2010 Chevy Silverado Hybrid

The 2010 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid is a half-ton pickup that achieves 40 percent better city fuel economy and 25 percent better overall fuel economy than a gas-powered Silverado, but can still pull a 6,100-pound trailer. This Chevy truck is available exclusively in the crew cab body style, and uses one-quarter less gas than a regular Silverado. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid provides all the power needed of a full-size truck with the fuel savings technology of GM's two-mode hybrid system. Safety features include four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes, front and side curtain airbags, electronic stability control and tire pressure monitoring. A navigation system and rearview camera system are new options for 2010. The Chevy Silverado offers more choices in light-duty pickup variations than any other save GMC and perhaps the Ford F-150. It is among the smoothest riding and quietest of all full-size pickups, at any comparative price point and will face stronger competition from the redesigned Dodge Ram and Ford F-150. The Silverado Hybrid offers an excellent choice for consumers who need truck capability but are striving towards better fuel economy.

 Silverado Hybrid Power

The Silverado Hybrid is offered in a Crew Cab bodystyle, in either 2WD or 4WD, and is powered by a 6.0-liter V8 engine that includes Active Fuel Management giving it the ability to run as an economical V4 when full power isn't needed. The Electrically Variable Transmission works with a 300-volt nickel-metal hydride battery system to allow the vehicle to launch and drive up to 30 mph on electric power alone. Other features such as electric-assist power steering and low rolling resistance tires help to provide a 25-percent improvement in overall fuel economy. The Silverado Hybrid's 6.0-liter V-8 teams with GM's Electrically Variable Transmission, which integrates two electric motors into the transmission housing. With this system, the truck can accelerate on electric power alone, like the Toyota Prius and other hybrids. E85 flex-fuel compatibility is new for 2010.  The rear-wheel-drive Silverado Hybrid can tow up to 6,100 pounds, while the four-wheel-drive model can pull 5,900 pounds. Suspension choice is key to the driving characteristics of the Chevy Silverado. The basic Z83 suspension is best chosen for budget constraints. The Z85 is similar except that it uses better shock absorbers. The Z71 package is designed for off-highway use and makes maximum use of suspension travel to keep the wheels on the ground.  The Z60 street package replete with 20-inch wheels and low-profile tires is best used for the highway and smooth two-lanes but can be used on a dirt road. The NHT package is designed for maximum loads; ride compliance is good based on how much weight it can carry and tow but driving it around empty may be firmer than you want for every day use. Drivers who tow will appreciate the optional integrated brake controller like that used on the Silverado heavy-duty trucks.

Design of the '10 Silverado Hybrid

 Overall, the Silverado Hybrid doesn't look much different from its gasoline powered sibling. Consumers can order the truck rocker panels and cab glass to be plastered with special "Hybrid" graphics. Hybrid badges on the front fenders and the tailgate are standard. The Chevy Silverado may not have the aggressive styling of the Dodge Ram or Nissan Titan or even the Toyota Tundra or the Ford F-150, but its upright design may be considered both bold and appealing to its faithful customers, and they buy hundreds of thousands of Silverados each year. A raked windshield and careful aerodynamic and body-building engineering make the truck both quieter on the inside and more fuel efficient. The large, gold Chevy bowtie badge is set against a wide, three-bar chrome grille. The grille is flanked by stacked headlights sporting the latest reflector optics. The front bumper incorporates rectangular fog lights. The hood has a wide power dome. Bulging front fenders wrap over the front wheels and incorporate the headlights within their forward sweep. Likewise, the rear quarter panels are punctuated by large faired wheel wells. The rear view of the truck features stacked tail lights on either side of a tall tailgate that has a sculpted center section that mimics and inverts the shape of the fender flares.

2010 Chevy Silverado Hybrid Cabin

 Inside the Silverado Hybrid's seating configuration varies, the crew cab can seat five or six people. Crew Cab models have back seats and windows in the side doors that power down. The Crew Cab has four front-hinged doors, much like a sport utility vehicle. Chevrolet says the interior of the new Silverado is 20 percent quieter than its predecessor (pre-2007 and Silverado Classic models), thanks to enhanced insulation materials, much like those used in the company's sport utility vehicles, and to aerodynamic improvements that reduce wind noise.

Conclusions

Built on what General Motors calls its GMT900 platform, the Silverado shares much of its underpinnings with the Tahoe SUV, though the pickup gets a unique rear suspension and a frame section 245 percent stiffer than that of the SUV. The current Silverado chassis is far more rigid than that of the previous-generation, helping reduce the gap between the truck bed and passenger compartment and between fenders and bumpers. This allows suspension components to be designed for improved ride and handling characteristics as well as allowing enhanced aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. Visit the official Chevy Silverado site for the latest updates on the hybrid model. Safety features on all Silverado models include dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes, tire pressure monitoring system. Safety options include side-curtain airbags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover mitigation technology, Autotrac active transfer case, rear park assist, and OnStar.