Dodge Ram Hybrid

Description:

While the Dodge Ram pickup is quite a well-known vehicle, a gasoline engine powers it. Nowadays most car manufacturers are being compelled to bring out hybrid cars, keeping in the mind the CO2 emissions that are released by the standard vehicles, that contribute greatly to earth’s pollution, along with the fact that the prices of gasoline has shot up tremendously and that the supplies too of the same are slowly running out. Only hybrid cars can survive in the long run and keeping these facts in mind, Chrysler too has announced its intention to release a hybrid version of the Dodge Ram sometime in 2010.

This is quite a delayed release and it puts Chrysler about 2 years behind General Motors who are expected to release their GMC Sierra Hybrid and Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid pickups later this year. Chrysler has notified the press that it plans to use the hemi-powered hybrid system, that are already being used in Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid to power the Dodge Ram Hybrid. This is a smart move since the Hemi powerplant, when used in the hybrid mode, will keep on featuring Chrysler’s multi-displacement system. This system allows the engine to seamlessly change between V8 modes when power is required and the 4 cylinder mode (4 cylinders are turned off) when the demand for power is less. According to Chrysler, its new hybrid vehicles will deliver 18 miles per gallon in the city and 19 miles per gallon on the highway.

Though hybrid technology is making its presence felt in the home vehicle segment, they have not been used fully in the full size and high volume pickup trucks. This will soon change in the near future when consumers will consumers will demand higher fuel efficiency. Once the demand picks up, one can expect to see hybrids penetrating all segments of vehicles including subcompacts, minivans, pickups and wagons, most of which currently lack high miles per gallon hybrid options. There is an immense competition going on between different car companies as each one tries to outpace the other in order to achieve better hybrid efficiency faster.