New Hybrid Powertrain for the Chrysler Aspen?
Date: May 5th, 2007 2:49:27 am - Subscribe
Mood: sullen
You have read it right! DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group division is adding up a new hybrid powertrain for the Chrysler Aspen full size luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV), featuring the company’s advanced two-mode hybrid technology. According to Chrysler Group, the new Chrysler Aspen Hybrid will be officially launched early next year along with the Dodge Durango Hybrid. Will Chrysler Group continue to produce more hybrid vehicles in 2008? Well, we won't know until the company say so.
Going back to the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, the luxury SUV still features the monstrous 5.7-liter HEMI power plant. But this time, the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid now comes with a 5.7-liter HEMI Hybrid engine with Multi-displacement System (MDS). The MDS allows the engine to switch between two modes of displacement, from 4- or 8-cylinder modes depending on driving conditions. Chrysler Group said that they expect the new HEMI hybrid power plant to "deliver an overall fuel economy improvement of more than 25 percent, including an improvement of nearly 40 percent in the city." The two-mode hybrid powertrain for the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid features the low and high-speed electric continuously variable transmission (ECVT) modes to further increase the fuel efficiency and performance. So probably you won't be needing a Hypertech programmer to boost the SUVs performance. As for a hybrid powertrain, the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid can run on either on its electric motors or with the 5.7-liter HEMI engine, or a combination of both power plants.
Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President for Product Development at Chrysler Group said:
"The all-new Chrysler Group HEMI Hybrid will offer our customers the best of both worlds: renowned performance and significantly improved fuel economy. With the new HEMI-powered Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, we are delivering the ultimate combination of fuel efficiency, overall performance and capability in a premium full-size SUV."
Watch out until next year for the official debut of the new Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and the Dodge Durango Hybrid.
