Hybrid Truck

[Nija]

I was watching the local abc news today, and they had a special feature about trucks and SUV's moving into the hybrid column. They were talking about a Lexus and Toyota releasing hybrid SUV's. They talked about the new Jeep Liberty with a diesel (althought not offically a hybrid), but the one that caught my eye was the Chevy Silverado (http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado/). It looks like the standard model (which I think is the key to making hybrid's more acceptable) and if they can make the gas mileage go up, while keeping the cost down, I think that this could be a very good thing.

[Gothic Girl]

Yeah, I saw something about that too. I think that's pretty neat. Especially since trucks and SUV's are typically gas guzzlers.

[Trigun]

It's not ugly at all. Very nice

[ray]

Give me a Lexus RX400h and I'll be a happy camper.

[blueindian]

i think you'll see this more and more in the future. some of them, particularly the toyota and lexus models, are really cool. Toyota's synergy-drive system essentially gives you the torque of a v6 with the gas mileage of a v4. they need to really work on the gas mileage though if we're going to make a difference environmentally. 4-5 mpg more is good for the wallet, but we need 20-25 mpg more to be good for the environment if we're all going to keep driving big autos.

[Chgoman]

If I remember correctly they are going a different way with the Silverado Hybrid. It will only get 1 MPG more than the non-hybrid model which is the savings from the engine turning off when you are stopped. Instead of assisting the engine, the Hybrid engine will power 2 110 volt plugs and 1 220 volt plug in the bed of the truck. They are making it to appeal to contactors and workers who need to power tool and such without dragging around a generator.

It may be a different truck that was doing this, but I'm pretty sure it is the silverado.

[palayah8ta]

If I remember correctly they are going a different way with the Silverado Hybrid. It will only get 1 MPG more than the non-hybrid model which is the savings from the engine turning off when you are stopped. Instead of assisting the engine, the Hybrid engine will power 2 110 volt plugs and 1 220 volt plug in the bed of the truck. They are making it to appeal to contactors and workers who need to power tool and such without dragging around a generator.
It may be a different truck that was doing this, but I'm pretty sure it is the silverado.

:stupid: your absolutely right.
I think the biggest problem with any hybird is that the option is $4-7000. also its a lot harder to recycle the metal of these engines, making it worse for the enviorment. :disa:

[blueindian]

:stupid: your absolutely right.
I think the biggest problem with any hybird is that the option is $4-7000. also its a lot harder to recycle the metal of these engines, making it worse for the enviorment. :disa:

you mean the batteries?

i hear people saying all the time (usually ford valdese drivers mind you :heh: ) that hybrids are worse for the environment, but i've yet to see any actual report suggest as much.

[Gothic Girl]

If I remember correctly they are going a different way with the Silverado Hybrid. It will only get 1 MPG more than the non-hybrid model which is the savings from the engine turning off when you are stopped. Instead of assisting the engine, the Hybrid engine will power 2 110 volt plugs and 1 220 volt plug in the bed of the truck. They are making it to appeal to contactors and workers who need to power tool and such without dragging around a generator.

A friend of mine was telling me the same thing today, and I don't understand why they would make it only 1 mpg more than the non-hybrid. I don't know much about vehicles, but why couldn't they make it like the regular hybrids and get 50 mpg or whatever?

[blueindian]

A friend of mine was telling me the same thing today, and I don't understand why they would make it only 1 mpg more than the non-hybrid. I don't know much about vehicles, but why couldn't they make it like the regular hybrids and get 50 mpg or whatever?

there are multiple reasons, but the biggest has to do with size. the hybrids that get 50+ miles are small passenger vehicles; the silverrado is much larger. bigger size + towin capacity = lower mpg.

[Airencracken]

A friend of mine was telling me the same thing today, and I don't understand why they would make it only 1 mpg more than the non-hybrid. I don't know much about vehicles, but why couldn't they make it like the regular hybrids and get 50 mpg or whatever?


It's BARELY a hybrid, in fact it's not a hybrid in the sense of propulsion. The only savings (like someone mentioned above) comes from turning off the engine at stop lights. There is a 48V (I believe) electric motor that replaces the starter. All of the propulsion though comes from the gasoline engine. Unlike actual hybrids who recive their propulsion from gas, electric, or both.

[palayah8ta]

you mean the batteries? ...

Yea thats it, nice save. Well i dont think they need to study the affects of hybrid car batterys when they already know the affects of batterys in general.