Silverado - Another $40,000 GM hybrid

At least it makes functional sense

I've always believed that the first Big 3 hybrid needed to be a hybrid that competed directly against the Toyota Prius. Instead, the Big 3 focused on hybrid SUVs, and for GM and Chrysler, huge hybrid SUVs. Yet, even if you were going to make a large hybrid, shouldn't it have been a pickup - a vehicle some absolutely need?

Anyway, GM is finally ready to begin selling the Sierra / Silverado hybrid trucks. The GMC Sierra hybrid will list from $39,365 - $45,500 depending upon the model. The Chevy Silverado hybrid will list from $38,995 - $45,130.

Silverado: A very smart GM hybrid

Finally, a hybrid truck

I just finished reading an InsideLine review of the GM Silverado hybrid. Basically, the Silverado hybrid is going to use the same dual mode hybrid technology powering the Chevy Tahoe hybrid and the GMC Yukon hybrid, which means fuel economy in the low 20's, depending on wheel drive - either two or 4 wheel drive. Most important, the Silverado maintains full size truck towing and payload capabilities.

So what? So what, unless you're a contractor, a construction worker, or a farmer, for instance. Such hybrid trucks can double city fuel economy, while still providing nice gains in highway fuel economy, even when towing or carrying large payloads. This isn't a big hybrid that eases big vehicle guilt, this is a big hybrid that provides much needed fuel economy gains in a vehicle segment much needed by many American workers.

Now that's an American revolution. Too bad this new Chevy hybrid truck still won't hit the streets until mid 2009.

Finally, a real Revolution from Chevy?

A classic American vehicle goes green?

There is no vehicle segment more important than trucks to GM's Chevy brand. Certainly, SUVs are a profitable product for GM, but trucks are Chevy's marquee vehicle.

Thus, while it's great that GM has gotten into the full hybrid game with the Chevy Tahoe hybrid and the GMC Yukon hybrid, the hybrid that I think GM can be most proud of at this point in time is the Chevy Silverado hybrid.

If all goes well, this new hybrid truck will hit dealerships in late 2008 and it will be the definition of GM's American Revolution branding, finally - at least until the Chevy Volt.

Role Reversal at the LA Auto Show: GM and Toyota

No new hybrids from Toyota?

Today, at GM's press release, fuel economy ruled. The Tahoe hybrid, the Malibu hybrid, the Silverado hybrid, and the Chevy Equinox fuel cell vehicle dominated the show.

At, Toyota's press release, the Sequoia ruled. Sure, Toyota also showed their fuel cell vehicle, which is a hybrid, but a fuel cell hybrid. Where was a new Prius, a next-generation hybrid?

Not at the LA Auto Show. Last year it was trucks that Toyota focused on. This year it was a large SUV.

2008 Chevy Silverado hybrid debuts at LA Auto Show

The first full hybrid truck

The 2008 Chevy Silverado hybrid truck made its debut this morning at the LA Auto Show. It will be the first full hybrid pick-up truck ever made.

Built on the same powertrain as the Tahoe hybrid, this vehicle will do everything than a conventional truck can, it will just do it much more efficiently.

More on the Silverado hybrid later.

GM discontinues hybrid trucks

No more mild, mild hybrids

GM has discontinued a few of its hybrid vehicles - I guess. I never really considered either the Chevy Silverado or the GMC Sierra hybrid pickups as real hybrids. They really aren't even mild hybrids, such as the Saturn Vue hybrid from GM. Nonetheless, GM is done with hybrid pickups until 2008, when it launches its dual mode hybrid powertrain. So, don't worry truck fans, GM will offer the trucks in full hybrid mode soon.

Toyota's huge hybrid vehicle mistake?

When it comes to hybrid vehicles, Toyota is the undisputed king. The Toyota Prius is by far the world's best selling hybrid, and Toyota offers the largest lineup of hybrids of any automaker.

Still, I think Toyota might have played its hybrid hand a bit better, or maybe there is a kink in Toyota's hybrid vehicle chain?

With low gas prices, sales of pick-up trucks are picking up, and GM and Ford are leading the way. This is one vehicle segment that American automakers understand well, and it is the most important vehicle segment for American automakers.

Consequently, Toyota's recent advertising campaign for its trucks has really surprised me, but not in a good way. Apparently, Toyota trucks are so tough that neither the Loch Ness Monster nor even a meteorite could damage one.

Please! Is Toyota serious? Is this how Toyota is going to challenge Ford and GM trucks?

Toyota, I believe, has to take a completely different approach, and I think a hybrid truck would have been the perfect buzz creator. For instance, imagine how easy it would be to attack the Chevy Silverado hybrid with a Toyota full hybrid truck - the emissions and fuel economy comparisons would be a joke.

Sure, hybrid trucks aren't going to outsell conventional trucks. Still, focusing on Toyota's hybrid trucks could bring a lot of buzz to all Toyota trucks, just as the Prius has driven much positive PR to all Toyota vehicles.

So, why isn't Toyota acting? Instead of a hybrid truck, Toyota has resorted to cheezy commercials?

Is Toyota's hybrid powertrain insufficient for some truck duties, such as towing a boat or camper? Is this a kink in Toyota's hybrid powertrain? Will GM's dual mode hybrid powertrain handle these tasks better?

Many might believe that truck drivers are nothing but a bunch of good ole boys - don't believe in global warming, don't tell them what to drive. While some might fit this profile, I bet a bunch of 'em fully believe in the dangers of foreign oil dependency and would be very open to hybrid trucks.

Toyota could have framed a new debate around hybrid trucks, Americanism and foreign oil dependency. Moreover, I'd bet they could have sold as many hybrid trucks as hybrid Highlanders, and considering the importance of the truck segment, wouldn't a hybrid truck have been worth a try?

SEMA goes green? Yeah, whatever

"Even as a celebration of American muscle cars took center stage at this year'’s mod-manic Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, an emerging sense of environmental responsibility was also evident."

Case in point #1 - The Eco Jet - "The car, built around a Corvette Z06 aluminum frame, is powered by a 650-hp turbine engine (similar to a helicopter engine) that will rocket the 2,100-pound car off line with 585 pound-feet of torque. The “eco” part of the name comes from the fact that the car will run on biodiesel, a clean-burning fuel derived from renewable resources."

O.K., you're telling me a car that utilizes a helicopter engine is an environmentally responsible car? Am I missing something here? I don't care if the Eco Jet uses biodiesel if it is a monstrous biodiesel-guzzler. Wow!

Case in point #2 - The Chevy Silverado Hybrid - SEMA actually started a new hybrid category which the Silverado hybrid won. "The Silverado did come out of the blue, in that a lot of other hybrids were getting a lot more press,” said SEMA vice president Peter MacGillivray. “Yet the Silverado has more accessories available for it than any other vehicle."

I ripped on the SEMA hybrid prize earlier this week, so I won't rip on the Silverado mild, very mild, hybrid again.

(Source: MSNBC)

Silverado hybrid wins SEMA Award

I had to laugh when I read the press release from SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, regarding the award the Chevy Silverado Hybrid won at the 2006 show.

"The Chevrolet Silverado Classic Hybrid -- the first full-size production pickup to utilize hybrid technology -- is also the first hybrid to be recognized as the most accessory friendly vehicle at the 2006 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, capturing one of four SEMA Vehicle Design Awards and becoming the benchmark in SEMA's newest design award category." (more)

"First hybrid....", please.

Quite frankly, calling the Silverado a hybrid is offensive to those whom truly support hybrid technology. If the Saturn Vue hybrid is a "a maximally minimal venture in hybrid powertrain technology that would seem less about fuel economy and more about securing coveted hybrid badges on the doors," then the Silverado hybrid is a maximally inept hybrid vehicle.

Sorry GM fans. Until GM offers a full hybrid vehicle, GM is on my #8@* list regarding hybrids. Hopefully, GM will exceed my expectations when they announce plans for the i-Car plug-in hybrid.

For now, however, GM simply doesn't offer any hybrid vehicles in my eyes.

It's our country, the Silverado hybrid vehicle!

Have you seen the new "Our country, our truck" GM Chevy ads? Images of Katrina, Vietnam and 9/11 selling the new 30 mpg Chevy Silverado hybrid, reinforcing the message that GM has finally gotten serious about foreign oil dependency. While GM has been a laggard on hybrid vehicles, the new Silverado hybrids demonstrates GM's new commitment to America's National Security.

At least, that is what the ad should have been about. Instead, GM is using images of 9/11 - an act largely produced by America's foreign oil dependency - to promote a gas guzzler and the apparent pride of foreign oil dependency.

--) Complete Story

Hybrids only 9% more efficient than regular vehicles?

Are hybrid vehicles only 9% more fuel efficient than conventional vehicles? That's what J.D. Power claims, according to the Detroit News. While noting that interest in hybrids is growing, J.D. claims that hybrid buyers have unrealistic expectations in terms of performance.

While I agree that some buyers have unrealistic expectations, I have to question the 9% figure. Other studies have claimed the same, but those studies were done using track testing. For the majority of drivers, track testing is about as accurate for gauging real world fuel economy as are EPA estimates of hybrids.

Moreover, saying 'hybrids' are only 9% more efficient than conventional models is completely deceptive. For example, some hybrids were not produced to achieve the highest fuel efficiency possible. The Honda Accord hybrid, for example, is really a performance hybrid, though it achieves excellent fuel mileage for that performance. The same is largely true of both the Lexus RX400h and the Toyota Highlander hybrid, though these vehicles are - for their class - more fuel efficient than the Accord hybrid.

In terms of fuel efficiency, both the Ford Escape hybrid and the Toyota Prius hybrid, are the two hybrids most designed for fuel economy. While the Civic hybrid is a very fuel efficient vehicle as well, so to is the standard Civic. Additionally, the Civic hybrid doesn't offer as much electric assist as the hybrid Escape or Prius.

Consequently, comparing some hybrids is about as accurate as comparing apples to oranges. Thus, averaging their fuel economy is completely useless.

Even worse, if the Silverado hybrid was also included in the 'hybrid class' by J.D., then the results are completely skewed against hybrid fuel efficiency. The Silverado hybrid isn't even a mild hybrid in my book. In fact, its not even a hybrid in my book.

Consequently, the class of current hybrid vehicles are actually a very diverse group of vehicles. To average their fuel economy is misleading at best and, ultimately, deceptive. Studies by both Consumer Reports and Edmunds very much call into question the number, 9%.

Some hybrids are more fuel efficient than other hybrids. Some hybrids offer more power than other hybrids. Some hybrids perform better on highways compared to other hybrids, and some hybrids perform better in urban slow-and-go or stop-and-go traffic than other hybrids. Inevitably, hybrid fuel efficiency can ONLY be assessed vehicle by vehicle. Even then, two different drivers of the same hybrid can still achieve vastly different outcomes.

So, don't take this 9% very seriously. It might be true for some hybrids, but it certainly isn't true for all hybrids. If you want to read more about real world fuel economy from real world hybrid drivers, check out these hybrid testimonials.

GM's Three-Pronged Hybrid Strategy

Yesterday, GM kicked off its three-pronged hybrid vehicle strategy at that Washington Auto Show. The "low-cost" Chevrolet Silverado pickup, which barely qualifies as hybrid in my opinion, will be followed by the 'mild' Saturn Vue Greenline sport utility vehicle and, finally, GM's two-mode hybrid system will be installed on the Chevy Tahoe hybrid in 2008.

GM dealers in mad hybrid push with Sierra / Silverado

According to AutoWeek GM dealers are trying hard to push the green factor of the Sierra / Silverado hybrid truck. While GM has been one of the industry's staunchest hybrid critics, its dealers are trying hard to utilize the frenzied interest in hybrid cars. And who can blame them when they are in the midst of a horrific sales slump?

Unfortunately, the Silverado hybrid barely qualifies as a hybrid. In fact, 'mild' hybrid is almost too strong of a word for this vehicle.

I would almost argue that the first generation Honda Civic hybrid and the Honda Accord hybrid are 'mild' hybrids because these Honda hybrids cannot function on primarily electric power, as do Ford and Toyota hybrids in certain driving conditions (fortunately, the 2006 Civic hybrid will offer more hybrid performance). This ability makes the Toyota Highlander hybrid and the Ford Escape hybrid extremely efficient in city driving.

The Silverado hybrid, on the other hand, lags far behind Honda hybrid performance.

As AutoWeek notes, "The trucks' big selling point is not the hybrid powertrain, but their capability as mobile power generators."

Ultimately, the GM Silverado hybrid is a baby hybrid and isn't scheduled to join the hybrid big leagues until 2008. That's too bad, because a full hybrid truck would sure be a great product right now.

Are Toyota hybrid truck plans an opportunity for GM hybrids?

Sure GM offers a mild hybrid, but the Silverado hybrid truck barely offers any gains in fuel economy. Really, the best thing about the Chevy hybrid is the ability to plug some tools into the standard electric outlets it offers.

By 2007; however, GM should offer much better hybrid trucks - in terms of fuel efficiency. Of course, so to will the king of hybrid vehicles, Toyota.

Offering the best selling Prius, Toyota sells far more hybrids than any other automaker, but Toyota also sells two hybrid SUVs, the Highlander hybrid and the Lexus RX400h, but what about hybrid trucks?

Currently, Toyota is working on a feasibility study to determine if a Toyota Tundra hybrid can meet consumer demands. According to AutoWeek, because "many truck owners require their vehicles to tow or haul heavy loads over long distances. Hybrid battery power is nearly useless in that aspect. As a result, a pickup cannot scrimp on engine displacement without sacrificing towing performance. That hurts fuel economy, the main benefit of a hybrid."

Only time will tell if Toyota can overcome this issue. For many hybrid truck consumers, towing might be a non-issue, but this could be an area for GM to capitalize. GM's dual-mode hybrid will not rely as much on batteries as much as Toyota hybrids. Thus, GM trucks will not face these towing problems; however, GM trucks might not be as fuel efficient as Toyota trucks. Nonetheless, the hybrid truck segment could offer GM a real window of opportunity.

In addition to Toyota, Ford hybrids, such as the Escape hybrid, or the Mercury Mariner hybrid, also use a powertrain very similar to Toyota, which means that Ford will also face many of the same towing issues as Toyota with Ford hybrid trucks.

Trucks are a huge market in the U.S. and a top selling hybrid truck could be a real winner for GM. I expect the marketing hype to really begin to heat up around this market segment towards the end of 2006, early 2007.

The pathetic irony of hybrids, fuel economy, and the automotive press

Hybrid critics make me laugh. Hybrid cars don't achieve EPA fuel efficiency numbers and they don't save money these critics keep harping.

Sure, according to Consumer Reports, hybrid cars often do not achieve the EPA's fuel economy estimates. Of course, the Consumer Report's study also shows that of the 6 hybrids available, 3 of them are the MOST FUEL EFFICIENT VEHICLES you can buy. More ironically, however, these critics glance over the fact that most vehicles miss their EPA estimates, and that in city driving, conventional vehicles miss their EPA estimates miserably.

So let's be clear about this. The Toyota Prius only achieves a pathetic 45 mpg in the city, the Jeep Liberty Diesel achieves a whopping 11 mpg, the Chrysler 300C achieves 17, and a number of Dodges achieve a stellar 8 mpg. Ohhh, those crappy hybrids.

Good thing hybrids only account for around 1 percent of U.S. auto sales otherwise America would be in real trouble! PHEW!

"Hybrids suck, man," these critics seem to say, "they don't achieve EPA estimates, so it's OK if I only achieve 8 mpg. The Prius only achieves 45 mpg, not 60! Thats the real problem!"

What's going on here? If foreign oil dependency is a problem, if oil consumption is a problem, shouldn't our attention be on the source of the problem? Why is the President asking Americans to conserve, as GM increases output of its most gas-guzzling vehicles?

Now I get it, cause we don't want more hyped hybrids on the road - they're dangerous! I mean, according to a recent study, if all vehicles achieved 45 mpg, not only could America end foreign oil dependency, but it could save as much as a trillion dollars. That would be blasphemous. Americans aren't supposed to save money, our duty in life is to spend money, dammit!

Fortunately, 9 out of 10 of the 'best' offenders, according to the CR study, were conventional vehicles. Almost every conventional vehicle is achieving less than 20 mpg when driven in the city, stuck at street lights and stop signs, caught in rushhour, etc. In fact, many conventional vehicles are only achieving around 10 mpg in these conditions. Now that's American, baby!

So, is it the fact that hybrids only achieve 45 mpg, instead of 60 mpg, that is increasing foreign oil dependency every year, or is it the fact the millions of conventional vehicles are only achieving 10 mpg? Damn those hybrids.

I wonder how much advertising money is spent on hybrid vehicles versus conventional vehicles? Hmm. Well, GM spends billions on advertising every year and they don't offer any hybrids - NO the current Silverado DOESN't COUNT - so I'd say hybrids are already at a huge disadvantage.

OOPs, I didn't just criticize GM. I better watch it, they might pull all their ads from my site like they did to the LATimes.

In reality, promoting hybrids is worth millions in advertising dollars, while promoting 8 mpg gas-guzzlers is worth billions, but I'm sure there isn't any connection. Just as there isn't any connection between 8 mpg and foreign oil dependency. Just as there isn't any connection between automobile pollution and lung cancer, and asthma, and allergies, and smog-influenced skin cancer, and global warming.

Hybrids are hype and everyone should drive a Hummer because oil dependency is a god-given, perfectly harmless action. Those that disagree are part of the oppressive, supremely powerful tree-hugging conspiracy.

If ending foreign oil dependency could save America a trillion dollars, how much does 8 mpg, or even 20 mpg, really cost America? Since there are billions of reasons not to ask that question, you can be sure that criticisms of hybrids will continue, but that question won't get asked.

Of course, what's a trillion dollars? Just add it to the deficit and let someone else deal with it in a decade or two. Now that's American! God bless us!

Hybrid car ignorance on MSNMoney

The costly secrets of hybrid cars, a new article on MSNMoney, opens with the Sierra and Silverado hybrids and questions the fuel efficiency of hybrid vehicles.

Excuse me? Anybody whom starts an article about hybrids with the Sierra or the Silverado already demonstrates either their ignorance or bias of hybrid cars. Neither the Sierra or Silverado are full hybrids. In fact, in my book, they don't even count as hybrids.

Strike one.

Then the author discusses gas mileage and how long it is going to take to make up hybrid costs. Not until several paragraphs later is the hybrid car tax credit mentioned - probably because neither the Sierra or the Silverado hybrids qualify. Additionally, new tax credits might make hybrids even cheaper, but that also isn't mentioned.

Strike two.

Finally, the EPA numbers. "Then there's the issue of whether these cars actually get the mileage they claim."

THEY DON'T CLAIM IT. EPA numbers are determined by the government. The inaccuracy of the EPA numbers affects ALL vehicles. So, you can't compare the real world mileage of a Toyota Prius with the EPA numbers of a standard Civic or Tahoe. It's either real versus real, or EPA versus EPA. The reality is, that big SUV of yours doesn't achieve 16 mpg, more like 11, so I'll take the 50 mpg Prius.

More important, one would think every Prius owner hates their auto, yet 94% of owners would buy another one. How many SUVs have that kind of buyer loyalty?

Strike three.

Why are there so many questions regarding hybrid cars? Hybrids recover their 'extra' costs in 6 - 8 years. The average life of an automobile is longer than that, so the technology not only pays for itself, it reduces the cost of the vehicle over the long term. That's called an investment.

For a decade or two many auto manufacturers created SUVs with $10 - 15,000 profit margins. Yet, these vehicle account for a significant percentage of all accidents and all automobile-crash related deaths. Now that's value!

More important, how much does gas really cost? How much is the life of a soldier dying in the Middle East worth? How much does the dirty air that is causing health problems to millions of people cost? Why are past CIA directors and the Pentagon so worried about foreign-oil dependency? Why did the top 4 oil companies profit more than 20 billion in the first 3 months of the year?

If one looks at the state of the real world, one realizes that the problem is not the cost of hybrid cars, rather it's the cost of gas guzzling vehicles and American ignorance that is the real cost.

Demand nothing less than hybrid vehicle efficiency. The costs of hybrids, in the long run, are much less than the gas-guzzling, terrorist supporting, planet-killing costs of huge SUVs.

Hybrid tax break update

Yesterday, I wrote about HR 626, a bill proposed by Rep. Dave Camp, a Michigan Republican, that would offer tax credits of between $600 and $4,000 per hybrid vehicle, depending on the model and the energy-saving technology used.

Thus far both President Bush and Democrats have announced support for this incentive and Bush has provided for them in his 2006 budget proposal.

I would assume that vehicles such as the Toyota Prius, the Highlander hybrid, the Lexus RX400h hybrid, and the Ford Escape hybrid would qualify for the upper end of the credit because of their full hybrid status. Other hybrids, such as the Honda Accord hybrid, as well as the Civic hybrid, might qualify for less because Honda's hybrid technology isn't quite as fuel-efficient.

On the other hand, hybrids such as the Sierra hybrid would probably qualify for the lower end of the tax credit because it is only a mild hybrid.

Join the Soultek Hybrid Car Club.

GM and hybrid vehicles

Is GM a hybrid failure?

I've pretty much argued that they are, at least in terms of passenger vehicles. In fact, GM has stated that they are not interested in hybrid cars, only hybrid trucks and SUVs.

Nonetheless, GM isn't a hybrid failure. GM's most important hybrid achievements have been confined to buses, which is a notable achievement.

A new article, Hybrid Powertrains: The Two-Mode Approach argues that GM's bus achievement, and it's Two-Mode hybrid powertrain will ultimately translate into success for the next generation of Yukon, Tahoe, and Sierra/Silverado hybrids.

Currently, only Toyota has technology that is similar to GM's; however, according to the article, GM's technology - its two-mode system - has even more potential than Toyota's powertrain.

The Prius, the Lexus RX400h, the Highlander hybrid are each full hybrids, but they do not function on electric power alone. GM's two-mode system, will allow GM hybrids to run on electric power alone.

GM claims its two-mode system can achieve a 60 percent increase in efficiency, versus about a 30 percent increase with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive.

Anyway, its an interesting article if you are interested in reading about powertrain differences.

Click here for the complete article.

The Ford Escape Hybrid is nice, but a F-150 Hybrid Pickup would be great

I love Ford's new Escape hybrid ads, The difference between a full hybrid and a mild hybrid is the difference between a bell pepper and a habanero.

In terms of trucks and SUVs, Ford is a kind of king right now. The only full hybrid SUV, the Ford Escape hybrid, is also the only American-made hybrid.

Hold on, now, what about the Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid?

Well, I think Ford's pepper analogy is pretty good, but let's just say the Silverado hybrid is a pseudo-hybrid. It's just not in the same category as the Escape hybrid.

But Ford is about to face extreme competition in the hybrid SUV space soon. Already the Lexus RX 400h hybrid SUV has spawned more than 11,000 presales, while still a few months away from market launch.

The Ford Escape has not yet reached that number of sales, even though it has been on the market for several months already.

Of course the Lexus hybrid isn't the perfect match for the Escape hybrid, but the Toyota Highlander hybrid certainly is. Already, Toyota is receiving phenomenal interest in what will be it's third hybrid model, and the Highlander hybrid will definitely move more than 1,000 units per month.

Based on Toyota's experience with hybrids, in addition to the fact that Ford pays a license fee to Toyota every time it sells a hybrid, Toyota has incredible leverage in this race.

The one place that Ford has the greatest leverage; however, is in its truck brand.

In 2004, the Ford F-150 continued it's dominance over the American market, selling almost 1 million last year and around 250,000 more than its next competitor, the Silverado.

While the Silverado is only a mild hybrid, it still provides GM the ability to use that word, hybrid.

Using the Escape hybrid to offset some of the leverage gained by the Silverado hybrid and its parent, GM, isn't a bad idea. Fighting it with a full hybrid Ford F-150 Hybrid PickUp; however, would help shelter Ford's most important market segment far better than any SUV hybrid.

More hybrid cars.

Join the Soultek Hybrid Car Club

Hybrid vehicle sales for 2004 rise almost 100 percent

According the Mercury News, automakers recently reported hybrid car and truck sales for 2004, and sales of seven gas-electric vehicles rose almost 100 percent to 85,699 hybrid vehicles sold, compared to 43,435 in 2003.

The Toyota Prius accounted for 63 percent of total hybrid vehicle sales, at 53,991 units sold.

The Honda Accord hybrid, which was only on sale for a few weeks in 2004, sold almost 1,100 units in just part of December.

Similar to Accord hybrid sales, the Ford Escape hybrid is averaging about 1000 sales per month since October, when the Escape hybrid was released.

Other hybrid vehicles on sale in 2004 included the Honda Insight, Honda Civic hybrid, as well as the Chevy Silverado hybrid, and the GMC Sierra hybrid pickups.

Automotive analyst, Anthony Pratt of J.D. Power and associates noted, "The fact that all vehicle manufacturers have a hybrid strategy is significant."

According to Matt Nauman of the Mercury News, "Power, the Westlake Village researcher, projects that U.S. hybrid sales will reach 222,000 this year and 500,000 by 2009. If that prediction comes true, hybrids would account for nearly 3 percent of the U.S. car and truck market in 2009. In 2004, hybrid sales represented about 0.5 percent of the 16.9 million vehicles sold."

With the Lexus RX 400h hybrid, the world's first luxury hybrid SUV, and the Toyota Highlander hybrid coming to market in 2005, those numbers seem light.

Power predicts significant hybrid growth for 2005, but then the auto researcher seems to think demand will slow through 2009, even as the hybrid field expands to 30 models by 2008 - that's less than 20,000 units per year for each hybrid model.

That seems like quite a sudden drop in hybrid momentum, just as the hybrid field finally gets competitive, as well as an awful waste of time for automobile manufacturers.

My spin on today's hybrid hype

Today's article, Crossovers and hybrids may never live up to their hype, by John McCormick makes me go, hmmmm?

"Turning to hybrids, I continue to wonder at the gullibility of the general public and automotive journalists who should know better. Any honest automotive engineer will tell you that the concept of a vehicle with two engines doing the job of one is nonsensical."

Now, I'm not questioning Mr. McCormicks journalistic integrity, I'm sure his knowledge of automotive engineering is much greater than mine, but I have just one little problem with that statement, Toyota.

The President of Toyota, a growing giant in the auto industry and destined to be the world's largest automaker, has gone on record stating that hybrid powertrains are the powertrain of the future for Toyota.

While much of auto an show is marketing spin, and not all announcements should be taken literally, am I missing something here? Is Toyota doing the "nonsensical" thing because they are trying to trick America?

Why would Toyota waste its time on "nonsensical" automotive engineering?

And if one engine is better than two, why does using two make the Honda Accord Hybrid faster, more powerful, and more efficient than a similar, conventional Accord?

Still, Mr. McCormick does offer hybrids one caveat, kind of. "The only condition in which a gasoline-electric hybrid will return better mileage than one of today's most advanced gasoline engines, let alone a diesel, is in city driving, when regenerative braking plays a significant role."

O.K., to start, "today's most advanced gasoline engines" aren't found in today's cars and they cost significantly more money. Additionally, the standard gasoline engine in a hybrid could be replaced by an advanced gasoline engine and achieve 25 percent more efficiency than the advanced gasoline engine by itself.

The same is true for diesel. Already, Ford, GM and ChryslerDaimler have diesel-electric hybrid vehicle concept cars because of this fact. As a side note, the same is true of hydrogen powered engines. Hydrogen-electric hybrids are just as plausible as gasoline, or diesel-electric hybrids.

Of course one must ask whether the cost is worth the price, and which, if any, combinations work best. Right now, in the U.S., gasoline-electric hybrids make the most sense.

Today's full hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius or Ford Escape hybrid, in city driving, achieve significantly better mileage than today's conventional cars or diesels, with far less pollution, but it's hard to put a price or value on reduced pollution.

Because of price, some analysts have pushed for new diesels as a way to achieve the same efficiency as with hybrids. Even McCormick states, "With a normal diet of city and highway driving, a hybrid will actually consume more fuel than a diesel powertrain".

First, passenger diesels are not even legal in the Northeast or in California, so until the law is changed, why does this issue even come up? Diesels are not even an option for a huge percent of American drivers, legally.

Second, a hybrid diesel could still be 25 percent more efficient than just a diesel. More important, hybrid technology is new, and getting better all the time.

So, concludes McCormick, "As for hybrids, they will likely continue to carve out an expanding niche in the U.S. market. While I find their evident shortcomings annoying, I can understand the sub-conscious appeal of driving a vehicle perceived to be environmentally-friendly. This became clear while I was driving a Chevy Silverado hybrid recently.

Even though the truck costs $2,500 more than the standard version and still managed only 14 miles per gallon overall in my hands, somehow I felt more righteous than all those non-hybrid full-size pickup drivers on the road.

It's hard to put a price on that."

To me, there is a little tongue-in-cheek in that statement. More important, the Silverado is a mild hybrid. It is not in the same league as a Prius or Escape hybrid. Mild hybrids are not nearly as fuel efficient as full hybrids, nor nearly as environmentally friendly.

But, hey, what is 25 percent better fuel efficiency anyway? Of course, according to experts, if Americans nationwide reduced their fuel consumption by that much, America could end foreign oil-dependency.

If that were the case, there might have been a few less American deaths in the Middle East these last few years.

Of course, it's hard to put a price on that.

More hybrid cars.

Join the Soultek Hybrid Car Club.

The Hybrid Car Hustle

What's up with Detroit? Last week, at the North American International Auto Show, probably the most important auto event in the world, the word on the floor was hybrid vehicles.

Even Truck of the Year, an especially important American customer segment, went to a hybrid, the Ford Escape Hybrid.

GM and DaimlerChrysler introduced a diesel-electric hybrid concept vehicle, and re-announced full hybrid versions of the Tahoe and Yukon, followed by a full Sierra / Silverado hybrid.

Not to be out done, Ford announced that the Mercury Mariner hybrid would reach the market this year, a year earlier than expected. Then Ford upped the ante by announcing not only a hybrid Freestyle, but also a Mazda Tribute hybrid, a Mercury Milano hybrid, and a Focus hybrid, with all models expected to reach market within three years.

Then Toyota, gaining on GM as the world's largest automaker, unwilling to lose face in light of Ford's hybrid hustle, went all in.

This year not only will Prius demand be met, but Toyota will announce where it will start building hybrids, such as the Prius, in the United States.

Moreover, Toyota announced to the world that the hybrid powertrain is the future for Toyota. Yes, gasoline engines might be improved, or diesel, hydrogen, or fuel-cells, but the hybrid powertrain, Toyota believes, can make each of those power sources better.

Toyota's next hybrid, the Lexus RX400h Hybrid, already has received more than 11,000 pre-orders. Additionally, interest in the Highlander hybrid is off the wall by industry standards.

Already Toyota is expecting to sell at least 100,000 Prius hybrids in 2005, yet the buzz building around the Highlander hybrid seems to indicate that the Highlander hybrid, an SUV, could be even more popular than the Prius.

Recently, Ford announced that it will easily sell 20,000 Escape hybrids in 2005, and if more hybrid batteries are located, they will produce even more.

Since the Escape hybrid uses leased Toyota hybrid technology, the price of the Highlander hybrid, with its price advantage, is going to be interesting. More importantly, what if Toyota can price the Highlander significantly less the Escape hybrid?

Why not try to steal some thunder from the North American Truck of the Year, the Ford Escape Hybrid? The opportunity facing Toyota couldn't be greater.

The Toyota Prius proved that a small, affordable, very fuel-efficient vehicle, could feel like the most innovative car ever created. But America loves SUVs, and an affordable, hybrid performer, could take that segment by storm.

Toyota's experience with hybrids bodes well for the Highlander hybrid, and I believe the Highlander hybrid has crazy American potential. American consumers aren't nearly the neanderthals the world believes. Show us we can help and we will. Well, hybrids help.

Ford and GM are not out of it yet though. While GM has dramatically and rapidly changed its position on hybrids, Ford appears to be building momentum. In addition to their more bullish position on hybrids, their commitment to hybrid cars, as well as hybrid SUVs, gives them a notch up on GM.

Honda is a wild card in the hybrid race, with the Accord hybrid and Civic hybrid already on the market, Honda could easily transition to a hybrid only automotive world - at least much easier than Ford, GM, or DaimlerChrysler.

Toyota is the one with the most to gain or lose from the hybrid hustle.

The leader has to set the pace. While Toyota has a big lead they can either move methodically, but cautiously into hybrids, playing it safe, but also allowing the competition time to reposition; or Toyota change the playing field forever.

The conundrum for Toyota will be supply and demand. The demand for affordable hybrids is without question. Based on customer interest and sales figures, by 2006, it is not hard to imagine Toyota selling 400,000 hybrid vehicles in the just the U.S. - even while more highly priced - but are they capable of meeting that level of production?

By that time, GM might not have yet sold one full hybrid in the U.S.

Furthermore, at 400,000 a year the afford-ablility factor between hybrids and conventional vehicles is reduced, especially in addition to Ford and Nissan license sales. Moreover, conventional cars will start meeting higher pollution standards in the next couple of years and those changes will inevitably lead to higher costing conventional vehicles.

Toyota's next few hybrid plays are sure to be interesting.

American hybrid cars

The Ford Escape hybrid is the main American hybrid. While some parts and technology have to be imported to America to make all American cars, the Ford Escape hybrid had to lease its most important technology, its hybrid technology, from Toyota.

Of course the Escape hybrid really isn't a car either. In fact, technically, there are no American hybrid cars. Thus far American auto makers have focused on trucks and SUVs, such as the Escape hybrid and the Chevy Silverado Hybrid.

Additionally, the Silverado hybrid isn't nearly as sophisticated as an Escape hybrid.

In reality, the hybrid car scene is dominated by Japan.

While the Honda Accord hybrid has received considerable buzz, it hasn't achieved Prius-type status yet. This might be because the Prius, like the Insight before it, are completely new cars. While the Insight was never really meant as a mass-produced car in the near term, it does have potential in the future.

The Prius; however, is functional today, and that is really the key difference.

In order for American car-makers to compete with Japan, American automakers cannot just focus on converting SUVs and trucks into hybrids. Additionally, America must stop reinventing has-beens, such as the Ford Mustang.

Those days are over. Constant, shrinking U.S. marketshare proves it.

America needs to show leadership by developing new cars, and a new hybrid car could turn American auto-makers from pretenders back into leaders they once were.