With the increasing concern about environmental issues such as
pollution and global warming, as well as the unbelievable rise
in the price of gasoline, it is no wonder that hybrid vehicles
are gaining popularity. Hybrid cars have been relatively common
for years, with hybrid Sport Utility Vehicles in close
competition, but what about hybrid trucks? We don't see those
too often. Automotive manufacturing giant General Motors,
however, believes that will change.
In 2005, GM introduced hybrid versions of the Chevy Silverado
and the GMC Sierra in Florida, California, Oregon, Washington,
Nevada, and Alaska. In 2006 the company made the vehicles
available nationwide. These hybrid pickup trucks have 5.3
liter V-8 engines which have exactly the same amount of power
and torque as there non-hybrid counterparts (295 horsepower,
325 pound/feet of torque). They can carry the same size loads,
tow the same weights, and accelerate to the same degree that
regular non-hybrid GM pickup trucks can. And they do it all
while providing the most efficient gas mileage of any
full-sized pickup on the market—about 20 miles per gallon on
the highway. These hybrid trucks also feature a 2400 watt
generator that can be used to power electrical devices, making
them ideal for contractors or construction workers.
When compared to the Toyota Prius, a small hybrid car that gets
50 miles per gallon, 20 mpg might not sound like much. It is in
fact only about a 10 percent difference from the fuel
consumption of regular non-hybrid GM trucks. This is because
the Prius is what is known as a "full hybrid," which means that
its internal combustion engine can shut off completely when the
car is idle or driving at low speeds, relying solely on battery
power and drastically improving fuel efficiency. This type of
fuel savings is great, but it requires a significant compromise
of power, which is something that the general pickup truck owner
simply will not stand for.
Many truck owners use their vehicles for work related purposes,
such as hauling heavy loads, and it is essential that a hybrid
pickup truck be able to do this. If automotive manufacturers
sacrifice power to gain fuel economy in hybrid trucks, their
customers will disappear. Acutely aware of this, General Motors
has decided that a little improvement is better than none at
all.
Hybrid Cars and Trucks and the Environment
With fossil fuel emissions at levels of billions of tons per
year and global warming becoming increasingly obvious, it is
clear that sooner or later something must be done. For decades,
scientists and researchers have tried to find alternative fuel
sources, but there simply was nothing as convenient as the old
standby—oil. The oil infrastructure is so vast and developed
that is has become impossible to think of cars without thinking
of gasoline, and many Americans are loath to change. But they
must. Every major city in the country—New York, Chicago,
Houston, Atlanta, and most notably Las Angeles—is plagued by
pollution. The cities are shrouded by smog, there are pollution
warnings on weather reports, and at times it is impossible even
to take a deep breath without noticing that something is wrong
with the air. This is not a world that most of us want to live
in. But if more people are willing to take the plunge and buy a
hybrid car or truck, the effects over time will be enormous. A
hybrid truck might be more expensive initially, but the fuel
savings will soon make it worthwhile. And as hybrid technology
improves, the cost of these vehicles will no doubt be reduced,
making the future a lot brighter, and a lot less smoggy, for
the next generation of Earthlings.
pollution and global warming, as well as the unbelievable rise
in the price of gasoline, it is no wonder that hybrid vehicles
are gaining popularity. Hybrid cars have been relatively common
for years, with hybrid Sport Utility Vehicles in close
competition, but what about hybrid trucks? We don't see those
too often. Automotive manufacturing giant General Motors,
however, believes that will change.
In 2005, GM introduced hybrid versions of the Chevy Silverado
and the GMC Sierra in Florida, California, Oregon, Washington,
Nevada, and Alaska. In 2006 the company made the vehicles
available nationwide. These hybrid pickup trucks have 5.3
liter V-8 engines which have exactly the same amount of power
and torque as there non-hybrid counterparts (295 horsepower,
325 pound/feet of torque). They can carry the same size loads,
tow the same weights, and accelerate to the same degree that
regular non-hybrid GM pickup trucks can. And they do it all
while providing the most efficient gas mileage of any
full-sized pickup on the market—about 20 miles per gallon on
the highway. These hybrid trucks also feature a 2400 watt
generator that can be used to power electrical devices, making
them ideal for contractors or construction workers.
When compared to the Toyota Prius, a small hybrid car that gets
50 miles per gallon, 20 mpg might not sound like much. It is in
fact only about a 10 percent difference from the fuel
consumption of regular non-hybrid GM trucks. This is because
the Prius is what is known as a "full hybrid," which means that
its internal combustion engine can shut off completely when the
car is idle or driving at low speeds, relying solely on battery
power and drastically improving fuel efficiency. This type of
fuel savings is great, but it requires a significant compromise
of power, which is something that the general pickup truck owner
simply will not stand for.
Many truck owners use their vehicles for work related purposes,
such as hauling heavy loads, and it is essential that a hybrid
pickup truck be able to do this. If automotive manufacturers
sacrifice power to gain fuel economy in hybrid trucks, their
customers will disappear. Acutely aware of this, General Motors
has decided that a little improvement is better than none at
all.
Hybrid Cars and Trucks and the Environment
With fossil fuel emissions at levels of billions of tons per
year and global warming becoming increasingly obvious, it is
clear that sooner or later something must be done. For decades,
scientists and researchers have tried to find alternative fuel
sources, but there simply was nothing as convenient as the old
standby—oil. The oil infrastructure is so vast and developed
that is has become impossible to think of cars without thinking
of gasoline, and many Americans are loath to change. But they
must. Every major city in the country—New York, Chicago,
Houston, Atlanta, and most notably Las Angeles—is plagued by
pollution. The cities are shrouded by smog, there are pollution
warnings on weather reports, and at times it is impossible even
to take a deep breath without noticing that something is wrong
with the air. This is not a world that most of us want to live
in. But if more people are willing to take the plunge and buy a
hybrid car or truck, the effects over time will be enormous. A
hybrid truck might be more expensive initially, but the fuel
savings will soon make it worthwhile. And as hybrid technology
improves, the cost of these vehicles will no doubt be reduced,
making the future a lot brighter, and a lot less smoggy, for
the next generation of Earthlings.
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