1
NEWS
Fiat and Chrysler place electrification on hold
The US-Italian group's global powertrain boss says cost-effective electrification is still a decade awayFiat and Chrysler have been conspicuously absent from news reports about electrification among the auto industry’s big brands.
Turns out the reason is simple: the group is holding off investing in electrification until production costs drop enough for its brands to offer product at prices more acceptable to more consumers.
That's why there's no hybrid drivetrain in the lineup, and Fiat has served up only the all-electric 500e – and that model only in California. It’s not even on the market in Europe.
Speaking at the 2013 CAR Management Briefing’s Advanced Powertrain Forum in Michigan’s Traverse City, the group’s global powertrain chief, Bob Lee, said Fiat Chrysler will maintain its focus on improving the efficiency of internal combustion, Automotive News reports.
“Many customers want to reduce C02, but they aren't willing to change their lifestyle or pay the cost – yet,” he said. Nor does the company expect that to happen for some time – maybe another decade, he added.
For the time being, the group will continue its work on diesel and downsized, turbocharged petrol engines – a strategy it sees as the fastest, most cost-efficient way of reining in fleet-wide emissions. The CO2 reduction increments are smaller than they would be with electrification, but they’re mitigated by reductions in commercial risk.
Lee pointed out to his audience that diesels virtually match hybrids in the 20-30 per cent fuel-economy gains they deliver over petrol engines, while also offering a performance advantage.
The US market has more room to grow for diesels than most of the rest of the world – Jeep is only now extending the Grand Cherokee lineup to include the 3.0-litre V6 oiler Australians already know. In its current form in the US, diesel power also has plenty of room for easily achievable improvement, via ongoing scrutiny and cost-efficient improvement to individually inefficient components.
Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...
Share this article
Written byJeremy Bass
See all articlesOur team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Subscribe todayRelated articles
Disclaimer
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
Contact
Advertise with us
Local marketplaces
International marketplaces
Scan to download the carsales app
Want more info? Here’s our app landing page
App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo
are trademarks of Google LLC.