AutoblogGreen

Ram 2500 Power Wagon commercial shoot ends with truck spending night in ocean

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:45:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Dodge, AutoblogGreen Exclusive

It's pretty by the ocean. So pretty that it feels like 80 percent of all car commercials are filmed on winding coastal roads (another 80 percent are filmed on mountains and another 80 on mysteriously car-free roads elsewhere). It's particularly pretty in Humboldt County, California, which the USDA has named "America's Most Scenic Rural County." So, it makes sense that you'd want to film a Ram truck commercial there. What doesn't make sense is getting that truck stuck in the tidepools, overnight, then submerged as the ocean came rolling in.

"Whether they knew they were out of the boundaries or not I do not know."

But that's exactly what happened to a crew trying to film an ad for a Ram 2500 Power Wagon yesterday. As reported in the Lost Coast Outpost, the truck was being shot on Luffenholtz Beach near Moonstone Beach. Humboldt County Film Commission commissioner Cassandra Hesseltine told AutoblogGreen that, from what she knows, the crew was permitted to be there, but in a different area and they went out of the boundary. "Whether they knew they were out of the boundaries or not I do not know," she said. A local wrote into Lost Coast Outpost to say that off-road vehicles are always forbidden on the specific area of the beach where the truck spent the night in the ocean, because of endangered species that live there.

In any case, the truck was eventually towed today and local environmental services and hazmat crews checked out the scene and, based on what Hesseltine was told, there was, "no environmental damage from liquids leaking out" and she was not aware of any damage to the rocks or ground. Part of the reason there were no leaked liquids, she said, was that this was a brand new truck, with many engine components sealed.

Jennifer Savage, from the local Humboldt Surfrider foundation, told AutoblogGreen that she is extremely dismayed by the film crew's lack of foresight. "It's easy to imagine," she said. "They were driving the truck on the beach, they wanted it to look cool, so they put it on the rocks, and they blew it. The word 'idiots' has been thrown around here a lot today."

Savage said that, after a visit to the site once the truck was pulled out, "At a glance, it does not appear a lot of damage was done, but I'm not a scientist. Still, it's pretty disrespectful. I have a truck, and I don't drive there." She said the incident shows a lack of respect for the beach and that Surfrider will follow up to see if any damage was done.

Hesseltine said this is the first time something like this has happened and that the film commission "prides itself on taking responsibility for environmental concerns. We do not take this [truck issue] lightly. We're happy to know that environmental services has said there is no impact as far as fluids go. We usually do really well taking care of our precious resources." For example, the new Will Smith movie After Earth was shot in Humboldt, and the crews were required to be extremely careful while filming among the redwood trees. "They had to be very careful," she said, "and they were."

Continue reading Ram 2500 Power Wagon commercial shoot ends with truck spending night in ocean

Ram 2500 Power Wagon commercial shoot ends with truck spending night in ocean originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 02 May 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SAE Congress: Modified Chrysler Tigershark 2.0 engine previews E85-capable 2014 Dart

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:52:00 EST

Filed under: Ethanol, Dodge, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, SAE World Congress

On the floor at the SAE World Congress at Cobo Hall this week sits a 2.0-liter Tigershark engine. Parts have been cut away and there are pretty colored lights inside, but the cool part - if you're interested in biofuels, anyway - is how the engine has been modified to turn the Dodge Dart into an E85-capable machine.

Despite being a Chrysler product, the engine was at the IAV Automotive Engineering booth, and IAV's business unit director for gasoline and alternative fuels, Chi Binh La, told AutoblogGreen that standard E85-capable engines use sensors to figure out how much ethanol is in the tank. The new Tigershark uses the engine management computer to determine the combustion characteristics "People throw in a sensor, sensors are expensive and if it fails, you're in trouble. What IAV has done here is we've taken a combined controls and calibration approach. It's amazing this wasn't thought of before," he said.

Basically, when you fill up at the gas station, the engine knows you've put fuel in. This triggers the first of two adaptive learning strategies - one coarse and one fine - that the engine goes through to figure out how much biofuel is in the fuel line. In the coarse check, it burns the new fuel for two seconds and looks at the O2 sensor (which modern gas engines have) and compares the air/fuel ratio from the new fuel to what it was before the fill-up to arrive at, roughly, the new blend. This is "good enough to meet emissions requirements and drivability," La said. Then, after the engine warms up to 80 degrees C, the fine adaptive learning happens. The computer again uses the O2 sensor to determine the balance, but it lasts longer and is more accurate the second time around. "It is using information from available sensors to calibration the flexfuel content," La said. Chrysler contracted IAV to work on the project, and IAV worked on the cold-start calibration, engine mapping and driveability and emissions work.

Chrysler hasn't officially said when the Dart will become flex-fuel capable (earlier reports suggested the middle of 2013), but Chrysler and IAV representatives on the show floor said the engine will be going into the 2014 Dart, which is due later this year.

SAE Congress: Modified Chrysler Tigershark 2.0 engine previews E85-capable 2014 Dart originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Green Car of the Year finalists announced [w/poll]

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:44:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Green Culture, Hybrid, MPG, Dodge, Ford, Mazda, Toyota

Ladies and Gentlemen, your finalists for the 2013 Green Car of the Year: the Dodge Dart Aero, Ford C-Max and Fusion, Mazda CX-5 and Toyota Prius C. The list runs the gamut of fuel-efficient powertrains, from hybrids and plug-ins to high-mileage gas burners. The Fords, for example, make the list in part because they come in both hybrids and plug-in hybrid flavors.

The GCOTY is sponsored by Green Car Journal every year, and the publication looks for vehicles a lot of people will want to buy. Specifically, GCJ's press release says, "All are affordable mass-market products that provide drivers full functionality and mainstream appeal, paving the way for making a difference in fuel use and overall emissions in daily driving."

These five vehicles are also the cars that Green Car Journal is calling the "Top 5 Green Cars for 2013." From here, GCJ's jury of "top environmental leaders" along with celeb car buff Jay Leno and the GCJ staff will pick a winner.

Past Green Car of the Year winners have been the Honda Civic Natural Gas (2012), the Chevrolet Volt (2011), the Audi A3 TDI (2010), the Volkswagen Jetta TDI (2009) and the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (2008). The 2013 winner will be announced at the LA Auto Show on November 29. What do you think it should be?

View Poll

Continue reading 2013 Green Car of the Year finalists announced [w/poll]

2013 Green Car of the Year finalists announced [w/poll] originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler going with EcoDiesel brand name?

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, USA

Chrysler appears to have chosen "EcoDiesel" as its branded name for a new line of diesel models set to arrive in the States shortly. The artwork above was registered with the U.S. Patents and Trademark office just last month, with the "3.0L" nomenclature denoting the displacement of its first offering.

As we reported at the beginning of this year, Chrysler's first diesel engine will be a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. The powerplant, jointly developed with Fiat, will reportedly make 241 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. Currently mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox under the hood of the Jeep Grand Cherokee in other markets, the new oil-burner would deliver an EPA fuel economy equivalent of about 23 city and 33 miles per gallon highway (the Cherokee's current gasoline-fed 3.6-liter V6, also mated to a five-speed, delivers 17 city and 23 highway).

While the bad news is that the automaker is likely going to delay the launch of its diesel models until the 2014 model year to finish development on a new ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic (a gearbox that promises to deliver improved acceleration and even better fuel economy), the good news is that the automaker will shorten the 2013 model year to allow the 2014 models to arrive as early as January of next year.

Chrysler going with EcoDiesel brand name? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge Dart will hit 41 MPG with available Aero Package

Zach Bowman — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:57:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Dodge

The Environmental Protection Agency hasn't released its evaluation data for the 2013 Dodge Dart just yet, but Chrysler says the compact should be capable of returning some impressive fuel economy figures, particularly with an available Aero package. When equipped with the turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission, the standard Dart is good for an estimated 27 mpg city and 39 mpg highway, thanks in part to active aero shutters nestled in the grille of every model. Should buyers require a few extra miles per gallon, an optional Aero package will see the highway figure jump to 41 mpg. So far, there's no word on city or combined fuel economy for the package, but there's time before the trim becomes available, as it won't be in dealerships until the third quarter of this year.

Chrysler isn't mentioning how much the Aero package will add to the bottom line or what other tweaks consumers will get for their coin. We do know that with 160 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, the Dart Aero should be considerably more engaging to drive than the Chevrolet Cruze Eco. While that model is good for 42 mpg highway when equipped with a six-speed manual, it does the deed with 22 fewer horsepower and 36 fewer pound-feet of torque. Hit the jump for the complete Dart press release.

Continue reading Dodge Dart will hit 41 MPG with available Aero Package

Dodge Dart will hit 41 MPG with available Aero Package originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part III: Chrysler

Gary Witzenburg — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:04:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., MPG, Chrysler, Dodge, AutoblogGreen Exclusive, Fiat, Lightweight, At Witz End

As regular readers know, I set out this year to interview as many Detroit automaker executives as I could at the Detroit and Chicago auto shows to get their takes on meeting future fuel economy standards. And these reports are generating a lot of comments.

For example, "Nick" responded to my Ford interviews: "I don't get how 'electrifying global platforms' is any good. They're essentially taking cars that were 100% engineered with ICE in mind, and 'adapting' them into EVs. Not an optimal solution, to say the least. You end up with a car that looks exactly like its ICE counterpart, costs $15k more, is heavy and has poor range. Tesla is a billion miles ahead of these clowns."

Nick is right that electrified conventional vehicles will be somewhat heavier and less efficient than dedicated-platform cars, but Ford has chosen the former path for its early EVs because the latter is hugely expensive. Ford (and virtually all others) believe that potential EV buyers will be willing to sacrifice some range for much more affordable prices.

The idea that designing, developing and building unique, dedicated-platform EVs instead of electrifying conventional ones would result in lower costs is completely wrong. And I'm wondering what credentials justify Nick's calling Ford's incredibly hard-working, capable and dedicated engineers "clowns." And why he thinks, "Tesla is a billion miles ahead" of them. Really? How many dedicated-platform EVs has Tesla sold?

That said, let's start our Chrysler CAFE interviews at the very top with Chrysler (and parent company Fiat) CEO Sergio Marchionne. "If you ask GM and Ford," he said, "we all have the same types of technology, and we all carry the same burden in terms of the sizes of vehicles we are manufacturing. The 50-plus miles per gallon by 2025 cannot be achieved by just redesigning established combustion technologies. We know that some type of hybrid solution needs to be implemented, and if we don't make [sufficient] changes in combustion engines, hybrids will become the mainstay in the United States. At that point, economies of scale will drive down cost. They will never be equivalent, but they will come down. But if you think we're going to get there without passing on additional costs to the consumer, I've got news for you: we will have to.

Continue reading Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part III: Chrysler

Future Fuel Economy Mandates, Part III: Chrysler originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Why the 2013 Dodge Dart won't really get 40 mpg combined

Autoblog Staff — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:02:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Chrysler, Dodge, Legislation and Policy, Detroit Auto Show

Chrysler dropped a bombshell today, insinuating that its forthcoming 2013 Dodge Dart will have a combined fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon. Some media outlets have regurgitated this number without question. But it just isn't true, as that 40-mpg fuel economy number is unadjusted and will most certainly be lower once it gets printed on window stickers.

To better understand the way fuel economy numbers get calculated, we'll point you to this page on the Environmental Protection Agency's website. The short version is that cars are tested by the EPA to determine fuel economy for Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE), then adjusted for real world conditions before they are published, both on the EPA website and on Monroneys, or window stickers. City numbers are dropped by 10 percent, while highway numbers get a 22-percent reduction. Some rough estimating says that the Dart will probably be rated at about 34-mpg combined once the final adjustments are made. Still a good score, for sure, but far from 40.

So why did Chrysler even mention 40? In its big announcement today that Fiat had increased its ownership stake, the explanation is that Chrysler has met one of the conditions of the bankruptcy agreement, that it produce a 40-mpg vehicle for CAFE. That vehicle is the Dart.

Could Chrysler have done a better job of explaining what the fuel economy number really means? Sure, but then we wouldn't have been able to write this post.

Continue reading Why the 2013 Dodge Dart won't really get 40 mpg combined

Why the 2013 Dodge Dart won't really get 40 mpg combined originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want: house made of recycled car parts, mostly Dodge Caravans

Sebastian Blanco — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Dodge, Videos

Automakers are be quick to tell us that their new vehicles are upwards of 90 percent recyclable, but they don't mean it like this. What we have here is a house that was crafted using parts scrounged from local junk yards, turning what used to be a pile of trash into a beautiful, high-end, eco-conscious home.

Designed by architect Karl Wanaselja and his partner Cate Leger, this house in Berkeley, CA embodies the idea that "reusing trumps recycling." Most of the car parts were salvaged from old Dodge Caravans, including the car panels used for siding. Since the panels offer up different shades of gray, which Wanaselja compares to fish scales, the lighter ones went on the north side of the house to give the neighbors a bit more reflected light. Caravan side windows were used for awnings, too, and Wanaselja found the non-tinted ones better looking even if they were harder to find. All told, he says, there are parts from "thousands and thousands" of cars in this house, as well as waste poplar bark and reused fence materials.

You can learn more about how America's best-selling minivan became a house in the video after the jump.

Continue reading Want: house made of recycled car parts, mostly Dodge Caravans

Want: house made of recycled car parts, mostly Dodge Caravans originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge won't call its new small car Hornet

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:59:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Dodge

Dodge has been wise in reviving old nameplates to inject some excitement into its contemporary model lineup. Recent products like the Challenger and Charger - both named after classics from the brand's past - have drummed up a considerable amount of enthusiasm where names like Stratus and Intrepid could not. But don't expect that formula to be applied to everything Dodge puts out.

Contrary to rumors that the upcoming replacement for the Caliber would bear the name Hornet, a report from The Detroit News suggests that it will not. The nameplate originates from the Hudson Hornet that was built by the American Motors Corporation in the 1950s and the AMC Hornet that followed in the '70s before the company was subsumed into Chrysler. The original re-appeared as Doc Hudson in the computer-animated Pixar film Cars, and was revived off-screen for a concept car (pictured above) which Dodge showed in 2006.

The new production compact, set to compete against the likes of the Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus, will fill a critical role for Chrysler, which currently lacks a viable competitor in that vital segment. Whatever it's called, it's being jointly developed with Fiat and is expected to bow sometime early in the new year. We'll just have to wait to see what they call it.

Dodge won't call its new small car Hornet originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Refinement concerns have fuel-saving dual-clutch on hold at Chrysler

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:55:00 EST

Filed under: Emerging Technologies, MPG, Chrysler, Dodge

Chrysler has delayed plans for a dual-clutch gearbox in the United States, according to The Car Connection. The high-tech gearbox was slated to be introduced with the 2012 Dodge Avenger and Chrysler 200, but refinement issues have reportedly put that introduction on hold. At present, the best automatic offered with the front-wheel-drive sedans is a conventional six-speed automatic.

While both gearboxes allow the engine access to various ratios, a dual-clutch box can generally be counted on for increased fuel efficiency, sometimes even surpassing manually operated units.

Fiat and Chrysler head Sergio Marchionne has said that any new product released by the reborn Detroit-based automaker has to be perfect before being offered to the public, and the automaker was concerned that Americans wouldn't like the feel of a dual-clutch gearbox. Europeans have had access to dual clutches in Chrysler products mated to diesel engines for several years.

The Car Connection highlights the latest Ford Focus as an example of a dual-clutch gearbox that feels unnatural to drivers who are used to a conventional automatic transmission, though the unit is functioning as designed. Consumer Reports has cited gearbox complaints from Focus and Fiesta owners as a reason Ford's scores have dropped on its pages in the last year.

After being further refined to suit American tastes, it's possible the new cog-swapper may be introduced in Chrysler's upcoming small car (possibly known as the Dodge Hornet) instead of first seeing duty in its range of mid-sizers.

Refinement concerns have fuel-saving dual-clutch on hold at Chrysler originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 07:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler CEO: Guess we'll build more hybrids after all

Eric Loveday — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Chrysler, Dodge

Chrysler-Fiat chief executive officer Sergio Marchionne has never seemed too excited when speaking of electrified vehicles. Sometimes, people don't change; they're dragged kicking and screaming into the new reality.

CEO Marchionne recently told Automotive News that Chrysler is left with no choice but to build more hybrid vehicles in the future. This, according to Marchionne, will be necessary for Chrysler to comply with the 54.5 mpg fuel economy standards proposed for 2025.

Right now, Chrysler has a single conventional hybrid in the works: a gas-electric version of the 300 due in 2013. That's not enough, as even Marchionne, a hybrid skeptic, admits. He says, in a passive, non-enthusiastic way, that more gas-electric Chrysler and Dodge vehicles will show up sometime in the future: "I have no other way of getting to 2025 [CAFE] numbers than by going to hybrids."

Chrysler CEO: Guess we'll build more hybrids after all originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger get 31 mpg thanks to 8-speed trans

Eric Loveday — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 08:54:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Chrysler, Dodge

The first eight-speed automatic transmission in a domestically manufactured automobile will debut in both the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger for 2012. The eight-speed slushbox, developed by German transmission specialist ZF and often found packed in luxury vehicles from automakers including Audi, Bentley, BMW, Range Rover and Rolls-Royce, will be mated to Chrysler's 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine on select models within the 300 and Charger lineups.

The result, says Chrysler, is a four mile-per-gallon increase that bumps up the highway fuel economy rating to 31 miles per gallon for both the 300 and Charger - up from the 27-mpg rating found on five-speed, auto-equipped 2011 300s and Chargers. City fuel economy for both of the full-size sedans checks in at 19 mpg - an increase of five percent over 2011's five speed slushbox.

Compact and lightweight, the ZF eight-speed fit into the 300 and Charger with no structural changes and, despite the addition of three more gears, the transmission actually weighs only 6.6 pounds more than the five-speed tranny. By adding a dash of German ingenuity, Chrysler has gotten two significantly improved sedans. We'll see what the Italians can add.

Continue reading 2012 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger get 31 mpg thanks to 8-speed trans

2012 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger get 31 mpg thanks to 8-speed trans originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler to get MPG boost from Fiat technologies, ZF 8- and 9-speed transmisions

Eric Loveday — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 08:46:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat

In the coming years, Chrysler will add a megadose of Fiat's fuel-saving technology to tame its gas-guzzling lineup of vehicles. The goal: Hit the target that the Fiat-Chrysler chief executive officer, Sergio Marchionne, set: increasing fuel economy 25 percent by 2014.

Chrysler will take a multi-pronged approach to reach this goal. With assistance from Fiat, Chrysler will shift from six- and eight-cylinder engines to more four-cylinder units and employ Fiat's award-winning MultiAir technology if possible. Aside from downsized engines and MultiAir, Chrysler will license transmission technology from ZF to replace some of the automaker's existing slushboxes. Eight- and nine-speeds transmissions are in the works, with the former showing up in rear-wheel-drive vehicles and the later in front-wheel-drive vehicles.

Additionally, Chrysler will offer more direct-injected turbocharged engines, debut a dual-clutch transmission in 2012 and, of course, launch the electric Fiat 500 in 2012. Chrysler says this lengthy list of changes is exactly what's needed, and we only have to wait three years to find out if it's right.

Chrysler to get MPG boost from Fiat technologies, ZF 8- and 9-speed transmisions originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 21 Aug 2011 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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28 plug-in hybrid Ram 1500s go to San Francisco, Sacramento

Eric Loveday — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:11:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Chrysler, Dodge

On August 2, Chrysler handed over the keys to 14 plug-in hybrid Dodge Ram 1500 to the city of San Francisco as part of a three-year evaluation program. Fourteen also went to Sacramento. The cities will evaluate the vehicles by driving them and regularly reporting all driving and charging experiences with the loaned demonstration vehicles to Chrysler.

The heavy-hauling PHEVs use Electrovaya's 12-kWh lithium ion "SuperPolymer" battery system that provides enough juice to move the light-duty truck for up to 20 miles in electric-only mode. Additionally, the plug-in Ram comes packing a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 gasoline engine, a two-mode hybrid transmission and a 6.6-kilowatt on-board charger.

Chrysler, along with Electrovaya, will build a test fleet of 140 PHEV Ram thanks, in part, to a $48-million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act DOE Vehicle Electrification Program and a $5-million grant from the Canadian government. The Ram plug-in project is a $97.4-million effort that will soon expand to another ten locations. Earlier this year, Chrysler sent 10 PHEV Rams to Yuma, AZ and Clark County, NV.

Continue reading 28 plug-in hybrid Ram 1500s go to San Francisco, Sacramento

28 plug-in hybrid Ram 1500s go to San Francisco, Sacramento originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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20 plug-in hybrid Ram trucks to be deployed by month's end

Eric Loveday — Fri, 13 May 2011 13:53:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chrysler, Dodge

As scheduled, Chrysler says that it will deploy 20 plug-in hybrid Ram trucks by month's end, with ten headed to Clark County, Nevada and ten shipping out to Yuma, Arizona.

During his presentation at the U.S. Department of Energy 2011 Merit Review in Washington, D.C., Chrysler's Abdullah Bazzi described the Ram as a blended plug-in hybrid, saying that it doesn't run exclusively on electric power during its charge-depletion period. Chrysler claims that the Ram plug-in has an equivalent electric-only range of more than 20 miles and a fuel economy rating that exceeds 32 miles per gallon in charge-depleting mode. The plug-in Ram comes packing a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 gasoline engine, a two-mode hybrid transmission, a 12.9 kWh battery pack and a 6.6 kilowatt charger.

The Ram plug-in project is a $97.4-million effort. Partial funding for the Ram comes from a $48-million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act DOE Vehicle Electrification Program and a $5-million grant from the Canadian government. The government monies, along with cash from Chrysler, will be combined to eventually field a test fleet of 140 plug-in trucks.

[Source: Green Car Congress]

20 plug-in hybrid Ram trucks to be deployed by month's end originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 13 May 2011 13:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Electrovaya delivers li-ion batteries to undisclosed U.S. automaker for PHEV

Eric Loveday — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Dodge, USA

For more than a year, Canada-based lithium-ion battery manufacturer Electrovaya has worked with Dodge on its prototype plug-in hybrid Ram truck project. The plug-in pickup, which uses Electrovaya's 12-kWh lithium-ion "SuperPolymer" battery, is expected to hit fleets by the end of summer 2011.

Apparently, the Dodge Ram project is one of at least two plug-in hybrid vehicles that Electrovaya's SuperPolymer batteries will power. Electrovaya has announced that it's been selected by a "major North American automotive OEM" to supply li-ion packs for a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) platform. Furthermore, delivery of the SuperPolymer packs for this undisclosed plug-in have commenced.

Dr. Sankar DasGupta, chief executive officer of Electrovaya, said in a statement that the deliveries marked, "a significant breakthrough in the company's goal of becoming the major battery supplier for the electric automotive marketplace."

[Source: Electrovaya, Inc.]

Continue reading Electrovaya delivers li-ion batteries to undisclosed U.S. automaker for PHEV

Electrovaya delivers li-ion batteries to undisclosed U.S. automaker for PHEV originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Dodge mulling natural gas-powered Ram

Eric Loveday — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:01:00 EST

Filed under: Dodge, Natural Gas

Dodge Ram - Click above for high-res image gallery

While we've just heard news that there won't be any hybrid pickups streaming out of Ram's retail showroom floors, according to a report from Bloomberg, the truck manufacturer is mulling the possibility of adding a natural-gas powered model to its Ram truck lineup.

When Bloomberg questioned Fred Diaz, Ram's chief executive officer, regarding the possibility of a natural gas-powered Ram, he responded with this:

I'm eager and very interested to see what we can do with CNG in our truck applications. If that becomes the new in-thing for alternative fuel going forward, we're going to be miles ahead of the competition.

Diaz continued, claiming that Ram could potentially experiment with CNG-powered trucks by offering them to fleet customers with access to a refueling station. However, he declined to provide a possible launch date for a natural gas-powered Ram and did not specify which of its truck models could get the CNG-burning system.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Chris Shunk / AOL

[Source: Bloomberg]

Report: Dodge mulling natural gas-powered Ram originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ram Trucks will not offer hybrid pickup to consumers

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Hybrid, Chrysler, Dodge

Have you been waiting patiently for that long-promised hybrid Ram truck that Chrysler has supposedly been working on for the last several years? We have bad news for you: Speaking to PluginCars.com, Ram CEO Fred Diaz firmly put that notion on ice when he bluntly said, "Truckers don't want to buy hybrids."

We're not so sure truckers are anti hybrid more than they are not willing to cough up the necessary funds to bring meaningful hybrid technology to their pickups. Either way, General Motors' fullsize hybrid trucks have failed to set the market on fire, and there's little indication Chrysler's would either... unless the automaker was prepared to offer them at an extremely favorable price point, which seems unlikely.

At least for now, it seems that the only hybrid pickups Ram will be offering are the recently announced plug-in models that were developed using funds from a $48 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and a separate $5 million grant from the Canadian government. A total of 140 PHEV Rams will be offered to fleet customers within the next several months.

The good news for mileage-conscious buyers is that Diaz suggested other technologies from Fiat are likely to make their way to the Ram division at some point. Multiair and light-duty diesels sound like a good starting point...

[Source: PluginCars.com]

Report: Ram Trucks will not offer hybrid pickup to consumers originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler planning Ram 1500 diesel and hybrid models?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:55:00 EST

Filed under: Diesel, Hybrid, Chrysler, Dodge

Pickup truck fans have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of light duty diesel engines in half-ton trucks for the past several years, and it now appears that at least one automaker is about to deliver. According to a report from the all-Mopar-knowing hive mind at allpar.com, Chrysler's dealer computer system is showing new entries for a diesel-powered Ram 1500 in regular and Quad Cab configurations.

In addition, the list of transmission options for the diesel reportedly includes what appears to be the long-awaited hybrid unit that was last seen in the discontinued Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen. Is it possible that Chrysler plans to mate its hybridized automatic with the fuel-sipping and torque-laden diesel?

We have no way of verifying whether or not these high-efficiency trucks are scheduled for impending shipment to dealers, but we're pretty stoked by the idea of a 5.0-liter V8 from the diesel experts at Cummins, assuming the automaker can manage to keep the price reasonable.

[Source: allpar.com]

Chrysler planning Ram 1500 diesel and hybrid models? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Dodge to get 40-mpg small car

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: MPG, Dodge

2006 Dodge Hornet concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler has announced that it is working on a small car for the Dodge lineup capable of achieving fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon. This new model will be based on Fiat architecture and is expected to debut near the end of 2011. No word has been given as to whether or not the new Dodge will rival B-segment offerings like the Ford Fiesta or C-segment vehicles like the newly introduced Hyundai Elantra. Longtime Autoblog readers will no doubt recall that a high-mpg small Chrysler has been on the table seemingly for ages, since before the well-received Dodge Hornet concept car of 2006, a vehicle that was said to have been greenlit for production a handful of times, albeit to no apparent result.

Aside from the North American-spec Fiat 500 that debuts at this week's Los Angeles Auto Show, the new Chrysler/Fiat partnership has yet to produce any real fruit. In the meantime, the automaker has been heavily reworking its product portfolio, offering new powertrains and better refinement for the full slate of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Report: Dodge to get 40-mpg small car originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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