eAssist Pickups Will Cost Around $50K, Could Go National by 2017
2016 Chevy Silverado with eAssist technology
On Thursday, GM announced that it will build 500 2016 Silverado 1500 pickups and 200 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 pickups with its eAssist system. These trucks, which will be market tested in California, represent the automaker’s most recent experimentation with building and selling hybrid pickups to the masses. Despite a small start, there is a possibility that both could reach a wider audience–reception permitting
According to Automotive News, the system will cost an additional $500 and add an approximate 100 pounds to the trucks’ overall weight. Working with new aerodynamic features including active grille shutters and a tonneau cover over the truck bed, the trucks are expected to deliver an extra 2 mpg on the highway and in the city.
2016 GMC Sierra with eAssist technology
GMC spokeswoman Kelly Wysocki told Auto News that the company will be keeping an eye on how these 700 trucks sell, and should they prove to be a rousing success, they could be made available at a national level by year’s end. She also added that final pricing for the eAssist-equipped trucks should be around $50,000.
GM has offered hybrid versions of its trucks in the past, starting with a hybrid Silverado from 2005 to 2007 and its Two Mode hybrid powertrain for large pickups from 2009 to 2013. Neither example sold particularly well.
News Source: Automotive News (subscription required)
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