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2019 Silverado Powertrains: New Pickup Fits Everything From Gasoline Engines To Fuel Cells

Chevrolet has kept quiet on one important aspect of its latest full-size pickup truck: the 2019 Silverado powertrain selection. At the truck’s reveal last Saturday, Chevy only discussed three engines and one transmission. But, the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado will fit with more than just traditional internal-combustion engines.

Green Car Reports reported Wednesday that the new half-ton pickup can accommodate everything from gasoline and diesel engines, to battery-electric and fuel-cell propulsion systems. Chevrolet did not, by any means, confirm alternative-propulsion methods for the 2019 Silverado, but Tim Herrick, the Silverado’s executive chief engineer, acknowledged the basic architecture will suit “all possible propulsion units.”

The traditional 2019 Silverado powertrains the brand did confirm at its debut are the 5.3-liter V8 engine, the 6.2-liter V8 engine and the new 3.0-liter Duramax diesel engine. Both of the big V8s will arrive with Dynamic Fuel Management technology, presumably what Delphi has named Dynamic Skip Fire in the past. The technology can shut off up to seven cylinders to further improve fuel economy.

Herrick added “there’s nothing that doesn’t fit” with the 2019 Silverado’s architecture, which leaves the truck wide open to adopt mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid and more advanced propulsion methods in the future. Notably, the 2019 Ram 1500 will launch with two 48-volt mild-hybrid powertrains.

Although Herrick doesn’t believe the desire for electrification has fully crossed full-size pickup truck buyers’ minds, the 2019 Silverado’s architecture ensures flexibility if and when consumer preference shifts. For example, he pointed to the “splay” of the truck’s frame rails. Engineers positioned the rails to potentially accommodate powertrains that call for additional components under the cargo box, he told Green Car Reports.

Chevrolet will eventually disclose news on three other engine and powertrain combinations, and we’ll likely learn more as the pickup prepares for a mid-2018 launch.

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Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. Man, I don’t know about that skip fire. Cylinder deactivation from 8 to 4 already has its issues, namely irregular wear and eating oil.
    As far as aftermarket, may as well kiss exhaust goodbye, no one wants to listen to the drone rattle of a 1, 2, or 3 cylinder firing V8.

    Reply
  2. Interesting how they are keeping so quiet on the base V6 and the turbo power plants. On another note I sure hope they get more than 355 HP out of the 5.3 and offer interior colors other than black on the lower trim level trucks.

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  3. Several years ago I wondered why GM did not come out with a 3 to 4 liter diesel engine. I thought that an inline would have more pulling power but either would be ok. Now they have finally come out with one. I will be more than interested in learning more about this engine and the transmission it is coupled with.

    Reply
  4. The more I look at the new Silverado the more I like it.
    From the innovative and functional air curtain gills to the out of the box thinking of the “box”. All the way back to the tail lights and corner steps in the bumper.

    Can’t wait to get more info on the powertrain.

    Although the Colorado is all I need, here’s hoping it’s refresh is influenced a little by the Silverado!

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    1. So far the colors are good as well!

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  5. I don’t care for the air curtain gills. Ford did a nicer job on theirs with a nice clean hidden design. These look like something a pontiac would have had with all their tacked on plastic stuff or something you’d buy from Pep Boys. I could see this design on the Aztec or Chevy’s 1st gen Avalanche which was their Aztec IMO. I honestly thought these gills were fake hood scoops mounted on the sides when I first saw them.

    Don’t get me wrong, I’m still loving the rest of the truck interior aside. I love the side design, back design and front design except for the front bumper meets fender area. With the bumper cut short, the plastic insert and then the long drop down fender hanging where the bumper should be. And understanding now why it’s like that, it just makes me wish even more they’d have gone the clean and discreet route like Ford because it obviously can be done… That 1 element if fixed, would make this the best looking truck on the road IMO. Left like that though just ruins it for me.

    Reply
    1. Air handling has been around for quite some time, especially in racing. BMW brought it to the production car in 2012. There may be earlier examples, on supercars obviously.

      Time will tell which one works best, my guess, Ford went conservative, wanted to hide it.

      Reply

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