Hybrid Pickups?

I wouldn't hold my breath on that one. I don't think you will see any soon, and with the ones that do come out will offer relatively small improvements to gas mileage with respect to the hybrid cost premium.

The problem with designing a hybrid pickup is you need much larger amounts of reserve power than needed in a typical hybrid car. The truck must be able to pull a fairly heavy trailer up a mountain incline for miles, in the summer, with full A/C load, at highway speeds, etc. The gas engine therefore must be powerful enough to carry such a load on a consistent basis which in many cases negates any substantial fuel mileage improvement.

I have been told the Prius battery has the equivalent of about 2 tbsp. of gas in energy. How far would that power a pickup as described above up a mountain pass? A 1/5 of a mile? A pickup would need a much larger battery. Now you have a large weight penalty not to mention the 10's of thousands such a battery would cost.

Rick
#4 2006

 

If you need a full size pickup and you are wanting to save gas, it would be much more cost effective to settle on a 6 cylinder model without 4 wheel drive. Other fuel savings could be made by not getting the extended cab or bed.
My father has a full size V8 Silverado, when the price of fuel started to sky rocket a few years ago he bought a cheap little used commuter car for days when he didn't need the truck. After he wore the little car out he just bought a new 35 MPG Ford Focus and only drives the Silverado about once every 2 weeks. He wanted to keep the truck because he does need it often, so now he has the best of both worlds.

 

Had the same problem, bought a Tacoma 4 cyl stick, and it's not reaching the EPA estimate yet, but it's pretty new. Another option is to have someone convert a Prius to a pickup bed.

There's a guy in southern Indiana who rebuilds wrecked Prius's and I emailed him about it. He said he can do it for a price. has some pictures on his web site of a convertible and other cars he's rebuilt.

I may look into next time I need a small pickup, obviously does not replace a full size Chevy, but think of the gas savings! Check the rebuild site at autobeyours.com

 

Ford Explorer Hybrid gets about 35 mpg I've heard. Not sure if that would work for you, obviously it's an SUV, not a pickup, but you could rip out the back seats and put in a cargo mat of some kind.

 

Have you told dad about the "SUV sequestration program" program? This is where a person keeps there SUV and drives it rarely to keep it out of the hands of someone who would use it as a daily commuter.

A Prius Ute would be pretty cool, a little higher off the ground, slightly bigger wheels and a oad carrying tray within a unibody. Come Toyota, I'lll buy one.

This is what I mean, very rough.

By patsparks at 2008-03-21

 

Look, it's a Pri-ckup!

Yup, we want one, too. When can you ship those, Pat?

 

I'm sorta in the same situation. I drive an Avalanche beacause it is the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets my varied needs. However, I am anxiously awaiting one of the more-fuel-efficient options that will be arriving soon. You didn't say how you use your truck, but there will soon be two options:

Option 1: Chevrolet's 2-mode hybrid Silverado. The hybrid Tahoe answers some of the unknowns about the hybrid Silverado, which as you indicated should reach dealer lots this Fall. A 6.0-liter, 332-hp V8 with active fuel management and two electric motors incorporated into the automatic transmission. The Tahoe's EPA numbers are 21 city/22 hwy. Tow rating is 6200 lbs. I expect similar numbers from the Silverado. The downside is that the hybrid Tahoe is $10K more than the non-hybrid.

Option 2: Ford will introduce a 4.4-liter diesel option in the F-150 late this year as a 2009 model. Considering that diesels are about 30% more efficient than gasoline engines of the same displacement, you can expect EPA city numbers in the high teens(maybe 20) and EPA highway numbers in the low 30s. Plus you will gain towing power with a diesel due to increased torque. Diesel powertrains will add cost over gasoline powertrains, but Ford has not announced pricing yet. Diesel fuel is currently more expensive than premium unleaded. Chevy will be one year behind Ford with their new 4.5-liter diesel option for half-ton pickups, and Dodge has a small diesel in the works for their new-for-2009 Ram half-ton (but I do not know if Dodge will have the option available in 2009).

Obviously you will pay more for either option, but which will save the most fuel depends on how you use the truck. Consider that you can buy a $14K Ford Ranger today that gets 21/26 if you only need a light-duty unit.

Something neat to think about is the 80-hp electric motors in Chevy's 2-mode hybrid transmission. Considering that it only takes about 70 horsepower to cruise at 70MPH with light loads, you could drop a large plug-in battery pack into the truck bed and integrate it into the truck's electonics to really maximize your gasoline savings when unladen.

The aftermarket support for Chevy pickups dwarfs that of the Prius (just due to the number of potential customers), and Chevy's software has long been cracked by many vendors. If the fullsize hybrids prove popular, it would not surprise me to find plug-in kits available in short order.

 

I recently found myself in a similar boat, although didn't need a ginormous full-sized pickup, but did "need" (or want or whatever) a modestly sized truck of some kind, so much like lakedog I recently purchased a Tacoma regular cab (which was not entirely easy to find, I am told that only about 4% of Toyota's Tacoma production is the "regular cab", and the remaining 96% are extended or double-cab models......unbelievable IMHO, but I'm pretty old-school) 4WD truck. A 4x2 would have been less expensive (you can get new ones with the regular cab for under $14K) and more economical, but I live in the mountains and there are times when I use the 4WD option. Mine is not yet broken in, doesn't even have 1000 miles on it, but I can exceed the EPA mileage figures on the highway if I am careful and pay some attention to how I drive it. Using Prius techniques.....and a ScanGaugeII which is a great tool....I can do pretty well. Short around-town trips are, as with most vehicles, mileage killers.

I've heard that Toyota may hybridize all of their vehicles within the next five or so years. It will be interesting to see how (or if) that goes.

 

Of the hybrid pickups mentioned I would get better mileage from a 2.4 litre Hilux or a Proton Jumbuck ute.
1.5 litres carries half a tonne and 8,5 litres per 100km.(27.6mpg) city cycle, and even better country cycle.

 

Oh no, I'm an Aussie so it is a Pri-ute.
I'll go into production when you see 2 of these side by side,

 

Pat,

That is one neat looking machine!! I'll take one too!

Ron.

P.S. A photoshopped image?

 

Ooh, pickup design. Can I play?

I was thinking...(yes, a dangerous thing)... of keeping the side profile, and cutting out the roof. The lower portion of the hatchback could be turned into a tailgate. Then I'd take out the rear seats, move the batteries to behind the front seats, and put in a flat truck bed floor...Anybody feel like photoshopping one of those? :blink:

 

One day I will have someone teach me to use Photoshop, I did it in MS paint which is why it's so rough.

I'd leave the battery where it is and have a flat floor, maybe replace plastic flooring with aluminium. Have the front seats from a 2 door car which slide right forward and tilt to gain access to secure storage under the rear floor where the back seat once was. There would be room for a laptop, brief case, lots of stuff in the space the seat would have taken. Yep, tail gate in the gap where the hatch was which is strong enough to carry some load, like the rear wheel of my motorbike, the numberplate would need to be recessed into the bumper to allow driving with the tailgate open. There would still be secret storage under the rear floor behind the battery. The spare wheel would be under the vehicle supported by a light steel tube frame, the wheel well turned upside down so it is slightly recessed into the floor, jack and other tools clip in behind the seats to maintain easy access even when loaded.

 

Me too want the real mccoy, the Toyota Hybrid Truck..
Just a few years wait or else !

Toyota Returns To Its Compact Truck Roots With The A-BAT Concept Vehicle
Related Media

Toyota Reveals Small Hybrid Truck Concept
The Advanced-Breakthrough Aerodynamic Truck (A-BAT) concept is a four-passenger compact pickup truck featuring Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive(r). A-BAT is conceived for drivers who want to conserve fuel on the commute to work during the week and perform light utility tasks on weekends, using the same vehicle. Unveiled at NAIAS, it has a full hybrid powertrain and carries a 4-foot by 6-foot load (like the Tacoma long-bed truck). With the rear seat folded and tailgate dropped, it accommodates a four-by-eight sheet of plywood.

The A-BAT concept rides on a unibody platform for car-like handling when navigating city streets and crowded parking lots, and smooth ride quality for highway trips and the everyday commute. In addition, its lightweight package coupled with _Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive® technology_ is designed to deliver excellent fuel economy. Translucent solar panels in the top surface of the instrument panel capture sunlight and convert it into energy, showcasing the vehicle's "green" character.
Positioned below the Toyota Tacoma, A-BAT integrates truck features with car fundamentals for an efficient and modern package.

TOYOTA A-BAT CONCEPT PICKUP TRUCK
PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

DRIVETRAIN
_Four cylinder gas engine with Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive®_
DIMENSIONS (inches)
Overall Length: 181.3
Overall Width: 74.4
Overall Height: 64.0
Wheelbase: 112.2
Bed Length: 48.0
Bed Length with Midgate down: 72.0
Bed Length with Midgate and Tailgate down: 96.0
Wheel Size: 19-inch

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/12/27 ... t-concept/

And more pictures. The concept drawing was very stylish...

http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/autosho ... page1.html

 

There are only two options for new pickup trucks that are small and good.

One is from GM the other is from Toyota.

The GM/Chevy Canyon and Colorado are available with four cyl and 2wd and get good mpg at a great price. They have proven to be reliable and are available way below MSRP.

The Toyota Tacoma is in the same range, though its going to cost you a little more in the real world. I have had two friends purchase the Colorado at my recommendation and are happy with it. Two years no issues for either.

The Ford Ranger and Mazda equivalent are slightly better for mpg but based on a 20 year old design and do not have modern handling and safety body construction. Ford needs to update the Ranger.

Its going to be a long wait for a small hybrid pickup. I love the ABAT concept but there are no plans from ANYONE to build anything like that. Honda could surprise is with a IMA Ridgeline but I don't expect it.

 

I love my Tacoma. It is very basic, no cruise-control, you have to roll up the windows manually *gasp*, and it is definitely a stiff truck ride when not loaded, but handles quite well on the road and has a fairly 'large' feel, plus it has 4 and 5 star crash ratings and gives a sensation of being quite 'safe'. But unlike my much loved and missed '89, it has AC, a CD player, and you don't have to get out and manually switch the hubs to get it into 4WD mode. I use the Prius for most of my driving, the truck only when I need a truck.

I've noticed around here that a huge percentage of the vehicles are full-sized pickups, almost always with extended or double cab configurations, massive things, either that or big American made SUVs. People think that because it is Montana you have to have a big truck or SUV. Actually, while it is nice to have 4WD on rare occasion, I've seen more people get into trouble as a result of having it than those that get out of trouble. When I was a college kid back in the '60s and worked for the Forest Service as a seasonal worker, 4WD vehicles were relatively uncommon, maybe 1 in 50 on the roads (now it's about 1 in 2 around here), but we had a few 4x4 trucks in the motor-pool and had to take a special course on safely driving one before they'd give you a key. Amazing how clueless most people are where it comes to driving a 4x4.

 

You don't get the Jumbuck in USA? I hear it sells reasonably well in the UK.
The Toyota Hilux is too big, made for the American market so the rest of us miss out on a small ute like the old Hilux. The old Datsun 1200 ute was a ripper but no one followed through except now Proton have the Jumbuck.

Funny thing is when the Hilux had a 2 litre engine it was a 1 tonner, now it has a 4 litre V6 and still a 1 tonner.

I'm not sure what a Tacoma is. Looked it up on google, it is the huge thing sold as the Hilux here. Way too big. About as big as a Landcruiser, too big. In fact the Tacoma has a longer wheelbase than the Landcruiser!!

 

The F150, Silverado, and Tundra are classified as 1/2 ton trucks in the US. Many a year ago thats what the payload would have been for that size truck. They should be called 3/4 tons based on payload now.

Mahindra, an Indian company, is planning on introducing a Tacoma size pickup and SUV in 2009. It's a diesel, and the price stated so far was $24k. There'll be a diesel electric hybrid version available in 2010.