| In the news: Good news to environmentalists, | | | | Canadian International Auto Show which will start on |
| General Motors Canadian subsidiary has recently | | | | Friday. The hybrid pickups will not be on display since |
| announced it plan of building hybrid versions of its | | | | they haven't been created yet but according to |
| Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks at | | | | reliable sources it will not be visually different from |
| its Oshawa truck assembly plant situated east of | | | | the redesigned Silverados and GMC Sierras that will |
| Toronto. | | | | later be introduced at the Toronto Show. |
| It's been quite a while since GM and other | | | | "The only thing that you would see different in 2008 |
| automakers have planned of increasing their | | | | is the badge on the back of it that says hybrid and |
| production of hybrid vehicles as a solution to the | | | | an indication in the driver cluster as to when you're in |
| ever increasing gasoline prices. GM has invested in a | | | | hybrid mode and when you're on regular gasoline |
| hybrid power plant in Oshawa, Ontario Canada where | | | | engine," said Patterson. The hybrid Silverados and |
| it will produce its first hybrid Silverados and Sierras | | | | Sierras are still going to be equipped with |
| which are scheduled to go on sale in the fall of 2008. | | | | top-of-the-line auto parts and accessories like the GM |
| David Paterson, GM Canada's Vice-President of | | | | floor liner for a more appealing interior. |
| Corporate and Environmental Affairs indicated that | | | | And since the Silverado and Sierra are going to be |
| the production of the hybrid Silverados and Sierras | | | | turned into hybrid, they will be equipped with |
| will not result to an increase workforce. "Right now | | | | internal-combustion engine and an electric motor |
| we produce 1,335 pickup trucks a day in that plant | | | | powered by a battery that is charged by kinetic |
| and the rate of production will be similar. And then | | | | energy produced as the vehicle brakes. |
| the percentage of vehicles that will be produced that | | | | GM's hybrid Silverados and Sierras will utilize what the |
| are hybrid will totally depend on the market reaction | | | | automaker calls "two-mode" technology that makes |
| to the product," said Paterson. | | | | use of electric motor to assist the pickups while |
| The vehicles that are to be produced at the Oshawa | | | | running at highway speeds and not just when the |
| plant are to be exported to the United States, | | | | vehicle is starting and braking. "We call it a two-mode |
| although Canada is also a huge market for GM's | | | | because, basically, the transmission allows you to use |
| full-sized pickups. The announcement regarding the | | | | the electric motor in either one of those two types |
| hybrid Silverado and Sierra was given ahead of the | | | | of circumstances," explained Paterson. |