Via Motors VTRUX - Jay Leno's Garage

Via Motors VTRUX. Bob Lutz stops by the garage with his latest exciting venture, Via's extended range electric truck. With a 4.3-liter GM-sourced V6, it takes four hours to charge at 220, gets roughly 100 mpg with a full range of 300 miles - and you can run your power tools off it!
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Via Motors VTRUX - Jay Leno's Garage
• Via Motors VTRUX - Jay...
Jay Leno's Garage
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[@6bolt_Z]

This is a hybrid that I could actually see myself purchasing. A Silverado that retains basically all factory options like the 4x4, and can act as a mobile power unit. Pretty cool.

[@stompbuilds5416]

This was 4 yrs ago. Why aren't these available to the public yet?

[@billd5211]

I have a feeling if GM is smart for their next gen Silverado (2018 OR 2019) that they'll do something like this. If they don't there idiots and missing a HUGE opportunity, because all I see on these videos are comments about how much people love this. I would want one!!

[@skrewylewy3259]

cause the gov says no they control the gas and oil it will be them loosing money and they hate it

[@Globbs]

They are available to the public. I've seen them being built and used.

[@noson7112]

I want one But in Sweden they would cost as a small house

[@Lincolnator721]

I don't see where they're available to the public. There's at least 3 Chevy dealerships in my area and there's not one Via truck in any lot... and I bet if I asked the salesmen if they know about this truck, they wouldn't know what I'm even talking about.

[@mixflip]

Hurry up and sell me this truck already!!! I have been driving my 2000 Nissan Xterra and holding off on buying a new truck because I am waiting for a hybrid truck like this!!!

[@danwat1234]

Hybrid trucks from Ford/Chevy should come out within a few more years. No plug probably though, just hybrid with a small battery pack. WHo knows if Vtrux will ever let consumers buy from them.

[@g00glechr0me8]

You might be able to buy the workhourse truck sooner...it has a bigger battery for more all EV range.

[@mikeredmond1000]

@@danwat1234 it's here! Jan 22nd 2021 F-150 hybrid, has no plug, 1.5 kw battery,.. runs in electric only mode about 5% of time , plug in Electric next year

[@danwat1234]

@@mikeredmond1000 nice

[@nayab9]

Bob Lutz is a true engineering genius. Within MINUTES of learning that the Volt existed - I knew that was my next car. Here I am now, proud owner of a Volt =D

[@Dr_Xyzt]

Jay Leno has the best car show on the 'net. Really, what other channel lets us hear the sound of vintage cars, driven with great spirit? Who else gets great car gurus like Bob Lutz in the show? This is as good as it gets.

[@gerardpritchard657]

So this vid is 3 years old...where are these trucks?!

[@rchappy1305]

Gerard Pritchard go to their website, they do not sell to the public yet, all fleet sales. www.viamotors.com/

[@nicholaslandolina]

Gerard Pritchard On the street

[@DougTheSnowMan]

4:31 Thats an ecotec 4 cylinder!

[@cadolf3]

Too bad only Jay Leno has the $100,000 needed to own that thing.

[@ryandryand]

love Jay Leno character. very nice fella i believe

[@rhigh100]

lucky capone I always prefered David Letterman to Leno. But i were given the choice of who i would rather meet and hang out with it would be Jay.

[@MrChevypower]

I'm guessing GM will buy out VIA and this is already part of the long-term plan. To the people suggesting it should have a 2L diesel, it has to have enough power that if there is no charge in the batteries, it can still generate enough electricity for the electric motor to produce maximum power. Bob Lutz knows about small diesels.

[@toptobottom247]

Love Bob Lutz...extremely smart, great personality.

[@rickymac54321]

Anti Petrolhead Haha he's not smart. He's the one who killed the EV1 and was the biggest detractor of electric cars!

[@vidznstuff1]

6-1/2 years and counting... I never would have thought that Lutz was incapable of citing non-inflated specs.

[@ra5928]

Test drive one. I owned two beautiful Sevilles. I L-O-V-E-D those cars. I didn't test drive the Volt because I had crunched the numbers and knew what my gas saving would be, & didn't want to be disappointed, having owned two nice riding Cad's. Not 500 feet down the road, I was blown away. Turns out, the Volt weighs only 230 lbs. less than my STS. Smoother because no gears. Take off is smooth & constant. About 5 moving parts in the E motor. Almost 0 vibration upon take off.

[@zapfanzapfan]

Very cool! Why have I not seen this before and did they sell any? Very practical with electric outlets, every electric car should come equipped with that. Take notice, everyone else! :-)

[@artlewellan2294]

Absolutely in agreement that plug-in hybrid PHEV tech (or extended range) is in critically important and surprising ways the better purchase than all-battery BEV.

[@bigghoss762]

I'm looking forward to the day when someone makes a kit to retrofit full gas vehicles, kinda like crate engines are sold now. Would be very cool to retrofit my '84 K5 Blazer to this system.

[@mikepayne377]

+bigghoss762 No Lie. I'd love to do a retro on this hammered Jeep. It'd look nasty on the outside and be high tech on the drive train. Maybe a nice quiet 4 cylinder diesel? Maybe a 2 liter Pinto 4 banger?

[@Hugo-py2ce]

Ah no not really...its alot more complicated that just changing out.

[@garyfryza6541]

People like their vehicles. Great idea

[@N54B30BMW]

Two of the greatest petrolheads of all Time in One vehicle! Jay: please do more videos with Bob Lutz!!

[@urNbrTotoro]

402hp, 300ft-lbs of torque, in a 100mpg hybrid. I have to admit it, I'm impressed.

[@gosolar2284]

Like they said if you are an average user that avg 50 miles a day or so you will barely use any gas at all so you'll need to use a fuel stabilizer which will be dirt cheap compared to your non-existent gas bill! COOL!!!

[@Koop92tc]

I'm glad you feel that way, I'm just looking forward to when this technology goes into a car that is both reasonably priced and pleasurable to drive.

[@Standard291]

Agreed. Jay has to be the coolest guy out there. I love this spirit and enthusiasm about cars. And hes just so knowledgeable all kinds of stuff old and new. Thumbs up to Mr. Leno

[@ra5928]

I haven't bought gas in 9 months. 6 gallons in 15 months. Jay Leno put 12 gallons for 18,000 miles in his Volt. You may think it's ugly. That's your opinion. But, I get the equivalent of 135 mpg when gas is at $3.40 a gallon ... that's charging costs compared to gas. Even if it were really ugly, I wouldn't car. But I love the looks. As for the $40k tag. I payed $31,800 for mine. After 15 months, when gas savings minus charging costs is factored in, it is now at $30,400.

[@Hundert1]

Innovative, multifunctionality, versatility, totally quiet, clean is the way to go!! Lets make it happen NOW!

[@BrewPub]

A small 4cyl Cummins would bump that fuel economy even higher?

[@terribelbliss9646]

I agree, when you have a constant RPM engine operation then diesel is a far better choice.

[@Jay-lc1nh]

+Terri Bel Bliss did you know the guy that invented the diesel built it to run on peanut oil.

[@terribelbliss9646]

J ay I did not know that, interesting.

[@jrea424]

BrewPub I was thinking the same.. does it really need a v6? probably not

[@christopherstube9473]

It seems to me that if you do not need the instantaneous torque and the reciprocating losses, that a small turbine would be a better fit for this use? You would also have the advantage of being able to use multiple fuels.

[@balikbayan21]

This is the best hybrid solution. An engine used solely to regenerate batteries can run at optimal efficiency, while electric propulsion will provide a smoother powerband and amazing overall efficiency. I hope this trend continues and major manufacturers adopt this technology soon

[@SetApartDisciples]

The first electric vehicles I ever saw were Fords. At some Orange Blossom Festival, like 20 years ago, they were showing off the electric Ranger. I do not remember if it was full or hybrid. But I am assuming full electric because the hybrids did not gain popularity until later

[@ra5928]

That's great. It's a big world. As for FWD, I loved it because I drove my STS over the mountain passes going to Oregon from the Bay Area many times. My FWD STS was awesome going up those mountains. I drove several RWD's through the same passes and I felt like the car was pushing, instead of pulling. There's nothing like the front end leading the way up and down a steep mountan. I'm not a racer, so in normal driving, I couldn't tell the difference. And I drove RWD's for a living.

[@pronsbrook1792]

Via motors to the moon!!

[@mx3sleeper]

Friggen rights Jay Leno's Got love for the Rotary engines!!!!

[@JuanGarcia-zq5tp]

Very smart by Via Motors, getting a proven vehicle and converting it. There are some companies in California that decided to make their own vehicles from scratch and that takes too much time, money, government approval, etc. These guys invested the time and money into transforming a vehicle that is already popular into a hybrid or extended range hybrid that can run purely on electricity. I am not a pickup or SUV person, but I acknowledge that people love them, so this is very smart on behalf of VIA Motors, and probably better looking than if they went with their own electric pickup design. Also the fact that it is based on a GM truck means if any part breaks other than electric motor parts, you can simply get it online or at your local GM dealer.

[@gibb1991]

Yes. The VIA VTrux has an electric motor system that delivers 402 horsepower at 300 foot-lbs of torque. The specifications for each vehicle is available on their website.

[@fernsemer]

As someone who made his living as a courier for about 8 years,,,I wish these kind of vehicles had already been around when I was driving. I would typically gas up $40+ dollars in the morning. Easily around $200+ dollars a week in gas expenses every week. With one of these vehicles I could have saved at least a $100 every week in gas and maintenance. If VIA motors is looking for another test bed for their vehicles,,,they should look to the courier industry. We'd give them a workout!

[@ra5928]

The eye of the beholder. Jay Leno is a full blown gear head and his daily driver is a Volt. I owned two beautiful Cad Sevilles and I loved them. Nowhere near my Volt.

[@CollinsProjects]

Yes, full size pickups are the best selling vehicles in America. A decent percentage of these people actually use their trucks for hauling. Plus, even if you're not hauling, many people buy trucks because they have big V8 engines and they like power. This will work for the people that just want a big vehicle to commute in, but it won't sell to a large percentage of the people who drive trucks.

[@desertfox2020]

Mine had the original alternator and battery until 240k miles. The transmission is the only mechanical weak point other than the plenum. This one went out at 70k, but the Jasper one we put in has lasted the remainder. My dad bought this truck with 30k miles on it in 2004, and it had been exceptionally babied by the first owner. I learned to drive in it and I wouldn't trade it for any other vehicle.

[@Elvisml2]

I'm shocked by the number of commenters that are asking questions that are clearly answered in the video. Most of your criticisms are addressed.

[@butchhampton5501]

Woodwardmhamptoñii Disney Channel back on my tablet what the deal is Dion JC on it please on my tablet my please please help me get it now now now the comedy this thank you thank you please try to get it back on take off the car thank you you're welcom

[@MICHGO1]

HE DIDN'T ANSWER WHY IN 2019 THERE AREN'T ANY ON THE ROAD.

[@scrambler350]

I'd love to have one of these vans for work - onboard D/C and A/C power.

[@jonathanpinckney9227]

Yeah,while listening to AC/DC.

[@jonathanpinckney9227]

No matter what the furture holds,there's nothin' like the sound of an old V8.

[@traveltrailertales1440]

Jonathan Pinckney I agree with you about V8's. At least with an EV someone can make an app so the user can have their favorite engine sound play through the car's stereo as they drive,,,,

[@OldsCutlass1978]

I like that, I wouldn't mine owning one these. This is some great technology. America is again leading the way.

[@hpseanyboymoney]

jay is the best love that truck

[@Hargak]

I got a 94 ram I bought for 500 bux sitting right outside, 209k miles runs like new, I cleaned number 8 injector when I bought it, had rust flakes in it. Ac works, good reliable truck. 5.2 liter. Yes, like I said time will tell. but time will take 10 years, unless they all blow early. It's mostly about budget, regulations and profitability. If the truck's motor is forged, and bearings are strong, and it's tuned properly with very smart ECU AI, then it could last a long time, knock kills.

[@GrandpaJeffrey]

I love the truck. Hey I noticed your comment about needing to drain the tank on your Chevy Volt once a year. If you really need to do that you don’t need the gas engine. But for s truck, owned by a business person it makes perfect sense. Sometimes the contract work needs to be done in the next city down the highway. Awesome product.

[@DragnBarZ]

great idea

[@paulstaf]

Just saw this video for the first time.....From 2012. In the video Mr. Lutz says they will be selling to consumers with 10 months or so.....looking at their website today, 4 years later, they still don't sell to consumers, and they say they may be selling to them within a couple years. Question, Did they hit a snag or something?

[@arindryn]

I would love to get my hands on one!!!!!

[@boobam3648]

I am in the same boat as you. first time hearing about a platform like this for hybrid. something that I thought of while watching was how the gasoline engine works when it's needed while driving.. when it hasn't been started in a while? I know my engine would hate me if I cold started it and immediately put it at high rpm under load. are there reliability issues from that aspect? conspiracy theories aside, I think it's the million little things to make it perform in the real world? I'm not the only one that wants this as a buying opportunity.

[@pancudowny]

I would imagine the entire powertrain would operate much like the Volt powertrain: Relying on electric-only for speeds below 35 for limited distances, with it using only one of its two-stage motor/generator assemblies propel it above a given speed & the two combined during lower speeds, emergency acceleration (passing) and take-off, with the engine only engaging the driveline when cruising above a set speed for a given duration while simultaneously driving one of the motor/generators to charge the battery-pack until a certain level of charge is achieved. And if the charge level of the battery-pack reaches a preset level of discharge while driving below the preset engine/drivetrain engagement speed, the engine would charge the pack via high-speed stage of the motor/generator while simply running at idle-speed, while the larger low-speed stage still propels the vehicle. I feel as if I may have omitted a few details... but none the less, from the standpoint of a educated mechanic & self-educating engineering enthusiast, the operation of the system in the Volt is flawless & helped it to outperform the Prius in ALL respects. And thus, so shall the Via ute-hybrids' system.

[@i486DX66]

Powerful government resisting electric vehicles? How much money has the government given to alternative energy / solar development and companies like Tesla? Oh yeah, what about those government tax credits for electric vehicle and solar purchases? Sure, yeah, they are trying to kill the EV. There are more convincing conspiracy theories to push.

[@desertfox2020]

Also I love the idea of converting our usage of gasoline straight to natural gas. It burns cleanly, and efficiently, and north america has virtually limitless amounts of it. If I remember correctly, the octane equivalent is about 150, so it's capable of handling whatever boost pressures the block can = crazy power to liter ratio, if the engine is made properly. But any ICE can run on it, meaning noone has to trade in their car. The only problem is storage.

[@AndY1ksi]

I just love my Ampera. TY Bob!

[@DenverJohnBradley]

Jay, with a voice like his, you gotta get him to say "hey kid.. want some candy?" at least once. lol!

[@kojack635]

Former active duty Marine?! Hellzz yeaaa

[@Raytarded66]

bob lutz is a genius

[@ra5928]

In the video, Leno had already driven 13 miles and he still had about 41 miles left on the charge. They started with 50. So they gained 4 miles on the range. He was not driving it easy either. Had he driven nice and easy, he would have had perhaps 45-48 miles left. I constantly get 45-50 miles range with my Volt during warmer weather. When I decide to punch it for fun, that comes down to 38-43. Just like an ICE car.

[@LaloPineda]

i'm totally fall in love of this truck, i would like have one, i'm a young entrepreneur on own startup IT company on Oaxaca Mexico and i really like this tech.

[@CALOCALKY]

Hear in Ireland home heating is run on hot water from furnace plumbed to radiator . You could bypass the colling radiator in the truck and pump the hot water from the engine to radiator

[@alineharam]

Jay, thanks again for this great and informative video. This is great news! I hope a diesel version will be developed.

[@TheRubadub1]

another great vid...I realy enjoy this channel thanks guys

[@hydrapr]

In the beginning of the video it said the truck has a 400 hp electric motor. Electric motors make more torque than gas motors and they make it instantly, so I think the towing ability of this truck would be good. Reliability is probably better than the gas truck. I would like to own one, but they need to make a dually version and prove it works in -20 F weather. It is currently out of my price range, but I am confidant the price will go down.

[@zilvova]

I would love to get Suburban like that. It will be a great replacement for my '94 3/4 ton diesel suburban with 1/4 million miles, which by the way still looks very good.

[@eccybut12345]

love the styling on the front of the van :D

[@JuniorSnapper]

We know about now but will it do a burnout?!!

[@jojoestranger4989]

Wow,this is the way to go

[@AgapeWarrior]

***** correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure I heard Jay state that he only used like 18 gals of fuel so far in his volt,, and then again state that the tech is not here so my question to him would be,, if you were to remove all the components that comprise the ic system and replaced that with the same amount of weight of batts then dont you think you might have been able to save that 18 gals of gas over the life so far ?????

[@embrj1453]

Why the need for a V6 just to generate power?

[@ItsJosh]

I think the engine kicks on to tow something, or under hard acceleration and when the battery runs out. Hopefully they will use the new EcoTec3 4.6l in the newer ones.

[@embrj1453]

I meant generate electric power...

[@ItsJosh]

Well their certainly not going to have 2 engine's

[@embrj1453]

actually they do, one electric and one v6 just to run the generator to charge the batteries...

[@ItsJosh]

Ohh, I thought you ment a second gas motor to generate power.

[@mixflip]

When can i buy this truck?

[@ra5928]

Kiplinger Investment group puts the recoup time of a Volt over a Cruze at 5 years. That is without the Cruze having the same options as the Volt. Love and hate for cars is a personal thing. I'm glad to be in the same company as Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya & Jay Leno. Real car guys who love their Volts. I don't hate any car. They're objects.

[@Hargak]

because, it's a much larger generator, appears to be the same as the drive motor ~400hp. It has to be capable of producing what's needed when batteries are spent.

[@tmber01]

Yes, competition does tend to cause improvement in order to survive in the marketplace.

[@desertfox2020]

I like your Subaru, not exactly my style but I would definitely drive it. The 5.2 and 5.9 share everything but heads. The only problem any of the magnum engines have is the plenum gasket likes to blow and leak oil in the combustion chambers. It pings under any kind of load, won't rev, won't kick down, and runs rich which kills your gas mileage. The only other Chrysler engine from the period that I like is the 4.0 straight six jeep engine, as I've never heard of one going out under normal use.

[@MrKenzyte]

Still... waiting

[@ra5928]

Didn't you watch the whole video? The v6 will run at a constant speed which is much lower than a regular motor will need to run. It is the generator that provides the power to the e motor. The V6 runs the generator, not the truck. This is a series hybrid. You are mistaking it for a parallel hybrid. People seem to forget that electric motors power locomotives. They are diesel-electrics. They pull up to 2 mile long trains with electric motors! Think trains. That'll help.

[@elgringiototote]

I'm not going to lie, I dont like or want trucks, but I wants one! Thats extremely impressive gas mileage, even if it was a small car that'd be amazing let alone a big ol truck like that!

[@Hargak]

For the "GAS" type of fuels, it's always been about storage, especially when considering stuff like hydrogen. If there was a big wreck, a trickle, or water balloon type of fuel dispersion becomes an air-born bomb explosion. This is the danger with any type of pressurized fuel. The answer, (imho) is nano-li-po nano li-po doesn't have a crazy reaction when punctured, and stores more than regular lipo, which is already very high compered to lithium.

[@ak47popoff]

very cool!

[@scoops2525]

How does it work in -30c weather and snow?

[@antronx7]

Should work just fine. Since it has gasoline engine, it can use waste heat to keep battery and electronics at proper temp.

[@lylestavast7652]

They're in Orem UT so they do see those conditions a lot from Nov-March - maybe not quite that cold - but often below 0F.

[@totallyjonesin]

Probably close to a 100,000$ pickup, and still plugs into the grid. In a lot of areas grid equal coal or natural gas power plant. And they still are trying to deal with the electrocution hazard for first responders to accidents.

[@insevanhouts]

It has been proven over and over again that an EV running on 'dirty' electricity is cleaner than a normal ICE

[@WANDERER0070]

awsome mpg,now tell us how much it costs so we can forget about geting it!

[@TecnamTwin]

Three EVs that are AWESOME! Tesla Model S Performance 0-60 in 3.9 sec. 200-300 miles, plus less than 1 hr. FREE Supercharges Rimac Concept One 0-60 in 2.8 sec. 310-372 miles White Zombie street-legal EV dragster 0-60 in 1.8 sec. 120 miles While most companies are busy producing 70-100 mile range compliance cars, there are others who are achieving incredible things with a pure EV drivetrain. It's the future, and PHEVs are a great step towards that future.

[@silveradoblue327]

nice truck

[@DrewHughesMusic]

Thats going to be one amazing car! keep up the good work

[@dcampbellhutchinson]

The website says this thing has a 402 hp electric motor and 300 ft-lbs of torque. That's pretty impressive. Should be enough to tow something, but I'd be curious to see what towing does to the battery or what a day at the job site running tools off of it will do...

[@superhollowfied906]

I believe it would benefit GM if the hybrid trucks were only available from the GMC division. It would give GMC a clear difference from Chevrolet which I say it desperately needs. The Denali trim on GMC vehicles isn't enough to differentiate from Chevrolet vehicles. Slapping a different logo and adding leather on the same product from Chevrolet is badge engineering at its finest for GMC...

[@RMAGEDN740]

i wonder how much it sacrifices in the towing category? another thing buyers need to consider when buying a hybrid is replacing the very expensive batteries but i think this is an awesome product and cant wait to see it become successful.

[@aitkerson]

Gotta say, I'm a fan! I love my truck like most other fellas out there. But, I hate the mileage it gets. Very cool indeed.

[@Hargak]

I know what you mean, you ever had a golf cart though? they were a blast to have around, because "they just worked." now they can be fast too, try taking an electric for a test drive. The feeling for me is better, I love the torque. though the sound will be missed.

[@danwat1234]

EVEN TODAY VTRUX is STILL NOT available to buy by the regular consumer... guess they'll never make it.

[@camdenwatts7166]

Its kinda funny that Leno said hybrid is the future because full electric doesn't have the range... but then he said that he doesn't use the fuel in his volt and has to worry about it going 'bad'.

[@mikejohnson4696]

he's not wrong. a volt covers most people's commute. however full electric doesn't cut it for most. reason I'll be getting a 2017 volt and not the Tesla model 3 or Chevy bolt is I'd be trapped my town. nearest large city i travel to, San antonio, is 4 hours away. no electric car has the range. but the hybrid volt covers my commute

[@willrc5731]

Jay lives in the same city as me. He has no need to go out of the electric range. Jay was talking about using electric cars for long range trips. They just can't do it.

[@aheartseeker]

Perhaps you are right, but I think that one of the factors in that decision was also american mentality (not saying this in a bad way) regarding smaller engines and cars in general. In America people tend to like big cars better and the fact that pick-up trucks are a best seller is a testament to that. The V6 will have an easier time spinning the generator at low consumption, but I still think that a smaller engine (say 4 cyl 1.8) could spin the generator.

[@VegasStuto]

and STILL not mainstream! 80k msrp, common!

[@bugsea54]

I bought the Chevy volt last year before prices spiked. I just love it. The world is getting from fossil fuels. The US needs to get on board!

[@danwat1234]

I'd bet the battery pack is liquid cooled and heated like the Volt. So the systems will keep the temperature ideal and if the pack runs low because you are running stuff off the truck all day and the car is 'on' then the engine will kick on to charge up. Yeah I wonder about how rugged the battery pack is with full throttle for extended periods, towing up a mountain. They've probably figured it out.

[@MangoSmoothie16]

A small turbo will spool up at low rpms if put under load. The engine would be under enough load turning a generator to allow the turbo to boost up I would think. That would allow a smaller displacement engine to be used. But yes it would be more expensive and in theory less reliable.

[@desertfox2020]

I still think that the 4.6L V6 is just oversized to be a generator. I was thinking of some of the small diesels they put in the small trucks that GM sells overseas. And although my experience is limited, I thought that once the turbo was spooled up, the black smoke went away. I usually don't see small engines do that either, only very high displacement diesels like in 2500+ trucks.

[@12345mike6789]

I need one of these

[@Dwilsonmusic145]

I hope that the volt can get somewhere around 50 miles on battery alone as opposed to the 35 mpg and that would be perfect.

[@AimForTheBushes908]

Very true.

[@Koop92tc]

Exactly, It big enough to be industrial. You can't run a job site on the little 1.4L in the Volt. The point I (poorly) made was that the Volt costs more than twice that of Cruze but does exactly the sam thing except use less fuel. Where as in the pickup it will undoubtedly cost twice as much as a normal V-6 pickup but it will probably have more pulling capacity as well as being able to be used as an extremely portable power source. In short, I love the technology, I hate the Volt.

[@nicholassanguinetti9147]

Is that the Vice President! haha!

[@Hargak]

I like what they did with the f150 v6 twin turbo. Time will tell if they over-engineered it, I never used to applaud Ford but I must say I tip my hat to them now, and may look to them for a new truck in the future. Diesel is more expensive as a fuel strangely, since it's a bi-product of gasoline.. I do beleive there is more time spent refining it now then there used to be due to ultra low sulfur requirements.

[@overnightpartsfromjapan01]

This is a big car. A mid-size Chevy Volt needs a turbo 1.4, this is a full-size truck so it probaably needs a more substantial motor/genset to recharge the battery pack. I would guess they researched which engine size was the most appropriate for this application and made the decision to go v6 based on that.

[@oneandonlyshyam]

hey jay they need to make a kit to retrofit older suv's i would love to do this to my late model suburban.

[@desertfox2020]

On their site it says it has a 1500 lb payload. For towing capacity, it simply says "ample". If it's under 7,000 lbs, they need to work harder. My 13 year old Ram with 230 hp can tow 7500 lbs, and they claim the electric motor is putting out 402 horses. For most fleets and for casual drivers, it'll do fine. Anyone who would buy a 2500+ though, this simply isn't going to work for them.

[@ryandryand]

Think people like this are real american heroes..