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February 3, 2008
GMC Bringin' On the Hybrid Pickups at Chicago Auto Show
By Jen
Editor
GM will be revealing two new hybrid pickup trucks at Chicago, banking on the idea that truck buyers will be as eager as everyone else to embrace the green-power phenomenon. The Sierra Hybrid pickup is the GMC version of the hybrid Chevy Silverado revealed at the LA Auto Show, and should be available for sale by the end of this year. The radical concept truck (pictured) is the Denali XT, built on a car-like unibody subframe rather than a conventional truck frame, which means it’ll behave more like the Holden Ute than a traditional pickup. Both trucks will use dual-mode hybrid gas-electric technology, alternating between straight electric power and an electric-assisted gas V8 (the Denali’s will be E85-capable, and the Sierra’s 6.0L can drop four cylinders when not under load, with the electric motor making up the difference in power). While another of Chevy’s big hybrids, the Tahoe, won the Green Car of Year Award at the LA Auto Show, don’t expect mpg ratings on these trucks to be mind-blowing.
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Janet
Sep 23, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Nice car would love to have one. Better than what i am driving now. How much would one of these cost. I have to piece mine back together all the time. I have to thank the guys at http://www.acparts.com for all of their help with getting me and my kids out of the heat.
Alohaman
Aug 19, 2008 at 7:16 am
Sharp truck…. When and where can I get one???
Anonymous
Feb 6, 2008 at 2:57 am
i love it
Ted
Feb 5, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Looks like Batman’s pickup.
CARazed Mike
Feb 4, 2008 at 9:01 pm
I think this is great. I also think the unibody truck thing is right for some people, but not people who really need trucks (hauling, towing, tiny peckers (jk)). For example I have a Ridgeline and love it. I don’t need a truck, I need an SUV with a trunk and 4 foot bed (pecker insult here, lol). I also think GM is right on in marketing terms. It makes sense to put hybrid technology in unibody trucks because guys like me want both fuel economy and some added utility. Guys that want real trucks won’t go for hybrids anytime soon. Combining unibody hybrid trucks make a ton of sense. Maybe in the future when more people have bought into the idea of electric motors over fossil fuel engines, real truck buyers will begin requesting real trucks with hybrid power systems. Until then buy real trucks powered by diesel so you have the option of biodiesel and vegi oil in case oil prices go even higher.
Ted
Feb 4, 2008 at 7:24 pm
shutting down 4 cylinders only yields about a 10 percent savings. worse yet, the transmissions they’ll use are absurdly complex.
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I would never consider owning one of these as a used car purchase, nor any hybrid.
Eric
Feb 4, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Im sorry but technically That isnt a pick-up truck, Im pretty sure that is the worst attempt to design a new truck. Its uglier than the new ram. Your supposed to use a truck for work, not try to race a friggen SRT8 jeep or something. Come on it would never hold up at the jobsite, guys would stop working and start polishing the wheels.
Highspeedhijinks
Feb 4, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I really like this. If they make this a hair smaller I wouldnt mind getting one. Allthough Im really getting the jones for a sport wagon.
Charlie
Feb 4, 2008 at 12:18 pm
I gotta say I absolutly HATE all these new unibody pick-up designs.
retroman
Feb 4, 2008 at 2:24 am
Is it just me, or did they steal some ques from the Volt? Looks awesome!!!!
cknarf
Feb 4, 2008 at 1:43 am
that denali is bad-ass.