Speaking of the accelerator, the green Silverado is no supercharged Tundra rocket-truck, but it's no smart fortwo either and should post 0-to-60 times in the 8.0-sec range. Take-off isn't delayed at all, and the accelerator pedal has a typical "it's big, but it works" truck feel to it. Brakes engage almost instantly after depressing the slow-down pedal and the transition from regenerative to friction braking is barely noticeable, the only sign being a slight bump in the pedal. Transitions from gasoline-only to hybrid mode are seamless and given away by the whine of the electric motor and then only if the windows are down.
Ride quality is very good, thanks in part to the new hydraulic mid-body mount. Developed specifically for the Silverado Hybrid to counteract the weight of the battery pack, this mount does a good job of reducing freeway hop and otherwise cushioning the ride. In fact, it apparently works so well that GM decided to fit to all regular Silverados and Sierras. The biggest complaint from the driver's seat is with the steering, which feels as numb as a dental patient after a quadruple dose of Novacaine. While okay for a truck, even a slight amount of feedback would be welcome, if only to help navigate narrow city streets.
Towing capacity is the only functional disadvantage of the Silverado Hybrid versus a regular Silverado 1500. Fitted with the big 6.2L V-8 and the towing package, the gas-only truck can pull as much as 10,800 lb, the hybrid can only manage 5900 in 4WD form and 6100 in RWD. The good news is that the hybrid truck seemed barely fazed by a 5300-pound trailer. Obviously, acceleration and braking suffer noticeably, but the engine never felt like it was laboring and coaxing it to about 10 mph in full-electric mode up a moderate incline proves possible. It was a smooth tow as well, thanks to the transmission's variable gears, which help eliminate shift lurching. There's a predictable fuel-economy hit when towing, though GM's towing loop was too short to get a reliable number. Payload is down only slightly over the non-hybrid trucks to 1459 lb for the RWD version and 1418 lb for the 4WD. With an 850-lb load on board, the truck behaved almost exactly as it did when empty, and seemed only slightly slower getting going as well as stopping.