GM's Hybrid Stimulus

They Say Everything is Bigger in Texas. Now add hybrids to the list, with the launch of the '09 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 2-Mode Hybrid pickup.

The nation's second-largest pickup market behind California starts seeing the trucks at dealerships now, as does the rest of the U.S., but they arrive everywhere during a record-weak economy, inexpensive gasoline and a nightmarishly low new-vehicle sales environment.

It appears the timing could not be worse for an expensive, niche product like the Silverado/Sierra hybrid.

Or maybe not. General Motors Corp. says everyday consumers never were the primary target of the pickups. Instead, GM says fleet owners operating in a predominantly urban environment will comprise its core consumers, and President Obama just signed an $800 billion stimulus bill with lots of money going to infrastructure improvements.

Those worksites certainly will need the brawn of a fullsize pickup, and the 40% gain in city fuel economy the trucks deliver is a worthy cost savings.

The trucks also carry a $2,500 tax credit, which helps defray the $3,000 premium GM's hybrid system adds to their $38,995 base sticker price. Talk in Washington hints of even greater consumer incentives toward the purchase of alternative-propulsion vehicles.

Also, environmentalism will never go out of style, regardless of the economy. Deep-pocketed buyers might get a charge out of the 2-Mode system's whiz-bang technology, as well as the fact they'll have the only hybrid pickup on the road today.

Here's how the system works. Two sources of power move the truck — a standard 6.0L OHV V-8 and a pair of electric motors inside its electrically variable transmission. Power goes to the electric motors via a 300-volt nickel-metal-hydride battery pack under the crew cab's rear bench seat.

GM's cylinder-deactivation system shuts down to 4-cyl. operation whenever possible, and other technologies, such as late intake-valve closing and stop/start capability, enhance efficiency.

The motors in the transmission also recharge the battery when the vehicle coasts, and regenerative braking recaptures energy lost when stopping.

Perhaps the biggest hurdle these hybrids face in drawing consumers is the 4,000 lbs. (1,814 kg) or so of towing capability they sacrifice to conventional pickups. But at a preview in San Antonio, the trucks flexed their muscles as easily as their old-fashioned counterparts.

With a towing capacity of 6,100 lbs. (2,767 kg), the Silverado/Sierra hybrid made short work of hauling a horse trailer weighted to 5,100 lbs. (2,313 kg) and a 23-ft. (7-m) Sea Ray power boat tipping the scales at 5,300 lbs. (2,404 kg). The hybrid pickup's tow rating aside, many ranchers still may prefer to haul their horses with more powerful medium-duty diesel dually pickups.

The instant torque of the transmission's electric motors means the hybrid pickups exhibit no decision-making hesitation from a standing start.

Indeed, the hybrid pickup needs no assistance from its 6.0L gasoline engine at takeoff. The ICE kicks in before eclipsing 10 mph (16 km/h) during towing loops, but its ability to get rolling under battery power speaks to the 2-Mode's toughness.

Without pulling a load, GM claims the electric motors propel the truck up to 30 mph (48 km/h), before the ICE takes over. This seems a bit of a stretch.

A day behind the wheel with plenty of chances to baby the throttle never yielded 30 mph under battery power alone. Somewhere just above 10 mph (16km/h) was the norm, consistent with previous testing we conducted with the GM fullsize SUVs with the 2-Mode system.

Compared with 2-Mode SUVs, though, GM has made tremendous strides with the regenerative braking by ironing out the “grabbiness.” Pedal feel is no different than a truck with regular brakes.

Engineers also enhanced the cylinder deactivation system so the pickups stay in 4-cyl. mode longer. New hydraulic body mounts also tame the freeway hop often plaguing pickups at higher speeds.

The bottom line is fuel economy, and GM says the hybrid truck will achieve 21-22 mpg city/highway (11.2-10.7 L/100 km) with 2-wheel drive and 20/20 mpg (11.8 L/100/km) with 4-wheel drive. Compared with a regular fullsizer, the trucks get 40% better mileage in the city cycle and a 25% improvement overall.

During testing through the heart of urban San Antonio, we averaged 18 mpg (13.1 L/100 km), which again falls in line with our previous experience in GM's 2-Mode SUVs and also comes up short of GM's estimates. But 18 mpg in the city with a fullsize truck packing V-8 work credentials is nothing to sneeze at. Of course, mileage will suffer when the truck is loaded with tools and materials.

Will they sell? We'll see. But in a turn of events so ironic it seemed contrived, a driver of a late-model GMC Sierra pulls up to the GM testing site and asks about the fuel economy figures on the hybrids.

After a chat with GM officials, the driver tucks a hybrid Monroni in his pocket and says in a Texas drawl, “Thanks, my boss needs 30 of 'em.”

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'09 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 2-Mode Hybrid

Vehicle type: Front-engine, 5-passenger 2WD/4WD 4-door pickup

Engine: 6.0L OHV V-8

Power (SAE net): 332 hp @ 5,100 rpm

Torque: 367 lb.-ft. (498 Nm) @ 4,100 rpm

Transmission: 2-Mode continuous electric-ratio hybrid transmission with four fixed gears

Wheelbase: 143.5 ins. (364.5 cm)

Overall length: 230 ins. (584.2 cm)

Curb weight: 2WD/4WD 5,641 lbs. (2,559 kg)/5,882 lbs. (2,668 kg)

Base price: $38,995

Fuel economy: 2WD/4WD 21-22 mpg (11.2-10.7 L/100 km)/20-20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km)

Competition: Ford F-150, Dodge Ram 1500, Toyota Tundra, Nissan Titan