03-22-2010, 08:30 AM | #1 |
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Dodge drops plans for Hybrid Ram Pickup
Chrysler issued a press release today indicating they've dropped plans to build a two-mode hybrid based on the Ram pickup. The pickup was scheduled to go into production later this year.
While initially I thought this seemed like a poor decision, I was surprised to read GM's only selling about 100 hybrid pickups per month. If the market's really that small, it's smart to walk away and let GM spend the R&D money supporting hybrids. Additionally, I read that GM was not going to license their technology for the next generation hybrid due in 2013 so the Ram would have only had a limited production run. Here's a link to the report I read from pickuptrucks.com - click here I guess this decision makes those Hybrid Durangos and Aspens even more rare. |
03-22-2010, 10:20 AM | #2 |
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To me this is a sign of intelligent life at Chrysler. Back when we had Chevy, we sold a whopping total of 1 hybrid.
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03-22-2010, 10:46 AM | #3 | |
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I remember seeing a GM commercial where they compared the fuel economy of one of their hybrid SUVs to a MINI Wagon -it seemed like a great commercial. I assumed the hybrids were selling strong for GM. |
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03-22-2010, 11:40 AM | #4 |
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I just don't think the whole hybrid idea makes sense if your not saving 10-15 MPG over a traditional engine. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Silverado hybrid only improved MPG by a small amount (1 or 2 MPGS).
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03-22-2010, 11:56 AM | #5 |
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You are correct. The big selling point for our customer was that the bed had regular 120V outlets in the bed. He could pull up to a construction site and plug in his tools while running them off the hybrid battery. He didn't care about the 1mpg better fuel mileage.
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03-22-2010, 12:51 PM | #6 |
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Oh, I didn't know about the 120V outlets. Still not worth the extra $$$.
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03-22-2010, 01:01 PM | #7 |
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Putting a hybrid drive system on a big truck actually makes a great deal of sense. You will get the greatest percentage gain in fuel economy. The Prius has such a low cd that I wonder what the mileage numbers for that car would be with a conventional drive train.
The issue is more one of public perception. Toyota has done a good job of making people think a hybrid must be a small, economical car and not a big truck. The GM hybrids also were not a true hybrid drive system. |
03-22-2010, 05:10 PM | #8 | |
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I don't know how it ever turned out, but I remember the early reports were there was almost no fuel economy improvement with the hybrid buses. Good point, as memory serves the only part of the powertrain system that was actually different was the transmission. |
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03-22-2010, 05:37 PM | #9 |
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Guess that hybrid training was a waste.
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03-22-2010, 06:26 PM | #10 |
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