Chrysler announces hybrid SUVs

The 5.7-litre HEMI V8 fitted to the Chrysler 300C and Jeep Grand Cherokee in Australia will be united with a hybrid drive system in new models just announced in the USA today.

Unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show, the new left-hand-drive-only Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango will go on sale in the US and affiliated markets around the middle of next year.

Chrysler claims that the new drive system in the Aspen (pictured) and Durango reduce fuel consumption in the city by as much as 40 per cent, or 25 per cent on the open road.

That economy gain comes from the use of electric motor drive, regenerative braking and a continuously variable transmission set-up, allied with the Chrysler Group's Multi-Displacement System (MDS) engine which automatically disables four of the engine's eight cylinders during cruising mode.

The two-mode hybrid system has been jointly developed by the Chrysler Group, General Motors, BMW and Daimler AG, but Chrysler will be the first to market with the new technology.

For Chrysler, it's the company's first effort at building hybrid drive vehicles, which are proving increasingly popular in the USA.

In spite of the fuel economy improvement, the Aspen and Durango produce 287kW of power and can tow three tones, the carmaker claims. Chrysler promotes the system as: "featuring the best characteristics of an automatic transmission and hybrid drive."

With the electric motor assist, the MDS operating threshold (at which all eight cylinders are required to fire up) is crossed less frequently than is the case with a standard HEMI engine, thus saving more fuel, Chrysler says.

The two modes are light load/low speed or heavy load/higher speed. In the latter case, both the petrol engine and the electric motor work to produce the required torque, but in the former mode, the petrol and electric powerplants can work independently of each other or together.

Examples of the different scenarios would include the petrol engine working alone or in combination with the electric motor if the battery charge is low. Alternatively, the electric motor might handle all the motive power needs at inner city speeds if the battery is charged and there's no need for high torque application.

Chrysler states that the system "integrates proven automatic-transmission technology with a patented hybrid-electric drive system to deliver the world’s first two-mode full hybrid." The system "incorporates four fixed-gear ratios for high efficiency and power-handling capabilities."

The Aspen and Durango hybrids are the first fruits of the Hybrid Development Center in Troy, Michigan. This facility is jointly operated by General Motors, Chrysler, Daimler AG and the BMW Group.

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