Mopar Gas/Electric SUV Due In ‘03

AUBURN HILLS, Mich.--DaimlerChrysler will start selling its Dodge Durango with a hybrid powertrain in 2003. The company expects that up to 15 percent of its Durangos will be equipped with the new gasoline-electric propulsion system.

Toyota and Honda both currently sell hybrid vehicles in the United States. Automakers believe the higher cost of hybrids has limited their sales thus far; DaimlerChrysler has been pushing for Congress to approve a tax credit for hybrid vehicle owners, but the bill has not yet been passed.

Like the hybrids from General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co., the Mopar SUV will use an electric motor tied to a battery pack to increase mileage while costing a few thousand dollars more than the regular version.

Ford has said it will start building its Escape hybrid in 2003, while GM reported that its Silverado will go into production in 2004.

According to Dodge, the hybrid Durango SUV, with its through-the-road powertrain technology, gives consumers the option of an environmentally- friendly vehicle that continues to provide the performance, size and utility suited for the U.S. market.

“You can get V-8 power out of a V-6 while burning much less fuel,” said DaimlerChrysler’s Bernard Robertson. “It’s exactly what people want--to be able to have a positive impact on the environment without having to pay for it. And we are doing this with a sport-utility vehicle, one of the most popular segments of the market today.”

Federal legislation introduced by Sen. William Roth (R-Del.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, to create up to $3,000 in tax incentives for purchasers of hybrid vehicles could make the Durango hybrid cost competitive with its gasoline-powered counterpart.

The hybrid Durango combines two separate propulsion systems: a 3.9-liter, V-6 engine with automatic transmission that powers the rear wheels, and a three-phase, AC induction electric motor that drives the front wheels. The electric motor assists the gasoline engine during acceleration, and recaptures energy normally lost during deceleration.

The combination provides the power, acceleration and performance of a conventional V-8 engine. In fact, it is quicker than a 5.9-liter V-8-powered Durango from 0-60 miles per hour, according to the company.

The hybrid powertrain yields a 20 percent increase in fuel efficiency, achieving 18.6 miles per gallon combined city/highway, compared with 15.5 miles per gallon for the conventional V-8 Durango. The application of fuel-saving hybrid technology in an SUV results in greater overall savings in fuel consumption than the same technology applied to a smaller passenger car.

“This has the potential of saving hybrid Durango owners nearly five million gallons of gas a year, in the aggregate,” Robertson noted. In addition, the improved fuel efficiency results in reduced emissions of carbon dioxide.

Passengers also enjoy a quieter, smoother ride, with no sacrifices in comfort or equipment options, although trailer tow capability is reduced.

The gains in fuel efficiency result in part from the downsizing of components in the hybrid vehicle. A smaller engine can be used, permitting use of smaller related components, including catalytic converter, fan and fan clutch, radiator, and drive shaft. The improved fuel efficiency, in turn, permits use of a smaller fuel tank (20 gallons vs. 25 gallons).

With the performance provided by the gas-electric hybrid, the Durango can be adapted for the U.S. and European markets to meet consumers’ differing demands for fuel efficiency, lower emissions and performance.

“Consumers are in love with the size, safety, comfort and versatility of the sport-utility vehicle. To offer them an affordable SUV that is also more fuel efficient and lower in emissions would have a major impact on our national oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions,” said Robertson.