The much-awaited 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid is now ready to hit the road.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US recently launched the plug-in hybrid version of the mid-sized crossover's latest model. To celebrate the event, the Michigan-based car manufacturer covered its headquarters in Auburn Hills with a comical building wrap.
The building wrap advertising is fairly straightforward as it touts the daily savings that come with the plug-in hybrid version of the crossover and its fuel economy. It features five pink pigs, more like piggy banks, with wings that adorn an image of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivan. The caption reads, "Believe it. 80 MPGe," which is in line with FCA US's claims that the hybrid can do 80 miles per gallon.
The Pacifica uses a refreshed 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, which has no cooled exhaust gas recirculation and two-step valve lift. The engine takes advantage of the Atkinson cycle in which the intake valve is left open during combustion.
"You'll lose a little bit of power when you do that but you also lose a lot of the pumping losses that you would have. The vehicle is more efficient," Pacifica Hybrid Chief Engineer Kevin Mets tells AutoBlog. "We can afford to lose a little bit of internal combustion power because we have the 16-kilowatt-hour battery that can provide all the power you need instantaneously."
The 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is stored under the flooring, directly below the second row of seats. It can last for up to 30 miles before the car switches back to the gas engine.
Note that it takes roughly two hours to fully charge the battery. A 240-volt plug-in system is needed. LG Chem, a subsidiary of the LG corporation, supplies Chrysler with the battery.
With the battery assisting, Mets claims that there's no need to worry regarding the horsepower output of the car. Having covered the ponies, the engine can be tuned toward being an efficient generator over anything else.
Going beyond its innards, the new Chrysler Pacifica hybrid is a recipient of multiple awards. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety listed the hybrid, when equipped with the Advanced Safetytec Package, as one of its top safety picks for 2016. The Texas Auto Writers Association also crowded the Pacifica hybrid as the 2016 Family Car of Texas. Even its interior made it to WardsAuto's top 10 list for 2016.
The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid is expected to make its way to dealerships in the coming days.
