At the North American International Auto Show, Chrysler shocked media by unveiling their new minivan – the Chrysler Pacifica. While families everywhere get excited about new minivans, what really excited was that the Pacifica will come in a Hybrid version with a plug!
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan has an estimated 248 horsepower, and can drive up to 30 miles on electric power from its 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. City efficiency is rated around 80 MPGe, and a full charge will take about 2 hours with a level 2 charger.
The Pacifica Hybrid will be the industry’s first electrified minivan. Although the second row of stow-and-go seats had to go because of the battery pack, the 3rd row still has stow-n-go capabilities and makes the Pacifica Hybrid able to sit up to 8 people.
Chrysler didn’t make any announcements about pricing, but the battery pack is large enough to qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax rebate in the USA.
“The all-new 2017 Chrysler Pacifica is truly a no-compromises minivan, giving customers everything they need or want,” said Timothy Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands, FCA – North America.
“We started from the ground up to design the most technologically advanced minivan, which offers bold styling, class-leading ride and handling, and unmatched fuel economy, with the Pacifica Hybrid delivering up to 80 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in city driving. The all-new Chrysler Pacifica was thoughtfully designed and engineered to provide unsurpassed levels of comfort, convenience, technology and functionality, making it the perfect combination for modern families.”
I’ve heard this charging claim elsewhere, and it still doesn’t make sense. Replenishing a 16kWh battery from a 6.6kW charger is going to take at least 2.5 hours. One could argue that’s “about” two hours – but it’s closer to “about” three.