Chrysler Group LLC Delivers To Duke Energy Its Largest Test Fleet Of Plug-in Hybrid Chrysler Town & Country Minivans

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will be supplied to Duke Energy as part of demonstration project by Chrysler Group LLC
• Real-world city and rural miles to be accumulated on demonstration vehicles over next two years
• Vehicles developed in partnership with U.S. Department of Energy
• PHEVs will be used to evaluate city drive cycles, thermal and charging performance, fuel economy and real world performance

Chrysler Group LLC, working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today delivered eight demonstration-fleet Chrysler Town & Country plug-in hybrid minivans to Duke Energy – its largest such deployment to date.

The Duke Energy partnership is one of several that will see a total of 25 plug-in hybrid minivans subjected to a range of driving cycles.

Today's deployment is part of an ongoing two-year study of the technology's real-world performance in a minivan application.

"Chrysler is looking forward to the two years of real-world data that will be obtained," said Abdullah Bazzi, senior manager of the Chrysler Group's advanced hybrid vehicle project. "Such data will enable Chrysler engineers to assess the viability of the technology for future applications."

Duke Energy welcomed today's delivery at its headquarters in Charlotte, NC.

"In 2009, we made a commitment to transition our company cars and trucks to all-electric or PHEVs, with a goal of 100 percent of all new vehicles purchased after 2020 having plug-in capability," said Mike Allison, Director of Fleet Design and Technical Services. "Giving our employees the opportunity to experience driving an electric vehicle, as well as installing the charging infrastructure and collecting the data will help us better plan for and prepare for that transition. We appreciate Chrysler for selecting us to participate in their test."

Each plug-in hybrid minivans is equipped with an E85-compatible 3.6L Pentastar engine mated to a front-wheel-drive, two-mode hybrid transmission.

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