Pickup Trucks

The Two-Mode Hybrid system for large sport utilities and trucks hasn't exactly set the world on fire. In 2006, General Motors, Daimler and Chrysler (then a single company) announced a partnership, soon joined by BMW, to develop the Two-Mode Hybrid system for large rear-wheel drive vehicles. But...

Last year, General Motors sold about 7,200 of its full-size hybrid SUVs--but just 1,600 hybrid pickup trucks using the same system. So the company took the unusual step last Friday of issuing a press release to announce that it had sold 576 of Silverado Hybrid pickups in one fell swoop. The buyer...

It's pretty rare when a group of drivers begs a government agency to regulate them. But when it could avert what they think would be even worse regulations from another agency, anything's fair in love and war. The drivers in this case are the nation's long-haul truckers or, more precisely, the...

Going green on the road may involve smaller engines, electric cars, and clean diesels, but it also requires making all engines far more fuel efficient. To that end, General Motors will announce this morning that it will invest almost one billion dollars in five separate plants to build a new, far...

The big green car news from Chrysler yesterday was its announcement that it would build an electric version of the Fiat 500 mini-car for the U.S. market. Win one, lose one, perhaps. The company also dropped a death notice: It has ended development of its Ram Two-Mode Hybrid pickup truck, scheduled...

While Chrysler was an original partner in development of the Two-Mode Hybrid system used in pickups and sport utilities by Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, as well as upcoming sport utilities from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, its hybrid history has not been happy. The company made fewer than 1,000 Dodge Durango...

We often say that many Toyota Prius hybrid owners and HUMMER drivers choose their cars for the same reason: They want to make a statement to other people about who they are. Now our pals at Wired have uncovered a fascinating (if small) sociological study that parses how HUMMER owners view their...

Ford's been around a long time; it just celebrated the 100th birthday of its Model T. Much of its green news these days focuses on its upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta subcompact, the well-received new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid sedan, and its Escape Hybrid sport utility. But Ford had never designed and...

With all of the accusations of libel and slander going on these days in the EV world, a story about charitable giving to a community in need is refreshing. So prepare to be refreshed. Daimler Trucks North America has donated one of its Class 7 Freightliner, diesel-electric hybrid box trucks to...

Texas is pickup country, as a visit will confirm. It's one reason Toyota builds its full-size Tundra pickup truck there. But Texas governor Rick Perry overstepped last year when he sneered at the ability of the Toyota Prius hybrid to hold hay. Austin American-Statesman humor columnist John Kelso...

Cars to be turned in must get 18 mpg or less, and their replacements 22 mpg or better, under compromise legislation agreed to by the House

Chevy announced pricing for the 2009 Silverado Two-Mode Hybrid pickup today. The 2WD model starts at $38,995 plus a $975 destination charge and gets 21 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The 4WD model will get 20 mpg city and highway and likely add about $3,000 to the price. "For customers...