Community Question: Should GM Build A Hybrid Crossover In Response To The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid?
9
Sponsored Links
Fiat-Chrysler introduced a very important new product during the 2016 North American International Auto Show. The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica ditches the Town & Country nameplate, and adds a hybrid model with an estimated 80 MPGe, the industry’s first hybrid minivan.
Although we don’t expect General Motors to rejoin the minivan segment any time soon, today’s community question is in response to the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan: should GM build a hybrid crossover to match FCA?
It doesn’t seem far fetched for Chevrolet to offer up a hybrid variant of Equinox or Traverse to take on the 2017 Pacifica and its 80 MPGe estimation. But, we’ve heard no plans of such a vehicle coming to life thus far. We suppose anything is possible with an all-new 2017 Equinox and Traverse coming soon, however.
But, Chevrolet could also skip out on the hybrid powertrain, too. It currently has plenty of green cred with the 2016 Chevrolet Volt and the upcoming 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV.
In the end, we don’t think it would hurt, but it may be a little something extra to steer consumers out of a Pacifica, and into a Chevrolet crossover of sorts.
So, go ahead and vote in our poll below, and chat with us in the comment section.
- Sweepstakes Of The Month: Win a Corvette Z06 and 2024 Silverado. Details here.
Sponsored Links
I say yes because both the Pacifica and highlander offer hybrid variant. But again Pacifica is a minivan though
I say a Bolt EV XL variant, basically a long wheelbase Bolt should do the trick as range improves
A removable roof mounted or hitch mounted ‘range extender’ option or a Long wheelbase Bolt body with a Volt set-up might keep the regulators happy while the rest of us drive Suburbans.. I’m waiting on a 500 mile range Suburban EV myself
The Pacifica and Highlander are not minivans. They are larger SUV (CUV). I own both!
Toyota and Chrysler have plenty of real minivans to point at.
They all would do well to have a real hybrid version of the minivan and the SUVs too.
Don’t know why Chrysler screwed things up and now name the new minivan after a Pacifica.
New marketing guy that has no clue of the difference?
I hope you know for sure that the new Pacifica is a minivan that replaces the Town and country minivan. Highlander is not a minivan that’s for sure but Pacifica IS a minivan.
This is not a matter of should but when.
GM is now just applying the new Hybrid technology to new models with the Malibu and CT6 getting it first.
I suspect the Equinox and Terrain also see this as will the Cadillacs.
Chrysler’s Pacifica Hybria proves that FCA Chairman, Sergio Marchionne, is a liar as Marchionne said that it was necessary for FCA to merge with General Motors to acquire hybrid technology and yet.. the very fact Chrysler is ready to bring the Pacifica to production means that FCA had been developing hybrid technology for years especially given the system the Pacifica is using isn’t a first generation mild-hybrid as this is a hard-core system similar to the system General Motors will be introducing in Cadillac’s CT6 to allow a large vehicle run for extended periods on battery which greatly increases overall mileage efficiency.
General Motors needs to consider a hybrid variant of almost every vehicle it builds especially GM’s CUV, SUV and even their trucks as imagine marketing a Chevy Silverado or Suburban with mileage near 40mpg due to the usage of a hybrid module found in Cadillac’s CT6.
I have a 2009 Chevy Equinox, and it is ideal for hybrid or EREV conversion. GM did build over 100 Fuel Cell vesions in 2008, so the Equinox is ready for an electric powertrain.