Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, as the owners of Jeep, Ram, and Dodge, isn’t really known for its alternative-fuel vehicles. In fact, its only strong foray into fully-electric cars was the Fiat 500e, a teeny tiny car available in the fewest possible numbers in California which FCA boss Sergio Marchionne would actually prefer you not buy.
However, apparently the release and critical success of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid has made the automaker willing to make like ABBA and take a chance. Or, possibly, they figure that at about the same price as the Bolt and with a puny 84 miles of range, there isn’t anyone who would buy the 500e instead of walking to the Chevy dealer down the street.
So, despite the CEO’s obvious and strong dislike of electrification, according to Bloomberg, the company will still reveal a concept of a new all-electric vehicle (possibly a minivan, so maybe an all-electric Pacifica) at the Consumer Electric Show in January.
Of course, this could turn out to be incorrect, and the concept ends up being a new edition of the 300 or something, since Bloomberg attributes this report to “people…who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.” So, on the one hand, Bloomberg is generally held to be a reputable news source. On the other, we don’t know who these people that they talked to are.
This would be an interesting development, should it prove to be an all-electric Pacifica, because like the Hybrid version, this would give Chrysler another unique offering in the minivan market, an area where few automakers are innovating.
News Source: Green Car Reports, Bloomberg
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