a stupid concept.

So making an engine more efficient is a stupid concept?

Okay

Same with the prius, a simple efficient diesel would get better gas mileage.

A diesel might be competitive with a gasoline/electric hybrid in freeway driving, but the diesel will lose in city driving. When a hybrid can shut off the gasoline engine, it gets infinitely more gas mileage than a diesel in the same situation.

Sitting a stop light, creeping around a parking lot, coasting down a hill, etc. are all situations where a hybrid can deliver better fuel economy.

Gasoline/electric hybrids have other benefits, too. They're quieter and run cleaner, regular unleaded gasoline costs usually costs less than diesel and is more widely available, and in some states, a fuel-efficient gasoline/electric hybrid can legally drive in the carpool lane with only a single occupant.

 

[dodger]

I understand the fuel efficiencies of diesel engines but don't get why diesel lovers pan hybrids. Sure a diesel hybrid will be considerably better (after all that's what freight trains use) but the price difference between a gasoline engine and a diesel hybrid would be even more prohibitive to adoption. Also most people in the US are used to gasoline engines, to ask them to try out a brand new tech (hybrid) at the same time with a different tech (diesel) than from what they are used to may also be too big of a wall to climb.

Today's hybrids are very much a transitional technology but a step has to be taken otherwise we don't move forward. This is especially true with cars since a product generation is measured in years; it takes 11 years to turn over half the fleet. It's taken far less time for the price of gas to double.

I really really look forward to the day I can get a bio-diesel plugin hybrid but am totally understandable if we have to take a few steps to get there.

 

[nextbillgates]

Today's hybrids are very much a transitional technology...

Until we transfer to a purely electric vehicle, hybrids will be around for a very long time.

 

[Martin3]

They're just not as efficient as they could be is all. Most gas/hybrids get shitty mpg relatively speaking.
The majority of americans live in suburban areas and use freeways to get anywhere. Most small diesel cars will kill a hybrid in freeway mpg.

It just annoys me to see all this "green" marketing crap going around. It's just a way for them to make money off what they see as a trend. If they really wanted to they could do a lot better.

I don't really see it as a transition considering they've already made quality electric cars in the past. Chevy's EV1 was a great car they just didn't let anyone buy it.

If you're going to make a hybrid diesel/electric is the way to go. Diesel is far cheaper to refine then unleaded, it only costs more right now because it's not used as much and it's a way for them to back door price gouge.

 

[nextbillgates]

They're just not as efficient as they could be is all. Most gas/hybrids get shitty mpg relatively speaking.

Not as efficient as they could be? They're more efficient than using a gasoline engine alone.

Hybrids get relatively shitty gas mileage? Compared to what?

The majority of americans live in suburban areas and use freeways to get anywhere. Most small diesel cars will kill a hybrid in freeway mpg.

A significant portion of America lives and works in an urban environment. The people that do commute over long distances aren't going to be driving a constant 70MPH, and if they live in a highly populated area like California, freeway driving during rush hour may as well be city driving.

It just annoys me to see all this "green" marketing crap going around. It's just a way for them to make money off what they see as a trend. If they really wanted to they could do a lot better.

They could do a lot better?

Hybrids run cleaner and consume less gas than traditional gasoline vehicles. Diesels don't run anywhere near as clean as gasoline engines, much less hybrids. Natural gas and electric vehicles run cleaner than hybrids, but the lack of fueling stations makes them impractical. Fuel cell-powered vehicles are years (decades?) from being practical.

What more do you want?

I don't really see it as a transition considering they've already made quality electric cars in the past. Chevy's EV1 was a great car they just didn't let anyone buy it.

There are a variety of electrical cars available, but they haven't taken off for the same reason the EV1 never took off: they don't get enough range to be practical in anything larger than a scooter or sub-subcompact car, and charging stations are few and far between.

If you're going to make a hybrid diesel/electric is the way to go. Diesel is far cheaper to refine then unleaded, it only costs more right now because it's not used as much and it's a way for them to back door price gouge.

A diesel/electric hybrid does sound promising, but since we haven't seen one available or even heard of one in development, I can only assume that there's a technological, social, or political barrier that's preventing the technology from being developed.

 

[SteadV?x]

Not as efficient as they could be? They're more efficient than using a gasoline engine alone.?

The point is, these 'green' hybrid tech's are a bit pointless, seemingly green whilst pushing costs up and getting no real advantages, the problem is that these enginse are just to big, most car brands learnt a along time ago you don't need a 6l engine to have power.

Hybrids get relatively shitty gas mileage? Compared to what?

comapred to pretty much anything else on the road.

A significant portion of America lives and works in an urban environment. The people that do commute over long distances aren't going to be driving a constant 70MPH, and if they live in a highly populated area like California, freeway driving during rush hour may as well be city driving.

Thats fair enough, but in these cars why bother having a gasoline car at all, surely a purely electric car will be enough.

Hybrids run cleaner and consume less gas than traditional gasoline vehicles. Diesels don't run anywhere near as clean as gasoline engines, much less hybrids. Natural gas and electric vehicles run cleaner than hybrids, but the lack of fueling stations makes them impractical. Fuel cell-powered vehicles are years (decades?) from being practical.

Fuel cell vechiles are pratical, and have been proven to be practical since the 80's, its just for some bizare reason oil companies don't really want us to have them..

There are a variety of electrical cars available, but they haven't taken off for the same reason the EV1 never took off: they don't get enough range to be practical in anything larger than a scooter or sub-subcompact car, and charging stations are few and far between.

The EV1 never took off because GM never let it take off, they realised they had a winner, exceptionally low cost to run, virtually zero matinenance, just tires and brakes would wear out.

A diesel/electric hybrid does sound promising, but since we haven't seen one available or even heard of one in development, I can only assume that there's a technological, social, or political barrier that's preventing the technology from being developed.

They are being made/have been made, problem is people who buy diesels realise there is no reason to buy a diesel hybrid, Can't remeber the country, but one country bought a whole fleet of diesel hybrid buses, and then realised what a mistake it had been as the buses used a lot more fuel than regular diesel buses, well, the idea is good around cities, but for some reason they ahve been sold to companies who do long distance which is pointless.

Also, just google diesel hybrid if you don't belive there is any out.

 

[Martin3]

I'm not going to keep restating the obvious, just do the research. Compact cars 20 years ago had better mpg then hybrids of today. Diesel can be made clean. Close to 70% or more of a dealerships income comes from the service department. Electric cars require almost no service. The routine stuff they do require, brakes, tires, shocks, etc.. most people don't go to a dealership for anyways. Hybrids aren't a transition, they just a way to keep both the dealer and people that think they're actually good happy. While not really accomplishing anything.

 

[_TiTaNiuM]

I'm not going to keep restating the obvious, just do the research. Compact cars 20 years ago had better mpg then hybrids of today. Diesel can be made clean. Close to 70% or more of a dealerships income comes from the service department. Electric cars require almost no service. The routine stuff they do require, brakes, tires, shocks, etc.. most people don't go to a dealership for anyways. Hybrids aren't a transition, they just a way to keep both the dealer and people that think they're actually good happy. While not really accomplishing anything.

A good dealership runs 90% fixed coverage.

Electric cars do certainly require service, Worn brushes, dead motors, failed battery, voltage shorts. Never seen an electric motor go out eh?

They still need oil changes though this time more on the transmission side than the engine side. But otherwise they still carry standard maintenance proceedures, and can break down like any other car. The fact it has an electric motor doesnt prevent bad struts, broken brake lines, or a failing AC system.

If the manufacturers wanted to keep dealers happy they wouldn't **** us over on unrealistic warranty times, or give us more gross profit margin to work with on our new cars. (Porsche Excluded). It's sad when people buy a 30,000 vehicle and get upset over 5% markup. They have no problems buying average household goods within a range of 50-200% markup...

Brakes, tires, shocks, people don't go to the dealership for anyways? ahahahahaha. Naivety. A Maintenance oriented dealership will charge less than a "quick lube". I worked at a saturn store a few summers ago, and at least 70% of their service work was basic maintenance and there was never a slow day. We would go through a crate of oil filters in a week and had over 400 in stock at all times. This store had about 8 technicians.

 

[JesterOnYer6]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1800912/posts

Hybrid is like a sex change gone wrong if you want alternates go diesel or spend more money on R&D for hydrogen powered engines.

 

[Ghastlyone]

broken brake lines

WTF? Broken brake lines??

I've never had that happen. Even driving older cars. Does this occur on Porsches or something?

 

[_TiTaNiuM]

WTF? Broken brake lines??

I've never had that happen. Even driving older cars. Does this occur on Porsches or something?

never had a brake line burst or leak? I only used "broken" as a blanket term, I kind of wanted to just say "brake repairs" but that would kind of go into the regular maintenance segment.

Brake lines do rot and leak my friend. There are a million other things that can go wrong with a car that does not involve the engine, but the one I did choose to use for an example apparently is a freak occurance or something

I could say something like a broken trunk lid hinge, would it get the same sort of response?

Sorry for being too specific with an example.

 

[Ghastlyone]

never had a brake line burst or leak? I only used "broken" as a blanket term, I kind of wanted to just say "brake repairs" but that would kind of go into the regular maintenance segment.

Brake lines do rot and leak my friend. There are a million other things that can go wrong with a car that does not involve the engine, but the one I did choose to use for an example apparently is a freak occurance or something

I could say something like a broken trunk lid hinge, would it get the same sort of response?

Sorry for being too specific with an example.

I guess I took that statement wrong man, "broken" just sounded kinda wierd. I know what you are saying now.

 

[SteadV?x]

There are a million other things that can go wrong with a car that does not involve the engine..

the only thing thats ever affected me driving my car apart from engine trouble is having a master cylinder fail on me once, and thats very rare, its just the car was 15 years old with nearly 200,000 miles on the clock, of course somethings going to go wrong! (car was still drivable, just failed to stop..)

My point is that there is a hell of a lot less to go wrong with an electric car. Electronics are a hell of a lot better than in the 80's and I didn't hear about a single EV1 failing.

 

[_TiTaNiuM]

the only thing thats ever affected me driving my car apart from engine trouble is having a master cylinder fail on me once, and thats very rare, its just the car was 15 years old with nearly 200,000 miles on the clock, of course somethings going to go wrong! (car was still drivable, just failed to stop..)

My point is that there is a hell of a lot less to go wrong with an electric car. Electronics are a hell of a lot better than in the 80's and I didn't hear about a single EV1 failing.

there were only like 5 ev1's, and they went through a hand building process.

Mass production is not near as defect free.



Give a car 5 years on the road and **** starts to go wrong. Nothing that gets that much use is not going to have things break or need replacing.

 

[Elysian]

there were only like 5 ev1's, and they went through a hand building process.

Mass production is not near as defect free.



Give a car 5 years on the road and **** starts to go wrong. Nothing that gets that much use is not going to have things break or need replacing.

haven't you seen the documentary thats called something like "what happened to the electric car"? there were way more than 5 EV1's... there was over 1000 made...