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Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that a plug-in hybrid version of the next-generation Chrysler Town & Country minivan will hit the market by the end of 2015, a year earlier than he predicted on May 6th.
In the future, Chrysler will give the hybrid treatment to other vehicles including a full-size crossover.
Chrysler brand director Al Gardner suggested that a plug-in hybrid minivan could achieve fuel economy that would rival the much smaller Toyota Prius.
Marchionne remains sceptical about the benefits of this technology, however, claiming it will never meet the needs of all drivers in terms of range, especially in North America where commutes are typically longer.
There's also the issue of pricing.
“I keep on running into this fundamental economic obstacle of overcoming the cost equation of electrification. You can't. You can't unless there is a wholesale change and a fundamental shift in the pricing structure of cars,” Marchionne said.
Source : autonews.com
In the future, Chrysler will give the hybrid treatment to other vehicles including a full-size crossover.
Chrysler brand director Al Gardner suggested that a plug-in hybrid minivan could achieve fuel economy that would rival the much smaller Toyota Prius.
Marchionne remains sceptical about the benefits of this technology, however, claiming it will never meet the needs of all drivers in terms of range, especially in North America where commutes are typically longer.
There's also the issue of pricing.
“I keep on running into this fundamental economic obstacle of overcoming the cost equation of electrification. You can't. You can't unless there is a wholesale change and a fundamental shift in the pricing structure of cars,” Marchionne said.
Source : autonews.com