Electric Trucks Join Electric Trains in Boston Transportation Test
Ram 1500 Plug-in Hybrids Join MTBA Fleet
NATICK, MASS. (10/11/2011)(readMedia)– Chrysler has joined with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and the U.S. Department of Energy to put electrified trucks alongside the MBTA’s electric subway trains. As part of a three-year, nationwide research project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the MBTA was recently delivered a test fleet of 10 Ram 1500 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
Chrysler will use data from the test to see how the gas-electric pickups fare in Boston’s variable climate, which ranges from sub-freezing winters to summers in the upper 90s, temperatures that can impact the performance of hybrid batteries. The study will track driver usage, drive cycles, thermal management, fuel economy and emissions to see how they vary throughout the seasons. With a heavy MBTA workload, the PHEV Rams will need to be charged regularly, which will deliver data on the trucks’ battery lives and their impact on the local electric grid.
“New England provides one of the toughest environments for hybrid technology,” said Richard Gill, owner of Brigham-Gill Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, a Natick, Massachusetts Ram dealer. “In cold weather, batteries produce less of a charge, and in high heat they can drain quickly. Toss in some traffic and snow, and Boston will provide the ultimate real-world torture test for these trucks.”
There is no current plan to mass produce the Ram 1500 PHEV for delivery to Ram dealerships, but the technology may find its way into future models. The Ram 1500 PHEV gains fuel efficiency in stop-and go city driving by storing power for its electric motor in a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack with a 6.6-killowatt on-board charger. The vehicle uses a variety of energy-capturing technologies, including directional charging, reverse power flow and full regenerative braking.
The Ram 1500 PHEV shares the 5.7-liter HEMI V8 engine found in the production 2012 Ram 1500 Express, which is capable of 390 horsepower and 407 pound-feet of torque. MBTA workers will be able to tap features found in production models of the Ram 1500, including a towing capacity or up to 10,150 pounds, standard trailer sway control, electronic stability control and hill start assist to make coping with slick roads and potholes easier.
“When you see the Ram 1500′s capabilities, it’s clear why this pickup was selected by the Department of Energy for these tests,” added Gill. “The goal for Ram is to give truck buyers the power that they need and the better fuel economy that they deserve. This project is a major step toward that goal, and in a few years we may see some hybrids that can outperform gas and diesel trucks in gas mileage and performance.”
In addition to its contribution to the MBTA, Chrysler will donate four plug-in hybrid Ram 1500s to National Grid for additional testing. Chrysler is also working on plug-in hybrid technology for a fleet of 25 Town & Country minivans that will be tested in select cities next year.
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