2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid long-term update: Our electrified workhorse
Cars
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Road Show's first long-term [INAUDIBLE],
the Pacifica, proved to be a real work-horse, whether we were using it for video production shoots, around town, or for multi-state road trips, with dogs in the back.
In fact, we liked it so much that now we've got another Pacifica, albeit with one key difference, say hello to our long-term 2018 Chrysler Pacifica hybrid.
The standard Pacifica makes do with a 3.6 liter V6 and a nine speed automatic transmission.
But this hybrid version adds an electric motor and a 16 kilowatt hour battery pack.
And it ditches the nine speed auto for a trick transmission that operates like a CVT.
Fully charging that battery pack will take 14 hours if you plug into a regular 120 volt wall outlet.
But if you use a level II charger, the kind you'll find at public garages or maybe install in your own garage, a full charge takes just two hours.
The green-themed tech makes for one surprisingly efficient minivan.
The EPA estimates this Pacifica Hybrid's battery will provide 33 miles of electric only operation per charge, for a miles per gallon equivalent of 84 MPGE.
Now if you can't get to a charge point, the Pacifica will drive like a traditional gas electric hybrid.
In that case, it'll return about 32 MPG combined.
Which is about ten mpg higher than the standard Pacifica's combined rate.
As with all things in life, sacrifices had to be made in order to get that battery pack to fit inside the van.
The battery hides under the floor, which is where Chrysler's excellent stow-and-go seating system usually conceals the second row seats, and that means the second row captain's chairs in our van can't be hidden under the floor.
That's a bummer when you carry big, heavy loads.
The Pacifica's vacuum is also gone because that's where the charging cable hides when it's not in use.
Even without stow and go, the Pacifica hybrid is a cargo carrying champion.
It's spacious enough to eat up an entire shoots worth of cameras, rigs, and support gear.
With room enough to spare for additional shooters and of course plenty of snakes to keep video hosts from whining too much.
Just like our lost long term Pacifica, RoadShow's new Pacifica hybrid comes in a range topping limited trim, which means we've got goodies like nappa leather seats, power sliding doors and Chrysler's u-connect theater rear seat entertainment system.
Our long-term also wears the $395 hybrid appearance package which gives us these 18 inch alloy wheels.
Clad in velvet red full paint with white leather inside, our plug-in minivan is a pretty expensive proposition at just under $45,000 before destination or taxes.
And just like I was Pacifica this hybrid is pretty nice to drive.
We've been getting incredible gas mileage because we recharged the van regularly.
In fact we can sometimes go weeks at a time without refilling the gas tank.
When driving around in the city or the suburbs.
We can pull away from stop lights and stop signs in electric only mode.
The Pacifica will run on electrons alone for up to a mile or so usually before the V6 engine jumps into the fray.
But fortunately, when the gas engine kicks in, it's barely perceptible.
The immediate torque from the electric motor gives the Pacifica even more low-end punch than we experienced in the gas variant.
And of course, when you're driving on electricity alone, it's really quiet.
Otherwise he experience in this van is largely the same as in our last Pacifica.
You connect remains one of our favorite infotainment systems.
And it's latest iteration is snappier than ever.
The right quality in this hybrid is on the soft side which is nice along road trips.
We are waiting to see how well white leather holds up in a car that sees a lot of hard work, with a lot of gear pulled in and out of it.
But the interior both looks and feels like it's worth the van's hefty price tag.
We've got plenty more work in store for Chrysler Pacifica hybrid.
So keep your eyes peeled for our next update where we'll be hauling kids, dogs, lumber, and of course tons of video production gear.
And you can check in with our regular updates on the Pacifica hybrid at theroadshow.com.
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