2017 Chrysler Pacifica (Minivan) PHEV 30 mile AER

[RobStark]

It's really not an equivalent situation. The problem with Intel and Microsoft is that their contributions defined the end-user application compatibility layer of the IBM product and they became indispensable brands of their own. No such equivalent exists for LG and GM. LG is just a replaceable commodity parts supplier. Bolt owners largely don't know or care about who supplies the battery pack and the pack charges using standard plug interfaces.

All the premium electronics on the Bolt are LG including infotainment and telemetrics.

I think it is better chance than not that most owners will know it is "LG Inside" as much as some Ram owners know they have a Cummins Turbodiesel.

I am not so sure LG is easily replaceable either. They have contracts through 2019. I don't see anyone else offering a lower price for the Bolt BEV kit currently supplied by LG. I don't see LG splitting the kit apart and offering cells below $145 per kWh.I think in 2020 LG will have more demand for their packs/cells than they have capacity. It will be a sellers not a buyers market.

I have seen more than a few Toyota RAV4s with home made "Tesla Inside" decals on their CUVs.

 

[PeterK]

All the premium electronics on the Bolt are LG including infotainment and telemetrics.

I think it is better chance than not that most owners will know it is "LG Inside" as much as some Ram owners know they have a Cummins Turbodiesel.

I am not so sure LG is easily replaceable either. They have contracts through 2019. I don't see anyone else offering a lower price for the Bolt BEV kit currently supplied by LG. I don't see LG splitting the kit apart and offering cells below $145 per kWh.I think in 2020 LG will have more demand for their packs/cells than they have capacity. It will be a sellers not a buyers market.

I have seen more than a few Toyota RAV4s with home made "Tesla Inside" decals on their CUVs.

Also the drivetrain, which is pretty critical I would say. Current OEMs are focused on maintaining the ICE drivetrain as their core competence, but if they outsource the EV battery/drivetrain, what will the OEMs' core competence become?

 

[haleakala]

I don't see the Pacific Hybrid on the HOV list.. and there are now green stickers available:
Eligible Vehicles - Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

Anyone know if it will be able to get a Green HOV sticker?

 

[Jeff N]

Also the drivetrain, which is pretty critical I would say. Current OEMs are focused on maintaining the ICE drivetrain as their core competence, but if they outsource the EV battery/drivetrain, what will the OEMs' core competence become?

The Bolt EV drivetrain (motor, fixed gear reduction, differential gears) was designed by GM but is manufactured by LG. I'm pretty sure GM manufactures their own complete drivetrain for the Spark EV so they know how to do it if they wanted to. They designed and manufacture their own Volt and Malibu hybrid transmissions although they outsourced the motor manufacturing to Hitachi Automotive (Kentucky plant).

 

[miimura]

I don't see the Pacific Hybrid on the HOV list.. and there are now green stickers available:
Eligible Vehicles - Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

Anyone know if it will be able to get a Green HOV sticker?

If the Volvo XC90 T8 can get the green sticker, there is little reason the Pacifica won't. It should be on the list by the time dealers get the cars in.

 

[RobStark]

The Bolt EV drivetrain (motor, fixed gear reduction, differential gears) was designed by GM but is manufactured by LG.

You build corporate value by doing hard things not outsourcing hard things.

Designing and making specs for an EV is relatively easy. Manufacturing to a specific cost,reliability and durability is hard.

I am sure GM "could" do it. But it takes money, management focus and effort.

GM is not doing it for supposedly the first long range BEV for the masses.

This is done by doing not outsourcing.

 

[RobStark]

 

[RobStark]

Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: Impressive 32 MPG, With 36 Miles Electric City Range

 

[RobStark]

Fiat Chrysler plans to reveal full electric Pacifica at CES, report says

 

[timpierc]

Hugh... well if they pull it off at around the same price point, they're certainly going to give the Model X a run for its money.

 

[Laurent]

We're considering replacing our aging Toyota Sienna with a plug-in hybrid Pacifica but a fully electric minivan would be ideal. The only catch is charging when going on long trips away from home. I can't imagine Chrysler building their own supercharging network. Could they possibly partner with Tesla?

 

[jason1466]

We're considering replacing our aging Toyota Sienna with a plug-in hybrid Pacifica but a fully electric minivan would be ideal. The only catch is charging when going on long trips away from home. I can't imagine Chrysler building their own supercharging network. Could they possibly partner with Tesla?

And that is why I would not go for full electric for anyone other than Tesla at this point. For a long distance vehicle I should say.

 

[Jeff N]

We're considering replacing our aging Toyota Sienna with a plug-in hybrid Pacifica but a fully electric minivan would be ideal. The only catch is charging when going on long trips away from home. I can't imagine Chrysler building their own supercharging network. Could they possibly partner with Tesla?

It's always a possibility they could partner with Tesla. If not, they would use the same CCS network the German, US, and South Korean companies will be using in the US -- the network built by VW under their dieselgate settlement decree. EVgo's 800+ DC chargers and some others also will the gap.

Welcome to Electrify America | Mission

VW Settlement May Supercharge non-Tesla DC Rollout in US - HybridCars.com

 

[Bangor Bob]

but if they outsource the EV battery/drivetrain, what will the OEMs' core competence become?

Design. No wait, some of them already outsource that.

Production and distribution logistics. And frankly, lots of companies can do that.

 

[PeterK]

Hugh... well if they pull it off at around the same price point, they're certainly going to give the Model X a run for its money.

I am skeptical for two reasons:

1) they said "based on the Pacifica". Probably significantly streamlined and thus less of a minivan/people mover. The size, height and boxiness of Pacifica would I expect require a whopper of a battery to have competitive range, driving up cost and weight.

2) they are revealing the car at CES in January 2017. Based on competitors' timelines, deliveries would start in 2020 or later.

 

[Laurent]

Fiat Chrysler plans to reveal full electric Pacifica at CES, report says

We'll know more on January 3rd. FCA scheduled a press conference for 1pm.

1 - 1:45 PM Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Mandalay Bay, Level 2, Oceanside Ballroom A
Please join FCA for its inaugural news conference at CES.

 

[AndY1]

Today's Autoline Afterhours topic will be Pacifica EV: Autoline After Hours

 

[DMC-Orangeville]

Chrysler is also manufacturing the PHEV Pacifica at it's Windsor Van plant in Canada. The first models rolled off the line in December
Chrysler’s Windsor, Ontario, Assembly Plant Expansion Leads To Rollout of Electrified Minivan - Area Development

 

[AndY1]

 

[mikevbf]

I just watched the whole video. It was slightly entertaining with very little new information if you have been following the progress of the Pacifica plug in. It was nice confirmation that the driving dynamics are good for a minivan. I did not know that the second row seats are better bolstered in the plug in than the all gas because they do not need to fit into a stow and go space. I also did not realize that when you push it, the gas engine almost always come on unlike the Volt which will truly stay in electric when the charge is there.

At the very end there was a question about how Elon Musk might feel about the Pacifica where they truly missed the point. Elon Musk probably views it as an over all gain if it gets people out of an all gas car and just if not importantly gets them used to plugging in and liking not going to gas station so much. The Pacifica will just further mainstream electric driving helping the Teslas mission of sustainable future.