Although we would always suggest that a person should buy a smaller, more eco-friendly vehicle, we understand that some people actually need pick-up trucks for work or hobbies. However, just because a truck is not your typical green product, does not mean there are not green options out there. Currently there are two main hybrid trucks on the road (Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid with 2wd or 4wd and the GMC Sierra Hybrid with 2wd or 4wd, although GMC may not be in business much longer) and several in design for the future.
The Chevrolet Silverato Hybrid and the GMC Sierra Hybrid are equal in comparison when it comes to hybrid performance, and thus we will compare these two hybrid trucks to your typical non-hybrid. As far as miles per gallon go, a 2wd hybrid truck will get 21 city mpg and 22 highway (21/22) whereas your typical truck will get 14/18. A 4wd hybrid truck will get 20/20 whereas the typical truck will get 13/17. The amount of money you will save on gas and oil purchases because of this is over 25%! Imagine saving over a quarter of your gas money over the year, and having to stop for gas a quarter less of the time? With these hybrid trucks you get 5 seats, 53 cubic feet of cargo room, and the same 8 cylinder engine, but you will also get even more horsepower and more torque. The downturn is that the towing capacity lowers to about 6000 lbs (typical truck tows 9000 lbs).
The hybrid technology that is included in these trucks is as follows: idle turn off, regenerative breaking, and electric only drive. All the great features of any hybrid car! We know many people in the construction industry who are getting 14 mpg on their trucks every day, and paid a whole lot for them in the first place. We’ve found these trucks brand new as low as $38,000, where you can save even more money on gas, and you of course can make even less of an impression on the environment.
If you or anyone needs to use a truck, consider hybrid. The statistics show that enough of a difference will be made.
