What’s Under the Hood
At the heart of the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid is a 6.0-liter V-8 engine mated to EVT, or electrically variable transmission. The engine is good for 332 horses and 367 lb.-ft. of torque, and features GM’s Active Fuel Management technology. However, the tranny is responsible for most of the hybrid work, and features a variable mode for low-speed and low-load situations, while a fixed gearset comes into play for high-speed and high-load situations. GM claims the system, which also incorporates regenerative braking and electric steering, allows the Silverado to travel up to 30 mph on electricity improves fuel economy by up to 40 percent.
