Pickup Truck Mileage Innovations

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a pickup truck, but with the price of gas these days, I don't know if I can stomach it. I have so many uses for a pickup, I can't even begin to list them, and I have a pickup now but it's on its way out.

Question: are there any hybrid and/or electric pickups (or even the type that shutdown 4 cylinders when it can) coming out say in the next 1-2 years that is going to solve (partially solve!) this problem? I know for a fact that there has to be a lot of people in the same predictament, and some insane number of pickups account for the total number of vehicles each year, so there is a huge demand for them that the auto makers must be working on hard.

Thanks!

An interesting article regarding Chevy pickup hybrids

http://www.hybridcenter.org/hybrid-watchdog-whats-in-a-name.html

Another smaller one regarding a Dodge Ram hybrid

http://www.hybridcars.com/trucks/dodge-ram-hybrid.html

There are rumors that the Honda Ridgeline will have a hybrid option also.

Pickup hybrids, at least so far, don't seem to improve fuel economy as drastically as cars so they don't seem worthwile yet. Perhaps Toyota could change this if they incorporate their "Hybrid Synergy Drive" into their pickups.

Here is a website that lists all and potential hybrids on the market. The Toyota Highlander SUV looks promising.

http://www.hybridcars.com/compacts-sedans.html

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a pickup truck, but with the price of gas these days, I don't know if I can stomach it. I have so many uses for a pickup, I can't even begin to list them, and I have a pickup now but it's on its way out.

Question: are there any hybrid and/or electric pickups (or even the type that shutdown 4 cylinders when it can) coming out say in the next 1-2 years that is going to solve (partially solve!) this problem? I know for a fact that there has to be a lot of people in the same predictament, and some insane number of pickups account for the total number of vehicles each year, so there is a huge demand for them that the auto makers must be working on hard.

Thanks!

Firstly, I'm not aware of any particular innovations in Pickup drivetrain engineering that promise dramatically higher fuel economy in the near future. GM's truck "hybrid" system is little more than an engine shutdown feature to avoid wasted fuel while standing still. From what I've heard, it does very little for overall economy, and presents a few drivability problems due to a rather poorly calibrated shutdown and startup. Displacement on demand, or whatever GM and Chrysler call their cylinder deactivation systems, only provide a few MPG improvement.

Secondly, the unfortunate fact is that Pickups and Hybrids are fundamentally mismatched because of the fact that the large bank of batteries necessary to provide adequate electric-only drive for a 4000lb+ truck will eat up lots of the cargo space that make trucks necessary. A sedan can handle this rather nicely, as the power requirements for a 3000lb car are low enough that a few batteries work just fine, and only minimally invade trunk space.

Then again, what do you use your truck for? Do you need a big-displacement V8 for heavy loads and towing? Do you need a huge bed? Or rather, do you simply need a medium/small truck for frequent light duty? Nissan, Toyota, and Honda all build light-duty trucks with capable V6s that perform well and can tow reasonable loads.

Yeah, I know how you feel. I have a 350 in mine lol But I was in looking at the new Chevy pickups last week. They have an engine (i forget what its called now) but it shuts off 4 cylinders when it is cruising and adds all 8 when you are excelerating. I thought it was pretty neat. I would go for a hybird, but persionally I dont think that they have all the bugs worked out and plus, I dont have all that much money to sink into a hybird:(

Check out http://www.gmcanada.com/gm/english/vehicles/chevrolet/silverado/showroom/summary for more info.