Featured FCA Pacifica Hybrid MiniVan Beats Expectations

They run multiple repetitions of the test, and simply only use the ones with lower results for the final average. This also cuts the risk of the EPA getting lower than reported numbers if they audit the vehicle.

It likely isn't violating the law to use a lower value on the car's label and in marketing. So they could be using the best value for CAFE, and calling it lower on the window sticker, because customers that get or beat that number are happier customers.

 

I'll be in the market for a 3rd row vehicle and the Pacific just shot up to the top of my list. In fact, with the rebates, the plug in costs less than their regular gasoline counterparts. The battery sits in the stow and go compartment in the middle of the car where it can help with stability and not take up other cargo space. You lose the stow and go ability but you can still take out the second row seats.

The only negative I see is the EV experience is entirely automatic. There is no EV button or mountain hold. The car will determine whether you should be in EV or not. Your only control is to not blip the throttle beyond 50% which causes the ICE to turn on. DW won't care as she just drives the car. I like to mess with things.

 

Inferno- Yes looks good.
I have a 2009 VW Routan minivan which is basically a Dodge Caravan, but the VW version had very similar seat layout as the new hybrid/plug-in Pacifica.

Minivan is a misnomer, it's pretty big and my wife has now fallen out of love with the bigger minivans of today. The 2nd row is two bucket seats, which are fairly easy to take out. Heated bucket seats no less, funny they can put heat to the seats even though you can take em out. Third row is nice but for smaller bodies. Put the seats down and you have a humongous cargo space. I often put my kayak in there with the front seat down.

PS- The 3rd row seat folds backwards, so it makes like a bench to sit on for looking out the back of the car, like to to see fireworks or something...but we've never seen a use for that.

 

FCA's market research likely showed them this, and thus the decision to keep it all automatic. Put in too many extra controls, and it might scare away some customers that have had no experience with even a hybrid.

 

wow! 30+ miles of ev for less than a prime? incredible. when do they hit the showrooms?

 

oh, i thought 34k before incentives. but still, mini vans aren't cheap these days. depends on accessories i suppose.

 

It starts at $41,995. If you get the full federal tax credit, that lops it down to $34,495, which is pretty comparable to the gas version. States that have extra rebates/credits should see more off the price tag.

Production Now Underway On 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid

I honestly hope that the Pacifica hybrid sells well, along with the Chevy Bolt and Prius Prime, so as to encourage more plug-in sales. The more plug-ins people see on the roads, and the more charging stations they see being built, the more confident they'll be that it'll work for them as well.

Now, if only Mitsubishi would hurry up with their Outlander PHEV in the US. It's apparently selling well in Japan and Europe, but they keep delaying it, and losing valuable time on market. I hope we'll be seeing new plug-in SUV's being introduced soon, maybe within a year or two.

 

It's really boo on the jerks that always ruin it for the rest of us by abusing a good thing. Fast DC charging is meant to allow a quick refill of a BEV so it can work on a long trip. Some people were using Superchargers all the time for their daily driving. Electric cost to Tesla aside, this meant they take up a space that someone that needs the charger for its intended purpose could use.

As it is, people getting a Tesla in 2017 only have to pay for a Supercharger after they have used 400kWh a year; that is about a thousand miles.

Also keep in mind that the people buying a Model S or X coming from a similar ICE car are likely use to fuel economy in the teens to low twenties.

 

this whole free charging thing is a black eye on ev drivers. how is the 500e doing? grow a pair and pay for your electricity. there's no free gas.

 

What I've found with my BMW i3-REX, it makes no sense to use the Fast DC charger at any SOC above 65%.

Above 65% our local, 30 minute limited, 100A fast charger is no better than a 30A, L2 EVSE. Above 80-85%, I might as well use a 12A, L1. The built-in, AC-to-DC chargers bring the car up to 100% SOC whereas the fast DC charger only reaches 97%.

Bob Wilson

 

The same FCA that is going to soon be fighting a class action suite for bypassing emission controls alongside Bosch, hmm

 

is this the same company that gave us the 500e?

 

I'm not so sure that case will go anywhere. Without CARB/EPA signing on, it will be a heavy lift however, I did find this technical article: http://wardsauto.com/2016/fca-ecodiesel-quiet-center-storm

A key contributor to the Ecodiesel’s performance and refinement, as well as its emissions compliance, is a multi-pulse injection concept Fiat developed some years ago. Small “pilot” injections of fuel before the main injection create a better air-fuel mixture for more efficient combustion and lower emissions. Then post-combustion spritzes send fuel through the exhaust system to create bursts of heat that clean the diesel particulate filter. As a side benefit, using multiple shorter, smaller injections also reduces diesel clatter.
. . .
“The EcoDiesel’s variable geometry turbocharger and the multiple-injection capability of Multi-Jet II technology are the most significant contributors, because they afford greater control over air and fuel management. Multi-Jet II utilizes high-dispersion nozzles that can accommodate up to eight injection events per combustion cycle.” It also required additional fine-tuning of its engine management controls. “Electronic controls are among the most powerful tools we have to achieve performance gains,” Lee says. “We developed new control strategies to shape torque in response to all the relevant inputs – pedal, transmission, engine and vehicle speed. This also required us to introduce new combustion controls to maintain emissions compliance . . .​

Understand I'm not anti-diesel as much as anti-hyped diesel. It can be made to work but VW (and others!) screwed the pooch. Simple diesel does not work.

Bob Wilson

 

um . . . . Maybe if you figure by cubic feet of interior space - storage per dollar divided buy nothing else virtually has that amount of plug-in mileage for that price?