I disagree. That 16% means a lot more when it is applied to a gas hog than with a vehicle that alreaddy gets decent gas milage N/A. And its actually 10-12% better gas milage...

Over a 300 mile trip...

Normal truck: 300 miles / 15 mpg = 20 gallons burned
Hybrid truck: 300 miles / 17 mpg = 17.6 gallons burned
Savings: 2.4 gallons

Normal car: 300 miles / 25 mpg = 12 gallons burned
Hybrid car: 300 miles / 28 (12% over 25) mpg = 10.7 gallons burned
Savings: 1.3 gallons

The hybrid truck just saved more than one gallon of gasoline in contrast to the hybrid car over the same distance.

Also Here is a thread on another MB I frequent a lot that I think many of you should find entertaining

 

but the hybrid car should not get only 16% better. My honda, for example, gets around 40% more then a car that gets 36mpg, so the truck at 16% isn't as feasible as the car that gets 40% more.


Normal truck: 300 miles / 15 mpg = 20 gallons burned
Hybrid truck: 300 miles / 17 mpg = 17.6 gallons burned
Savings: 2.4 gallons

Normal car: 300 miles / 25 mpg = 12 gallons burned
Hybrid car: 300 miles / 50.4(40% over 36) mpg = 5.9 gallons burned
Savings: 6.1 gallons

So I honestly don't see the benefit of the truck.

 

Your actually giving it more credit lol...The Silverado only gets 12% better economy, not 16.

There are other variables involved to. Although its probably true that both these systems (IMA, Flex-Power) probably cost about the same to implement, the Silverado's will spread the cost which will bring the cost of doing this down. Notice in the last page how they said their going to use this technology on as an option on most SUV's and trucks in GM's line-up. On trucks that are going to sell far more than hybrid cars, this makes this technology FAR more important than a low volume car line that saves more gas.

Also, your #'s are a bit off. Your car gets 28% better fuel economy than the non-hybrid version. And your formula is also off

Normal truck: 300 miles / 15 mpg = 20 gallons burned
Hybrid truck: 300 miles / 17 mpg = 17.6 gallons burned
Savings: 2.4 gallons

Normal car: 300 miles / 36 (since thats what the normal version of your car gets) mpg = 8.3 gallons burned
Hybrid car: 300 miles / 50.4(40% over 36) mpg = 5.9 gallons burned
Savings: 2.4 gallons

So, this truck that is only improved 12% to your 28% is actually saving the same amount of gas over the same distance travelled. And since this system is going to be used on a greater scale than the IMA, it makes it very much as important as what Honda is currently doing.