General Motors is forced to stop offering the start-stop system on some of its best-selling pickups due to the chip shortage. With this step, GM hopes to save expensive microchips in order to maintain production.
A start-stop system actually saves you only a minimal amount of fuel. Especially with a large monster like a full size pickup, the system is actually laughable, especially if there is a fat V8 under the hood. The chance is therefore small that customers will lose sleep over the omission of the start-stop system. According to the website GM Authority it concerns the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500. The Sierra is in fact the equivalent of the Silverado. The versions with the atmospheric 5.3-liter or 6.2-liter V8, coupled to a ten-speed automatic transmission, will no longer receive the start-stop system from this week. This solution is probably temporary, but it is not known when the system will eventually return.
“This measure allows us to continue producing our best-sellingfull size SUVs and pickups,” GM communicated to its dealers. By way of illustration, in 2020 Chevrolet sold no fewer than 595,184 copies of the Silverado in the United States. GMC sold 253,016 copies of the Sierra, more than half less. General Motors also reports that the fuel consumption of the pick-ups “may increase slightly”, although this is a proverbial drop in the ocean. Customers will receive a compensation of 50 dollars on the purchase price of their car. You can still refuel once in the States.
Creative
Manufacturers increasingly have to be creative with the chip shortage. For example, to save microchips, Peugeot decided a few months ago that remaining copies of the current 308 will only be supplied with analog counters. As a result, the saved microchips can be used for more important models, such as the upcoming new 308.