GM to Cancel Hybrid Truck Program
General Motors plans to discontinue its hybrid program for its next generation full-size pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles. At present, vehicles like the Chevrolet Silverado, Tahoe, GMC Sierra, Yukon and Cadillac Escalade use the company’s effective but expensive two-mode hybrid technology.
However, when contacted, a GM official said that the company could not comment on future products or related technologies.Historically, the two-mode hybrid models report poor sales figures.And in most cases they offer only minor improvements in fuel economy. The hybrid models have an EPA rating of 20 mpg in city and 23 mpg in highway compared to maybe 15 mpg or less in city, and 22 mpg or less in highway for GM’s conventional V8models.According to sources, since the hybrid truck program has seen cost overruns, the management thinks that it is not worth further investment.
According to a report in the GMInsiderNews, it is uncommon to discontinue such programs during the wake of a new vehicle launch – the next generation trucks are scheduled to launch for the 2014 model year. But many GM insiders are not surprised with this move. These new hybrids are expected to use a two-mode system along with a smaller displacement V8 engine, upgraded battery storage (using a more modern lithium-ion pack) and revamped electric motors.
