New Silverado/Sierra hybrid pickups employ two-mode electric drivetrain, auto engine shut-off at stop, and 4-cylinder shut-off of V8 at highway speeds to get RWD 21 mpg city/22 highway and 4WD 20/20. Average annual fuel savings of 181 gallons offsets the $4K incremental cost.
Background
Slick dual-mode hybrid system GM developed w/ BMW, Chrysler and Daimler
Switching from Cobalt XFE, Kia Rio or Corolla to Prius saves 168 gallons
Most hybrid drive systems are dead weight at highway speeds accounting for 45% of Americans’ driving