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Hybrid Watchdog: What's in a Name?
GM's Claim of Introducing Hybrid Pickup Trucks in 2004 Rings Hollow |
Consumers should think twice before rushing off to buy a Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid or a GMC Sierra Hybrid if their main goal is to own a genuine hybrid vehicle.
The United States currently imports over 60 percent of our oil products.
Given the environmental potential of hybrids, you would expect these new pickup models from General Motors (GM) to be truly green vehicles, like the Ford Escape Hybrid, the Toyota Prius, or the Honda Civic Hybrid--vehicles that dramatically reduce the environmental burden of each mile you drive compared to their conventional counterparts through fuel economy increases of 40 to 70 percent. The reality, however, is that GM's claim to have hybridized their large pickups rings hollow; it turns out to be a low-tech solution with only about a 10 percent (1-2 mpg) increase in fuel economy compared to GM's similar models. This runs the risk of poisoning the hybrid truck market, convincing consumers that all they can expect is a 1 to 2 mpg increase for their large investment.
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| Does this vehicle |
Conventional |
Hybrid |
|
muscle |
mild |
full |
plugin |
| Shut off the engine at stop-lights and in stop-and-go traffic (Idle Off)? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Operate above 60 volts and use a battery pack large enough to store significant regenerative braking energy (60 volt Regen)? |
No
(12 or 42 volt system, small battery) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Incorporate an electric motor that helps accelerate the vehicle while driving (Power Assist)? |
No
(inadequate motor power for vehicle size) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Drive using only electric power? |
No |
Maybe |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Recharge batteries from the wall plug and have a range of at least 10 miles on electricity alone? |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Sacrifices fuel economy to achieve extra acceleration performance? |
Maybe |
Yes |
No |
No |
Maybe |
| Vehicle Examples |
Chevy Silverado,
Saturn Green Line Vue |
Honda Accord Hybrid, Lexus GS 450h |
Honda Civic Hybrid, Honda Insight |
Toyota Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid |
n/a | |
There are two ways to look at GM's new pickups. In a more positive light, they have incorporated more advanced conventional technologies to achieve a small improvement in fuel economy over their standard models. From this perspective, GM deserves some praise for putting off-the-shelf technology to work to help slightly soften the energy and environmental impact of a gas-guzzler. Indeed, if these models were intended as a replacement for their current line of Silverados and Sierra, we at UCS might laud these efforts. But producing these vehicles in such small numbers and labeling them as hybrids is detrimental to the market, lowering expectations for hybrid technology and confusing consumers who have become interested in the technology due to the success from Ford, Honda, and Toyota.
The Ford Escape Hybrid is the first 4WD hybrid, but more are on the way from Toyota and Lexus.
The second way to look at GM's new pickups is that they have just simply done a really poor job in applying hybrid technology, increasing fuel economy by only 10 percent, or 1-2 mpg. Further, they are completely deficient at providing an essential long-term benefit of hybrids--helping to drive down the costs of fuel cell technologies. Current hybrid models use technologies such as more advanced nickel metal hydride or lithium batteries and high voltage (200 or more volts) power electronics that are needed for fuel cell vehicles as well. By "mainstreaming" the production of this technology, it helps lower both current and future costs. Instead, the Silverado and Sierra took a low-tech approach, using traditional lead acid batteries and power electronics operating at only 42 volts.
These concerns, combined with the fact that, as the GMC and Chevrolet websites note, the vehicles will be "offered in limited quantities only in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Nevada, and Florida," indicate that GM's first Silverado and Sierra "Hybrids" are at best half-hearted attempts at the hybrid market. |
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