When Chevrolet introduced their first hybrid vehicle; there was no degradation in the distribution of power provided by the 5.3 liter Vortec 5300 V8 engine. The first ever hybrid pickup truck was the Chevrolet Silverado Classic Hybrid in 2005. Although the Hybrid was initially only sold in six states in the United States, by 2006 they were available all across the country. The purpose of a hybrid vehicle is primarily two fold from a consumer's perspective - to reduce the amount of toxins released into the atmosphere and reduce the amount of gasoline needed to power the vehicle. Though the fuel savings are minimal - most industry analysts report a 10 percent decrease in the amount of gasoline required to operate the vehicle under normal working truck circumstances. Some savings is better than none, especially when the vehicle has maintained all the workhorse design and functional features found in the widely successful Silverado Classic.

The Silverado hybrid system uses an electric motor to operate power accessories in the vehicle and incorporates three distinct methods in order to reserve fuel usage. The first of the three fuel saving methods turns off the engine at idle. The second is deceleration fuel cut off and the third method is regenerative braking. Three 14 volt batteries that are secured underneath the rear seats serve as the power reserve.

Hybrid vehicles in general are a wise choice for consumers who want to save gas, reduce dependency on oil from for foreign countries and release fewer pollutants into the atmosphere. Few changes have been made to the Chevrolet Silverado Classic Hybrid since its introduction, which is in large part because none were necessary in order to compete in the current automotive marketplace and satisfy their customers.