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2016 Chevrolet Silverado eAssist Hybrid and GMC Sierra eAssist Hybrid Launched

Remember when General Motors sold the Silverado and the Sierra with a two-mode hybrid system? Yes, that one nobody bought. The Detroit automaker had a go at hybrid pickup trucks again, having introduced a newer system for its 2016 model year full-size range, christened eAssist.
2016 GMC Sierra eAssist Hybrid 3 photos
Photo: GMC
2016 GMC Sierra eAssist Hybrid2016 Chevrolet Silverado eAssist Hybrid
The eAssist suffix represents a mild-hybrid system that helps the 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine with fuel economy. According to General Motors, fuel efficiency improvement based on EPA city estimates is 13 percent over what the 5.3 V8 delivers on its own.

eAssist costs $500 more than a Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 1LT with 2WD and the 8-speed automatic. In GMC’s case, eAssist is $500 more than the Sierra 1500 SLT Crew Cab with 2WD and the SLT Premium Plus package. The fuel-saving technology uses a lithium-ion battery with cells from the Malibu Hybrid and software controls developed for the Volt.

The electric motor provides up to 13 horsepower and 44 lb-ft (60 Nm) of extra get-up-and-go during acceleration and passing. As an added bonus, the 24-cell 0.45 kWh lithium-ion battery is located under the center console and helps the 5.3 V8 operate in 4-cylinder mode for longer periods, an attribute which results in additional fuel economy. A regenerative braking system is also on the menu.

General Motors tells that the eAssist improves fuel economy by 2 miles per gallon over the equivalent Silverado and Sierra 5.3 V8. That’s an EPA-estimated 18 mpg (13 l/100 km) city and up to 20 mpg (11.7 l/100 km) combined. That’s not bad at all for a full-size truck with 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft (519 Nm) of torque and a maximum trailering rating of 9,400 pounds (4,263 kilograms).

2016 model year Silverado and Sierra with eAssist production will be limited to 500 and 200 units, respectively. General Motors is selling the mild-hybrid pickup trucks through California dealers. If feedback from the initial customers is favorable, GM promises to ramp up production for the 2017 model year.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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