Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra may have plug-in hybrid versions

Previously, GM noted that they do not plan to equip these pickups with PHEV units, but the vector of development could change.

The Chevrolet and GMC brands are part of the American concern General Motors. The history of related full-size pickups goes back several decades. The current generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra with gasoline and diesel engines launched in 2018. Let us remind you that now the models also have fully electric versions: Silverado EV and Sierra EV, which debuted in 2022, but there are no hybrid options for the current versions.

In the photo: Chevrolet Silverado

Back in 2022, General Motors President Mark Royce claimed that the concern was not going to invest in the development of hybrids. However, the situation could probably change. According to Autoweek, GM will soon introduce the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra equipped with PHEV units. Foreign media believe that the American manufacturer followed the scenario of the so-called “emergency program”, which will allow the concern to speed up the development and launch of two “green” cars to the market.

In the photo: Chevrolet Silverado EV

Plug-in hybrids are expected to be the logical layer between the combustion-engined Silverado and Sierra and their all-electric versions. It is also likely that PHEV versions will be able to solve the range problem that continues to arise for users of “green” pickup trucks, especially those that are used as “workhorses”, that is, for towing and transporting heavy loads.

It is possible that the manufacturer was prompted to make this decision by rather weak sales of “clean” electric vehicles around the world. Let us remind you that last year the Volkswagen concern had to temporarily shut down its factories due to insufficient demand for “green” models of the VW brands. By the way, earlier it became known about the reduction in production volumes of the main competitor of the Silverado EV and Sierra EV — the Ford F-150 Lightning. The company explained this by saying that demand for electric trains is not growing at the rate expected.

In the photo: GMC Sierra

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that General Motors is under pressure from certain “influential dealers”: according to the publication, they need hybrid versions of popular models, as they believe that this will allow them to avoid losing customers who are not yet ready to switch for electric vehicles.

In the photo: GMC Sierra EV

According to Autoweek, GM has abandoned development of a compact electric truck the size of a Ford Maverick, and also put on pause the project to create a “green” mid-size pickup truck, similar in size to the current Ford Ranger. According to the publication, the manufacturer has postponed the revival of the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana in the form of all-electric vans.

Recall that last month the best-selling Chevrolet brand, the Equinox crossover, changed its generation. Now the SUV visually resembles a smaller copy of the older Traverse model. The list of new features includes a CVT and an eight-speed automatic transmission, which replaced the 6-speed automatic transmission.