DaimlerChrysler’s plug ‘n play Sprinter hybrid

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — The world’s largest car and truckmaker will roll out 40 new Dodge Sprinter Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) in the U.S. and other countries as part of a new test fleet program.

DaimlerChrysler says it’s the only vehicle manufacturer to investigate the feasibility of plug-in hybrid technology in real world tests. Plug-in hybrids are geared towards commercial applications in which the vehicle returns to base after each shift to be plugged into the power grid, but it also works well in urban traffic situations for daily commuters, the company says.

Battery development is one of the keys to the success of hybrid transportation and PHEV’s yield valuable information through durability tests, according to DaimlerChrysler.

Based on Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle technology, The Dodge Sprinter PHEV has the ability to drive up to 20 miles on electric only power. It accomplishes this with a switch on the dashboard giving the operator the ability to manually switch between modes as needed or automatically by the vehicle control system. Two different combustion engines are being mated to the PHEV system, a five-cylinder diesel and a V6 gasoline engine. The diesel version will yield the highest fuel economy benefit and is the first fleet test of a diesel plug-in hybrid system.

Plug-in hybrid technology is part of DaimlerChrysler’s advanced propulsion technology umbrella, which also includes exceptionally efficient gasoline engines, advanced diesel technology, ethanol flex-fuel and zero-emission fuel cell vehicles.