Quote:
Originally Posted by JSH
The problem with your 30 mpg hybrid truck is the cost - especially 15 years ago. The other problem is customers and the fact that to this day they prefer V8 full size trucks.
As Ecky mentioned - GM has tried mild and full hybrids in the past and they flopped because truck customers don't care much about fuel economy. Rationally every Dodge Ram V8 sold today should be an eTorque because it boost torque by 130 lb-ft, boosts fuel economy 15%, only costs $1,450, and pays back in less than 3 years. However, that isn't the case
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I have zero insight into the industry, simply my wild speculation. My hunch was that a hybrid truck made sense a decade ago, which is 2012. By then, Toyota was already working on their 4th gen Prius.
A mild hybrid doesn't really allow the engine to be downsized.
The sweet spot would have been a plug-in hybrid full-sized truck with 16 kWh battery. That cost you mention would be more than offset by the $7,500 federal tax credit. A battery that size can supply quite a powerful electric motor(s), allowing the engine to go down to 6 cylinder.
I wonder if a series hybrid makes sense in a truck application?