A Guide to Hybrid Pickup Trucks

For many hybrid owners, the full-sized pickup truck represents all that is wrong with the American vehicle: big, overpowered, and thirsty for fuel. But the reality is that pickups are immensely popular—mostly because many Americans need the hard-working hauling and towing capacities of a pickup.

A few years ago, General Motors took a tentative step into the hybrid pickup market, launching the segment with a mild hybrid version of its full-sized pickup twins: the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid. But GM’s first hybrid truck was a dog with only two tricks—it shut off its husky V8 engine at idle (resulting in a paltry fuel economy gain of 1 mpg), and offered two standard electrical outlets for tools, toys, or anything else a driver wanted to plug-in while on the go. Those trucks were quietly discontinued in 2007.

The Toyota A-BAT is a four-seat hybrid pickup with a four-foot rear bed and roof-mounted solar panels to charge its onboard accessories. It’s a prime example of a new breed of hybrid “lifestyle” pickups. The vehicle might appeal to all those other pickup drivers who seldom load lumber, but want versatility, roominess, sleek styling, and top-notch fuel efficiency.

Hybrid Trucks 2.0

An entirely new generation of hybrid pickups is in the works. Version 2.0 of the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and GMC Sierra Hybrid are due to hit showrooms as 2009 models. The two-mode hybrid system going into trucks increases fuel economy by 25 percent to 18 in the city and 20 highway—far from Prius territory, but respectable for a three-ton truck with a 6.0L V8 powerplant under the hood. Dodge Ram Hybrid will use the same two-mode powertrain as the GM trucks, and is expected to get roughly the same fuel economy.

But even bigger announcements may be on the horizon. Recently, auto companies have begun exploring the potential for a “lifestyle” pickup: a smaller, more fuel efficient unibody pickup that offers a car-like ride combined with modest towing and hauling capabilities. One example is Toyota’s A-BAT hybrid concept. Another concept introduced in 2008, the GMC Denali XT, also boasts a hybrid powertrain and unibody construction, and claims 50 percent higher fuel economy than similar-sized pickups.

A List of Hybrid Trucks

Sort by:	Name	Combined MPG	Technology	MSRP	Available	Description
	Chevrolet Silverado E85	13 MPG	E85 Ethanol	$29,400	Now	America's prototypical pickup is a natural fit for E85.
	Ford F-150 E85	11 MPG	E85 Ethanol	$22,100	Now	Ford's best-selling pickup truck offers flex-fuel capabilities.
	Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid	21 MPG	Hybrid	$39,000	2009	GM phased out the ultra-light hybrid pickups that produced a 10-15 percent increase in fuel economy to make room for a full-hybrid version of the Silverado, which goes into production in late 2008.
	GMC Sierra Hybrid	21 MPG	Hybrid	$39,400	2009	Could break the 20-mpg mark to become the most efficient full-size pickup.
	Phoenix Motorcars Electric Sport Utility Truck	n/a	Electric	$45,000	2009	This all-electric truck offers a 1,000 pounds of payload capacity and 120-horsepower performance.
	Dodge Ram Hybrid	n/a	Hybrid	n/a	2010	Chrysler's hemi-powered hybrid system applied to the Ram pickup.
	Toyota A-BAT Concept Hybrid Pickup Truck	n/a	Hybrid	n/a	Concept	A kinder, gentler, and weirder vision for a pickup truck. And it's a hybrid.