Hot on the heels of the FCA (FIAT Chrysler Automobile) announcement of a 2016 Chrysler Minivan plug-in hybrid that can get up to 75 mpg, there have been a slew of questions. Is that “MPG-E?” “Will it be a diesel?” “What platform is it based on?” “Will it be a Chrysler Town and Country only, or will there be a FIAT variant?”
… And the pressing question from The Fast Lane Truck: “Will that powertrain translate to a cargo van variation?”
The van pictured above is an old and seldom seen minivan concept from Chrysler, way back in 1998. “Exterior view of the Chrysler Pacifica Minivan concept vehicle unveiled on Thursday, October 29, 1998, in celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Minivan.” No hybrid small cargo vans or minivans are available in North America today. Nissan’s NV200e is the only van slated to arrive in North America as an electric small cargo van.
Right now, FCA only builds one plug-in electric vehicle – the FIAT 500e.
A small plug-in hybrid cargo van could be a boon for any small business that needs more range than the Nissan NV200e can provide. FIAT has a few small cargo vans that may work as a hybrid platform. The Ducato and Doblo (and the Ram equivalents) are rumored to have enough space to have a hybrid system without sacrificing cargo space.
We’ll be keeping an eye on this.
Speaking of FIAT-based vans…
