Hybrid Cars
The introduction of Chrysler’s first hybrids could be misconstrued as a bad practical joke. That’s because Chrysler’s Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen Hybrids will pair up a hybrid gas-electric system—the symbol of automotive virtue—with a powerful Hemi engine, which is best known for winning car races. Blending such different technologies may turn out to be either a great idea, a source of confusion, or a cause for outrage—or all of these things at the same time.
Chrysler’s 5.7-liter V8 Hemi hybrids are very likely to offend the die-hard hybrid drivers, a group easily riled by any corruption of hybrid ideals. From the Prius point-of-view, DaimlerChrysler is flaunting its disregard for the environment by marrying sacred hybrid technology with an obscene amount of horsepower—not official yet, but probably somewhere around 350—with burly SUVs rated at 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. Even after hybridization, these vehicles will barely break the 20-mpg mark—a fraction of what the average Prius driver achieves.
But before hybrid fans go apoplectic, they should consider the real benefits of applying hybrid technology across the full range of vehicles. “A jump from 14 to 16 mpg saves as much oil as going from 35 to 51 mpg” said Jim Kliesch, research associate at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Kliesch explained that miles-per-gallon is a non-linear form of measurement and therefore counter-intuitive when comparing the relative fuel consumption of smaller cars to big trucks. Fuel consumed per mile is a much better yardstick. Kliesch doesn’t believe that the road to sustainable transportation is lined with a caravan of Durango and Aspen hybrids, but he conceded, “What seems like a paltry amount of oil can actually make a big dent.”
It’s clear that DaimlerChrysler and other purveyors of large SUVs need to do something to lift the fuel economy of these vehicles out of the mid-teens. Releasing two Hemi hybrids is a form of technological triage—another example of today’s ultra-light form of green consumerism which asks for no compromise from the buyer. Thanks to technology, more is still more—for now.
