Fiat Chrysler engineers are putting the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid through final testing and calibration checks on the streets of metro Detroit ahead of the start of production, scheduled for next month.
Two test vehicles, including the white Pacifica in the top photo, were spotted this week in Clawson, Mich., a Detroit suburb. The Pacifica plug-in hybrid looks identical to gasoline-powered models, except for special badges and a battery charging port on the left front fender.
The Pacifica plug-in hybrid is powered by a 3.6-liter V-6 and two electric motors. The lithium ion battery pack is packaged under the second-row seats. FCA has said the electric-only range is 30 miles on a single charge; the plug-in hybrid is expected to get 80 mpg-e in the city. The vehicle’s fuel economy rating has not yet been certified by the EPA.
The Pacifica is not the automaker’s first hybrid. In 2009, hybrid versions of the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen were launched. Production ended after about a month when, because of financial problems, the Delaware factory where the vehicles were built was closed. Only about 1,000 were made.
The 2017 Pacifica plug-in hybrid uses none of the technology from the Durango and Aspen. No word yet on pricing.
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