tigerhonaker
04-25-2006, 08:50 PM
E85 Fever: Chrysler outlines plans to increase flexible fuel vehicles in lineup
AutoWeek | Published 04/25/06, 1:48 pm et
Chrysler officially hopped on the flexible fuel bandwagon this week,
outlining its plan to sell more than 250,000 vehicles capable of running
on E85 (85 percent ethanol) fuel in 2007.
Tom LaSorda, President and CEO of Chrysler Group, said that number will increase to nearly 500,000 units beginning with the 2008 model year — about one-quarter of the company's U.S. fleet.
LaSorda outlined the company’s plans at the Renewable Fuel Association annual conference in Washington, D.C.
For 2007, all Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokees equipped with the company’s 4.7-liter engine will be capable of running on E85, as will the Chrysler Sebring with the 2.7-liter engine and the Dodge Dakota and Ram pickups and Durango ute with the 4.7-liter.
Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans equipped with 3.3-liter engines will also be available for fleet customers.
Much like General Motors, which has been making most of the E85 headlines lately, Chrysler pointed out that roughly 1.5 million FFV-capable Chrysler Group vehicles are already on the road — about 10 percent of all vehicles sold by the company since 1998 — a number Chrysler claims is more than any other company.
"Unfortunately, too many of these vehicles have been — or will be — running on pure gasoline due to the lack of a fuel infrastructure," LaSorda said. "But we know that flex-fuels can work, when industry and government get behind them and encourage infrastructure development."
Chrysler Group also touted its efforts in the biodiesel realm. Biodiesel is a clean, renewable fuel made from plant oils that can be mixed with conventional diesel fuel.
"Biofuels represent a huge opportunity to reduce our consumption of conventional petroleum-based fuel and our dependence on foreign oil," LaSorda said.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060425/FREE/60425002/1024/LATESTNEWS
AutoWeek | Published 04/25/06, 1:48 pm et
Chrysler officially hopped on the flexible fuel bandwagon this week,
outlining its plan to sell more than 250,000 vehicles capable of running
on E85 (85 percent ethanol) fuel in 2007.
Tom LaSorda, President and CEO of Chrysler Group, said that number will increase to nearly 500,000 units beginning with the 2008 model year — about one-quarter of the company's U.S. fleet.
LaSorda outlined the company’s plans at the Renewable Fuel Association annual conference in Washington, D.C.
For 2007, all Jeep Commander and Grand Cherokees equipped with the company’s 4.7-liter engine will be capable of running on E85, as will the Chrysler Sebring with the 2.7-liter engine and the Dodge Dakota and Ram pickups and Durango ute with the 4.7-liter.
Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans equipped with 3.3-liter engines will also be available for fleet customers.
Much like General Motors, which has been making most of the E85 headlines lately, Chrysler pointed out that roughly 1.5 million FFV-capable Chrysler Group vehicles are already on the road — about 10 percent of all vehicles sold by the company since 1998 — a number Chrysler claims is more than any other company.
"Unfortunately, too many of these vehicles have been — or will be — running on pure gasoline due to the lack of a fuel infrastructure," LaSorda said. "But we know that flex-fuels can work, when industry and government get behind them and encourage infrastructure development."
Chrysler Group also touted its efforts in the biodiesel realm. Biodiesel is a clean, renewable fuel made from plant oils that can be mixed with conventional diesel fuel.
"Biofuels represent a huge opportunity to reduce our consumption of conventional petroleum-based fuel and our dependence on foreign oil," LaSorda said.
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060425/FREE/60425002/1024/LATESTNEWS