Well Whaddya Know? Chrysler Unveils First Hybrids, 11 Yrs After Toyota's First Japanese Release

[hatrack]

Though it took eight years to follow Toyota's lead, Chrysler finally has unveiled its first gas/electrics, the 2009 Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango SUVs developed in cooperation with General Motors, which offers the same hybrid system in the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon.

We tested the Aspen hybrid, which claims 19 m.p.g. city/20 m.p.g. highway with four-wheel-drive (no rear-wheel-drive hybrid). Though not as stingy as a Toyota Prius (48 m.p.g. city/45 m.p.g. highway), it beats the 13 city/18 highway rating for the non-hybrid 4WD and is about equal to the 20/20 rating of the Tahoe hybrid. And the 27-gallon fuel tank promises 500 miles between fills. Good range, but at $4 or so a gallon, you won't get much change back from your $110.

Aspen is about the same size as a Tahoe. Styling touches include chrome—on the grille, body-side moldings, door handles, mirrors, roof rack and 18-inch wheels.

EDIT

With its 5.7-liter, 385-horsepower Hemi V-8, Aspen has muscle enough to haul up to eight people and their stuff. It also it also can shut off 4 cylinders at cruising or all 8 at idle to conserve fuel.

Ed. - emphasis added.

EDIT

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/autocorner/chi-mxa0810matejaaug10,0,147518.column

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. What is wrong with these people? Put a Hybrid on an SUV?

Slaps head

[happyslug]

12. They see SUVs as the profit makers for their companies

People tend to forget that one of the side affects of the Corporate Gas mileage rule was it tended to bring DOWN the price (and the profit) from small cars. Sub-compact cars are the most price sensitive segment of the new car market. Unlike bigger cars (and SUVs) small car buyers tended to go to what is the lowest price car. Thus to market to that crowd you have to have the lowest price, or be competitive at that price. This has been the rule since the 1960s (Through recent evidence shows it failing). For decades what the Big Three did was sell its subcompact at cost (sometime NOT including Corporate overhead), just to meet the Corporate fleet average. Thus no profit on these small cars, the profit was in the LARGE CARS and later the SUVs. The profit of these cars and Suvs more then made up for the price of the Sub-compact cars.

Lets be honest, the actual PRICE of the metal in a Suv is NOT that much more then a price of the metal in a Sub-compact, the true cost of producing a car or Suv was in setting up the factory, even labor was and is a minor cost of setting up the factory. The only true huge cost is setting up the factory to make the SUV or Car, and the cost to set either up is about the same. Thus the price should be about the same, but they are NOT. Suvs cost a lot more for Suvs are expected to pay not only for the factory, but to the overall overhead of the Company. Sub-compacts were built NOT to help the company's bottom line, but to meet the Corporate fleet average. Once the average was meet, then the SUVs were the main source of profit for the big three in the 1990s.

This same outlook is affecting the Big three today (With the possible exception of Ford, which wants to bring in several of its small cars presently made in Europe). SUVs are profit centers, sub-compacts are NOT. Cars in between vary as to profitability, but the huge profit is in SUVs. the problem is $4 a gallon gasoline. At that price the US is slowing adopting the same outlook on cars Europeans and Japanese have had for decades (Do to $4 a gallon gasoline based on the Taxes imposed on Gasoline in those countries). i.e. Americans are slowing buying smaller cars with better fuel economy, but small cars in the US are NOT profit centers for the Big three, SUVs are the profit centers. Thus the movement to put hybrids in LARGE SUVs, to increase the market in the days of $4 a gallon gasoline for SUVs by increasing the fuel mileage of the SUVs. I think it will fail, Ford is the more realistic attitude, but given GM support for this Chrysler product I see BOTH GM and Chrysler doing more hybrid SUVs, and failing in the long run.

[OKIsItJustMe]

13. Actually, many people think hybrids make more sense on large vehicles than on small ones

Consider the "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotive#Diesel">diesel-electric" locomotive (which has been around for many years) or the many other large http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel-electric">diesel-electric vehicles.

Or, consider the sort of mileage you can get with a conventional small car. A car like a Prius seems to have unremarkable mileage to me compared with my 1970's vintage Datsun 210.


(Yeah, those are for real figures. I used to tell people I couldn't get less than 35MPG if I tried.)

You want high mileage, in a sporty car, for a low price? Find yourself an old http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_crx">Honda CR-X.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/5263.shtml


If you assume there is a valid use for large vehicles, there's more of an actual gain to be recognized there.
http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?ch=specialsections&sc=transportation&id=16955
http://www.hybridcarblog.com/2007/12/small-car-sales-why-large-hybrids-are.html
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn14195-hybrid-haulage-could-save-fuel-and-the-environment.html

…

Compared to passenger cars, trucks operate for more hours a day at lower fuel efficiency, meaning hybrid technologies could offer greater cuts in fuel use and emissions per vehicle.

…

[happyslug]

17. When I first read about Hybrid it was for Tokyo and its pollution NOT fuel economy.

Use less oil, cause less pollution was the position. I believe this was in the 1980s (may be the 1970s, it has been YEARS since I read about the first efforts at a Hybrid).

[OKIsItJustMe]

18. When I first read about hybrids (in the 70's) it was about mileage

Back then, it was a "series hybrid" (AKA "serial hybrid") like unto the E-Flex/Volt. The idea was to use a small ICE running at a constant RPM (for maximum efficiency) charging a bank of batteries which drove the car.

Essentially, all of today's technology was well understood. 4 motors ran the wheels, doubling as regenerative brakes.

[OKIsItJustMe]

20. Here's a 1969 article about a GM prototype

http://www.finkbuilt.com/blog/hybrid-car-ready-in-1969/

[BlooInBloo]

2. 20mpg? HAHAHAHAHA!!!

[TheCowsCameHome]

10. I'm surprised they didn't just offer a 75 gallon gas tank

And boast about the range between fill-ups...............

[BlooInBloo]

21. I'm still giggling at 20mpg.

:rofl:

[DJ13]

3. Why didnt those idiots make a CAR instead of a truck?

Whoopie, 20 mpg!

My 1987 Ford Bronco II gets 20 mpg without the added cost of batteries and electric motors.

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. 19 m.p.g. city/20 m.p.g. highway..... is a sham

What a joke.

[gblady]

11. my Maxima...

gets better milage than that!

[nc4bo]

5. why bother? 385 hp - what the hell does an average citizen need that much hp for?

stupid stupid stupid.

Let's face it, the auto industry (here) really doesn't WANT to produce hybrids or anything else that's ecofriendly and breaks the oil dependence. Why else would they insult our intelligence like this??!!

done with them.

[CRF450]

26. They do because they can, and thats what sells!

Some people (though rarely) do put it to lagitimate uses. Horse power rating doesn't really make that much difference in the real world. Its when you use that power that makes the difference! My 01 Trans Am has a 5.7 350hp v8 that runs like a bat out of hell, yet regularly gets around 22-23mpg, and has reached 31mpg on the interstate. My dad's Crown Vic has a 4.6 v8 with 190hp. Gets basically the same mpg except on the highway. My Dodge Dakota 4x4 pick up truck, has a 4.7 230hp v8, it gets around 16-17mpg average, and its not very fast either, but just quick enough to get out into traffic.

Wanna know why it gets that low even though its much less powerful than the engine in my car? Because the truck is so damn heavy, and has the aerodynamics of a brick. Put that same engine in a 3500lbs car and it'll defanetly get around the same as mine and my dad's car.

The engines themselfs since the 70's have gotten more effecient all while being so much more powerful. Its the weight gain size of today auto's thats holding back fuel effeciency gains that their should be, but cars just keep getting heavier...

[Salviati]

6. Granted it may seem silly to make a hybrid SUV...

but as far as efficiency goes small improvements in the worst performing vehicles outweigh larger improvements in the best performing ones.

Of course that's not really the reason why detroit is doing this though, They'll still market these SUV's to people who really don't need to be driving them, and who would be just fine driving around in a regular non-hybrid that gets better gas mileage. I don't want to begrudge anyone who actually USES the capabilities of an SUV on a regular basis, but lugging around kids, groceries, and sports equipment does not necessitate a SUV...

[screembloodymurder]

15. That's faulty logic.

Supply side efficiency.

[deadmessengers]

7. This is why the "big 3" are dying

They've been halfassing it for 30 years now, and then whinge like little children when better automakers come and eat their lunch.

[liberal N proud]

8. Like the media they will tell you what you want to drive

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. Does this mean these forward thinkers will drop the Maxwell from their line-up?

[happyslug]

16. Watch old jokes, some people don't get them

The Maxwell was taken over by Walter Chrysler in 1925 and became part of what is now Chrysler Corporation (and was renamed the Chrysler Corporation).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell_automobile

[TheCowsCameHome]

19. Luckily we have search engines........

:rofl:

[Ichingcarpenter]

22. Sad thing is the Joke is on

Americans believing the big three care.

[screembloodymurder]

14. That's American know how ... build a larger gas tank

and increase range. Let's you go further between loans.

[depakid]

23. Daimler Benz was wise to dump Chrysler and cut their losses

[Ichingcarpenter]

24. We should not bail out these industries but take them over

They don't care about anything except money and profit.

GM just paid the Germans a quarter of a billion dollars
for lying to investors about their company.

[CRF450]

25. Um people, some of us who drive trucks/SUV's would be...

Fuckin happy with this raise in fuel economy. I'd love to see 20+mpg in my Dakota 4x4 which regularly gets around 16mpg!

[kestrel91316]

27. Expect much fanfare ten years from now when they announce

the installation of half a dozen PV panels on the roof of one of their factories. If they're still in business.

[Howzit]

28. The concept of a Hybrid SUV makes me think "jumbo shrimp" N/T