Chrysler mild-hybrids, plug-in hybrid minivan and full-sized "crossover" coming

I heard a brief summary on AutoLine Daily and found it unusually useless. Chrysler makes GM look good . . . or less bad. Strange for a company that invented the minivan and then screwed it up.

Bob Wilson

 

I'm glad to see Chrysler get into the game!!
A plug-in mini-van getting 75 MPG??? ; from Chrysler!!
I will have to see that, to believe it!!

 

I can hardly wait. For the recalls.

 

BSG, Belt-Starter-Generator. Genius. I bet no one 70 years ago realized that you could get a stalled car moving by engaging the clutch and cranking the starter. Futuristic and the future is now.

 

chrysler is a horrible company. how do they stay in business? that being said, i'm embarrassed to admit i own a 2005 dodge dakota. i do see a ton of dodge's around here, but i have no idea why, horrible cars. bob's right, they almost make gm look not too horrible, but not quite.

 

My Mom taught me that trick in 1966.

Bob Wilson

 

The US taxpayers have bailed them out twice.

Under capitalism, chrysler would no longer be here. As it is, its part of fiat and making money for now. I expect them to figure out how to go bankrupt a third time, and their mild hybrid idea (already failed at gm) is one of those things that makes you just say huh.

 

What austingreen said.

It isn't wise to write-off "mild" hybrids. Except for the Prius, all mine are mild & they get EPA economy equal to Prius and GreenScore equal to Prius.

It's difficult to get "excited" about EVs:

Thats 75 MPGelectric. Not impressive at all, since most cars get 90-120 in electric mode. After the electric drains down, and engine turns on, the Chrysler Minivan will average around 25 MPG on gasoline.

 

Screwed it up is an understatement. They had the market cornered over here too with the Chrysler Voyager (rebadged from Dodge for the UK market) in the late 1990's and the cars were selling very well and everybody (well nearly) had one.

Then they just lost the plot and sales slid, and dealers gave up on the manufacturer and sales slid further and now you just don't see a Chrysler anywhere. Oh and to add insult to injury, Chrysler Europe have decided to rebadge Lancia models as Chrysler!?!? Buy an American car (made in Italy). Just doesn't work. I wouldn't be surprised if they pull out of the UK market soon. Madness considering they were high up there only 10 years ago.

CHRYSLER VOYAGER (model family) - How Many Left?

CHRYSLER VOYAGER (model family) - How Many Left?

And this link makes sad reading. Sales of Chrysler in the UK have fallen 90% since 2006! 90% !!


Chrysler Jeep UK analysis: Still in deep water


What is going on with the company?

 

It is also difficult to find a mild-hybrid model that have held generations for sale...
Insight is the most successful, and even this model is goind to be discontinued.

IMHO, there is room for mild-hybrids, but in a practical way, that is...only a broad production and replacing tradicional ICE-only vehicles would give them the future.

 

Honda IMA hybrids are NOT mild hybrids. In an IMA hybrid the motor provides assistance in high-demand situations and is essential in allowing the engine to be downsized and run in different modes. Insight was moribund when Honda realized the Prius Gen 3 was eating its lunch and launched Honda Fit/Jazz hybrid to bring the cost down.

A mild hybrid just adds regen to start-stop and enough battery capacity to use the motor to get the car rolling. A benefit over simple start-stop is that just having the ability to get the car rolling with an electric motor should provide a smoother experience than standard start-stop systems.

As battery costs drop and densities improve, mild hybridization could work economically, but they'd need commitment to build volume and get the system costs down. I expect it to happen, if only because of toughened fuel economy standards.

 

A mild hybrid is better than no hybrid. If it saves fuel, then it's a result

Still wouldn't want one though.

 

I think the mild hybrid premium was small the problem is it doesn't really improve mpg if the ice is modern and you have a cvt or more than 5 gears. start stop but not eAssist (the hybrid bits) are offered on the current malibu.

2014 Chevrolet Malibu Eco Mild Hybrid Canceled, Base Model Equals It In MPG

 

Yes they are....
What is a mild hybrid? - AutoblogGreen

 

And therein lies a problem for all but a pure commuter car. In my hybrid, I stop for 15 minutes with a refill station probably every 10 miles or so and add 400 miles of range. If I'm driving to a 250 mile destination, I'm not going to want to plan my trip around selecting a place where I'd like to stop in the middle for a significant time to get the fuel to go the rest of the way there. And even if I found the charging station, what guarantee is there I could hook up in a reasonable time? And in the east, the motels I stop at don't have charging stations or allow extension cords. My work location had no stations. My commute wasn't helped by my choice of fuel allowing me access to low use lanes.

Now I understand your profile is different, but I'd wager mine more typical right now of the way most people drive and their expectations.

 

First time I have seen the term strong hybrid before. When I first joined Priuschat it was full hybrid. Still is by Wikipedia. As the link describes, a mild hybrid is something between a full hybrid and start-stop systems. Assist hybrid was coined early on to differentiate a system like Honda's with a more powerful motor from a bare minimum mild hybrid one.

Hyundai's system is probably the best illustration of the difference. While cruising on the highway, the car will automatically pulse and glide. When the SOC is high enough, the ICE shuts off and the motor propels the car. SOC drops, and ICE comes on for propulsion and charging the battery. A mild basic system can get a car rolling from a stop. It might even be able to give a little boost to pass. The motor isn't sized for sustained EV operation at higher speeds though.

There are multi generations of IMA. The Civic hybrid had at least two. Then Honda's new system now in the Fit has a different name, but is really just the next evolution of IMA.

 

Mild hybrid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That Autoblog Green article is wrong. IMA is not a mild hybrid system, it's just a different approach to hybridization.