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GM's HD Trucks Jump Over the Ford F-150 Hybrid With Third-Party PHEV Solution

The Blue Oval company is just about ready to start selling the F-150 Hybrid, while its best-selling pickup truck is not going to be available as a full battery electric model until the second part of 2022. But customers looking for a plug-in hybrid truck alternative will soon have a heavy-duty option from General Motors instead.
XL Fleet Chevrolet Silverado HD 14 photos
Photo: XL Fleet
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Ford is a step ahead of its rivals General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles with the F-150 Hybrid and upcoming Electric version, but some customers still crave for more – such as plug-in hybrid capabilities and enhanced hauling ratings. Then, it’s up to the heavy-duty commercial vehicle sector to fulfill the requirements.

And so just happens that XL Fleet – a company specialized in providing electrification solutions – recently announced the upcoming availability of their XLP plug-in hybrid transformation kit for a range of models from the General Motors stable.

They’re talking about “select configurations” (you can check them out in the attached PDF) of the Chevrolet and GMC Silverado / Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD pickup trucks, as well as certain models of the Chevrolet and GMC 3500 and 4500 cutaway chassis series.

The first to become available will be the 2500 HD versions of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, hitting dealer lots during the first quarter of next year. There is no pricing information available at the moment, though.

XL Fleet also promises to make the 3500 HD options readily available in showrooms during the second quarter of 2021. The only caveat to consider is the company – as its name clearly suggests – deals with the fleet vehicle side of the market exclusively. So, no PHEV Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD for the Average Joe to street drag race it against the 2021 F-150 Hybrid...

Still, the use-case scenarios are a bit more logical in the commercial vehicle segment, with XL Fleet claiming plug-in hybrid electric drive systems could bring major economies of scale to fleet operators. That’s apparently because the PHEV drive systems can increase the mpg count by up to 50%, while also dropping CO2 emissions by a third.

Additionally, the XLP conversion has reached its second generation, and the company touts the system will have no impact on GM’s official ratings for towing and cargo capacity - all the while meeting customer performance requirements (such as 4WD availability) along with worry-free maintenance levels.
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Editor's note: Gallery shows the stock Chevrolet Silverado.

 Download: Xl Fleet Chevrolet Silverado XLP PHEV (PDF)

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About the author: Aurel Niculescu
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Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
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