In 2008, the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango will offer something bold and new, namely a hybrid powertrain comprised of none other than the famous 5.7L V8 HEMI. Both vehicles will debut next year as the first volume-production hybrid offerings from the Chrysler Group and the first vehicles to feature DaimlerChrysler's advanced two-mode hybrid technology. They also use an electrically variable transmission (featuring two electric motors), two full hybrid modes of operation, and four fixed mechanical gear ratios.
Backed by Chrysler's Multi-displacement System (MDS), which allows the engine to seamlessly alternate between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V8 mode when more power is in demand, the HEMI Hybrid powertrain of the Aspen is expected to deliver an overall fuel economy improvement of more than 25 percent, including an improvement of nearly 40 percent in the city.
A fruitful partnership Chrysler's two-mode hybrid powertrain has been jointly developed by DaimlerChrysler, General Motors and the BMW Group. It represents a major automotive industry milestone due to the unprecedented, fully integrated combination of electric motors with a fixed-gear transmission. The new Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid can be powered either by the electric motors or by the HEMI engine -- or a combination of the two.
photo: Chrysler