As Fiat Chrysler’s Ram division enjoys wearing the full-size pickup fuel economy crown with its now-legal-again 1500 EcoDiesel, and as Ford throws turbo V6s and 10-speed automatics at everything, what’s General Motors supposed to do to greenwash its truck fleet?
Easy. Simply offer customers in all 50 states a rare option previously available only in California.
For the 2018 model year, GMC will sell its Sierra 1500 eAssist mild hybrid pickup to customers in all 50 states, not just in the sunny home of emissions-obsessed celebs, The Car Connection reports.
The General launched the current eAssist truck back in early 2016. Essentially a compound induction motor bolted to the accessory drive of a 5.3-liter V8, eAssist promises slight fuel economy savings when combined with features like cylinder deactivation and active grille shutters. While powertrain output remains the same as a stock variant (355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque), the 15 kW electric motor, fed by an air-cooled 0.45 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, adds another 13 hp and 44 lb-ft during high-load driving scenarios.
Besides delivering extra grunt during acceleration and passing, the electric motor allows the Sierra’s V8 to lope along with half of its cylinders firing for longer periods of time. It also oversees the vehicle’s start/stop system.
What’s the payoff? According to the EPA, the eAssist powertrain sees a rear-drive crew cab 1500 sip gas at the same rate as a base 4.3-liter V6 crew cab equipped with a six-speed automatic (the eAssist variant uses an eight-speed). More specifically, it means 18 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined. That’s a 2 mpg improvement over a stock 5.3-liter model’s city fuel economy and an extra mpg on the highway, for a 1 mpg overall improvement.
According to GMC spokeswoman Kelly Wysocki, the Sierra 1500 eAssist saw enough California customers for execs to feel the model was viable throughout the United States.
If the thought of meager mileage improvements turns you on, just know that the $1,125 eAssist package is only available on midlevel SLT crew cab models, in both rear- or four-wheel-drive layouts. Adding 4WD doesn’t do wonders for fuel economy, however. Sending some of that electric power to the front wheels means an 18 mpg combined rating, or less than a 4WD V6 model.
[Image: General Motors]
12K miles a year. $2.50 gas. A 1 MPG improvement will save about $70 a year. So the break even for the $1,125 option is about 15-16 years.
Yeay!!!
Even if gas were to double in price, you’re still talking a 7-8 year payoff.
Depends on your definition of “normal use”. I would imagine more for fleet than individual ownership. Let’s say you do 20k miles/year, almost all city. Going from 16 to 18 mpg, that’s ~139 gallons/year. At $3/gallon (CA here), that’s around $415/year savings. Or a 3-year payoff. Assuming even a 5-year lifecycle, you’re still ahead around $800.
Of course, that does make some pretty specific assumptions. But, the 2 mpg city, going from 16 to 18 mpg is the big differentiator here, IMHO, not the 1 mpg highway.
Fair enough.
Because the mpg scale is not linear, the 2 mpg improvement in the city is indeed far more impactful than the 1 mpg improvement on the highway. Converted to the more linear l/100 km scale, we have 14.7 l/100 km vs 13.1 l/100 km in the city, 10.2 l/100km vs. 9.8 l/100 km highway. The 0.4 l improvement on the highway is probably within the margin of error, while the 1.6 l improvement in the city should be noticeable.
Who does 20K miles/year in the city?!?
I think few people buy it to “save money”.
I anticipate it being more like this:
“Hunny, I’m going to buy a truck”
“A Truck? your murdering babies and seals and destroying our environment”
“No dear, it is actually a hybrid! Its better for the environment!”
“Aww! Great! Let me tell all our friends at the country club””
There was an interesting research piece from some university talking about how people that buy electric cars often “compensate” in other areas buy buying LESS efficient cars as their second vehicle (IE electric car + big SUV or truck).
I see the e-assist as being a “compensation” purchase, NOT a practical purchase. In other words, someone who wants a truck but feels guilty about killing babies and seals will instead opt for the e-assist, allowing them to feel better about it and have a clean conscious when they talk to their friends about it. “We opted for the hybrid”
That is how I anticipate it!
At least in California it is around $3.20 gas, urbaner don’t buy a V8 pickup usually.
They’ll sell about 50 of these, but it’s a beta test for what will likely need to be the volume Silverado powertrain after 2022.
I’m good with anything that keeps the V8 alive.
GM co-developed a 10 speed transmission with Ford correct?
When are they going to start using it? I imagine the fuel savings would be about the same.
Sort of. Ford developed the 10-speed. GM developed the 9-speed for FWD vehicles. GM builds the 10-speed in their factories and programs it to their liking. It is already on the Camaro ZL1 and will be in 8 other vehicles by next year.
For now, GM is treating the 10A like the 6.2L and putting it as the “premium” offering for stuff like the Escalade, Denali, ZL1, and Tahoe RST.
I agree it looks bad when Ford will give you basically the same thing on a F-150 XL fleet truck.
As always – GMs product planning makes no sense to me.
Full size trucks (non premium) – 6-speed auto unless you pay for the 8 speed.
Canyon/Colorado – 8 speed mandatory with the V6, no charge.
Ford: “Y’all want the 10-speed? Get the 10-speed.”
Ram: 8-speed ALL THE THINGS!
I’ve seen the 6.2 offered in mid level spec trucks in BC but that is rare. It may be a case where we sometimes see slight variations between Canada and the USA on the spec sheet.
That’s a Canadian thing. 6.2L is LTZ and up on the Silverado and SLT and up on the Sierra. Also, it only comes in crew cab short box and extended cab short box configurations.
Lame. Why can’t I have the 6.2L in an LT trim? I’m not made of money Rencen.
Mark Stevenson and I are both proponents of a Silverado W/T regular cab/short bed with the 6.2L.
“Mild” hybrid is an understatement.
Make it standard and offer a credit for a “regular” 5.3.
1979 called and they want their ideas back (re: standard 350 diesel for MPG reasons.) :-P
That could have worked had 1979 GM not been the one implementing it. Imagine if Japan Inc had spearheaded the effort.
@28-Cars: I’m trying to imagine a Cressida with a 350 cubic inch Toyota designed V8 regardless of what the fuel source was…
@highdesertcat – it was Hiroshi Miyamura High School (2 high schools in Gallup now, named for our local Medal of Honor winner.)
Knew a few family members and apparently my wife and her family knew them better (wife was born and raised here and as where her parents who are now in their 60s).
PrincipalDan, did you know the lady from the Gallup HS who was killed in Las Vegas?
GM techs in 49 states rolling eyes now. A half-ton full-size diesel would be something more would like than this.
This has been available nationwide on the Silverado since 2017. Also there’s a big chunk of cash on the hood if you check the eAssist option box. It can be effectively cheaper to get the BAS3 system than not.
I personally am intrigued. It seems to offer no downsides and can offer improved fuel economy and passing performance (especially if paired with the performance exhaust and a CAI).