Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles are Chrysler's first entries in the hybrid market. Capable of towing 6,000 lbs.,the Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid delivers 385 horsepower -- seamless, dependable power and performance on demand, in an efficient package. With an electrically variable transmission (featuring the best characteristics of an automatic transmission and hybrid drive) and two different hybrid modes of operation, the drive system dramatically improves fuel economy around town and at highway speeds.
The new 5.7-liter HEMI Hybrid is expected to deliver an overall fuel economy improvement of more than 25 percent, including an improvement of nearly 40 percent in the city. For customers who desire the performance and capability of a large SUV, the Dodge Durango Hybrid will reduce fuel consumption by several hundreds of gallons of gas per year.
The renowned HEMI powerplant, in hybrid form, will continue to feature Chrysler's MDS, which allows the engine to seamlessly alternate between four-cylinder mode when less power is needed and V-8 mode when more power is in demand. The two-mode hybrid system provides assistance from electric motors allowing the HEMI V-8 to remain in four-cylinder mode more often than without a hybrid powertrain, improving overall fuel economy.
Built at the Newark Assembly Plant in Delaware, the new 2009 Dodge Durango HEMI Hybrid vehicles arrive in showrooms in mid-2008.