I’m looking at picking up a new Dodge Durango which on rare occasion may have to tow a trailer. But suppose I get the hybrid which IIRC works with a 4 banger gas engine. What would I be losing power-wise going with the hybrid over the regular Durango?
Maybe try checking Dodge’s website first?
Standard V8 Durango: 376hp, 401 lb/ft torque
Hybrid V8 Durango: 399hp, 390 lb/ft torque
Note that the hybrid can tow up to 6000lbs, but the non-hybrid can tow 8950lbs.
I did that, but I didn’t see how with those specs I lost 1/3 of the towing capabilities so I was hoping for a more in-depth answer than that site (or a salesman) would give.
Well, I’m not a dodge engineer, but I would bet there is a lot more that has to be done structurally to support the heavier hybrid parts, and it simply might not leave room for some frame reinforcements, transmission coolers, auxiliary oil coolers, etc that the standard V8 has.
Towing isn’t all about engine power and torque. If you want to tow further than jus tto the end of your driveway, you need to make sure that the engine fluids do not overheat. Perhaps the transmission on the hybrid version isn’t up to hauling that much weight…
The power rating of the hybrid is valid as long as the mountain pass isn’t long enough to discharge the battery. After that you only have the IC engine power available.
Part of the tow rating is a minimum acceleration rate. The extra weight of the hybrid eats into that. This is the reason that trucks with automatic transmissions usually have higher tow ratings than the same truck with a manual, even though the auto weighs more, and tends to fail at lower milage under heavy towing stress.
Another towing factor is braking. The extra weight of a hybrid may mean that stopping the car alone from highway speeds heats the brakes enough that there is not much left to stop a trailer.
Yabbut… the regenerative braking that most hybrids do also soaks up some of the waste energy generated in braking. I’m no engineer either, but basic thermodynamics suggests to me that that might take up the extra heating due to the heavier hybrid engine. It seems to me that if regenerative braking is worth doing, it must be generating a non-trivial amount of energy from the process.
The Durango system is supposedly set up so that it doesn’t trade off towing capacity for the hybrid system. The reason the hybrid is rated lower is because it comes with taller gears (3.21 vs 3.55 or 3.92 in the non-hybrid) and reverse is done by the electric motor only.
Exactly the answer I was looking for. Thanx.
What is the purpose of a hybrid Canyonero? Self defeating, isnt it?
Some people need a large vehicle to haul around stuff in, or to tow stuff. Boosting said large vehicle’s mpg from 13 city to 20 city seems not self defeating to me.
How? By saving fuel?
The hybrid has 18 city instead of 13 for the normal model while the highway consumption is almost the same (19 vs 18). The hybrid costs almost 5K more than the normal model at the same trim level.
This means that the normal model consumes 5 litres more per 100km than the hybrid. Assuming $1 per litre, you are going to break even at 100,000km. Since the current price of gas in the US is about half of that, the break even point will be closer to 200,000 km.
So, no, the hybrid doesn’t make much economic sense.
I was referring specifically to “self-defeating.” What’s self-defeating about a large, hybrid truck?
As to whether it makes sense or not, 200,000 km isn’t anything extraordinary these days. I expect to hit the 125,000 mile mark (that’s 200 kkm) any day now in my particular car, and there are a lot more high-mileage vehicles as well.
Oh, I’m not arguing the “makes sense” or not thing. There could be other reasons for hybrids, such a personal taste or other desirable characteristics. After all, leather seats and moonroofs never pay for themselves in the economic sense.
There is (or was) a tax credit for hybrid buyers. There is also a credit to turn in a gas-guzzler for cash if you got one.
I’ve followed a couple of messages boards that make a big deal of getting good gas mileage, and cater to the hybrid and hypermiling communities.
Some of those folks believe that helping the environment is a valid goal, in and of itself.
It should be noted, however, that no one seems to want a hybrid that won’t make 35+ MPG… and 99.9% of the folks from that message board would never buy a Durango of any type, unless they needed it for a business.
Now, other folks who follow that kind of board, like myself, care little for the environment, a great deal about money, and a great deal about toys. I consider the process of driving to maximize economy, and the process of driving a hybrid great fun.
But I don’t care for anything bigger than a Ford Crown Vic, so the Durango in any form is right out for me.