2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Is First Minivan of Its Kind

Dec 15, 2016 10:09 AM EST

When we speak about hybrid vehicles, most of the time we would think of cars. Heck, that is more or less what we have been exposed to all this while, even if the shape does not arrive in a conventional hatchback or sedan like the Toyota Prius which looks like a discounted MPV or minivan. Well, all of those doubts and questions can be put away for today with the release of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid.

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is proud to fly the flag of being the first hybrid minivan in the industry. With that, it has been rated to deliver a range of 33 miles based on nothing but battery power alone, now how about that? Those super short trips to the neighborhood grocery store will certainly help you contribute less to your carbon footprint, and when used in hybrid mode, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid claims to achieve a fuel economy rating of 84 miles per gallon. That’s pretty impressive, to say the least.

It is not just the powertrain that impresses in the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, where it will also come with a slew of features that will certainly cause you to smile wide. For instance, the inclusion of Hybrid Electric Pages will be able to help you gain access to helpful information as well as charge schedules through the 8.4” touchscreen display known as the Uconnect 8.4 system. Not only that, the Pacifica Hybrid's Uconnect Access smartphone app will allow customers to access the vehicle's state of charge and charge status updates remotely, in addition to schedule its charging as well as hunt down charging station locations. Definitely handy if you are in an unfamiliar city or town.

As for the Hybrid Electric Pages that we talked about in the beginning, it will comprise of different information which you can check out at a glance. Among them include Power Flow which offers a dynamic illustration that depicts just where is the power going within the vehicle -- be it from battery to the engine, or perhaps to the wheels or the HVAC system, as well as juice generated from its regenerative braking system all the way back to the battery. Not only that, information buffs will be pleased that they can check out their Driving History through a chart that provides a detailed breakdown of distance driven in electric mode and hybrid mode, graphed based to the days in a month.

The minivan segment will never be the same again with the release of the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica, where it has been built from ground up and has over 100 available safety and security features integrated for additional peace of mind each time you are behind the wheel. According to Chrysler, the 16kWh lithium-ion battery pack that lies within the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will be able to be fully charged in just two hours -- perhaps as short a time as some smartphones take to charge, via your standard 240-volt plug-in system. In terms of pricing, it will not be as affordable as the Chevrolet Bolt EV, which is not surprising considering the size of this thing, with an asking price of $34,495 after taking the $7,500 federal tax credit into consideration.