Fiat Chrysler Warming up to Hybrids

Jason Siu
by Jason Siu

Fiat Chrysler is feeling the pressure to incorporate hybrids into its lineup in order to meet increasingly strict emission standards.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne said the automaker will have to turn to electrification of its vehicles to meet the government’s rules that require cars and light trucks to average 54.5 mpg by the 2025 model year. Though the company ranked last among large automakers in the U.S. for car fuel economy last year, Marchionne confirmed that it is on track to meet the long-term fuel economy requirements.

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Currently, Fiat Chrysler is turning to nine-speed automatic transmissions in its vehicles to improve fuel economy. The 2015 Chrysler 200 for example, is expected to achieve up to 36 mpg on the highway.

In order to meet the 2025 model year fuel economy targets however, the CEO said that “Hybrids become a very large component of that fleet. You can’t get it without the hybrids. It’s impossible.”

[Source: Automotive News]

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Jason Siu
Jason Siu

Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.

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