Chrysler Group LLC Delivers to Duke Energy its Largest Test Fleet of Plug-in Hybrid Chrysler Town & Country Minivans

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

• Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) will be supplied to Duke Energy as part of demonstration project by Chrysler Group LLC
• Real-world city and rural miles to be accumulated on demonstration vehicles over next two years
• Vehicles developed in partnership with U.S. Department of Energy
• PHEVs will be used to evaluate city drive cycles, thermal and charging performance, fuel economy and real world performance

Chrysler Group LLC, working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), today delivered eight demonstration-fleet Chrysler Town & Country plug-in hybrid minivans to Duke Energy – its largest such deployment to date.

The Duke Energy partnership is one of several that will see a total of 25 plug-in hybrid minivans subjected to a range of driving cycles.

Today's deployment is part of an ongoing two-year study of the technology's real-world performance in a minivan application.

"Chrysler is looking forward to the two years of real-world data that will be obtained," said Abdullah Bazzi, senior manager of the Chrysler Group's advanced hybrid vehicle project. "Such data will enable Chrysler engineers to assess the viability of the technology for future applications."

Duke Energy welcomed today's delivery at its headquarters in Charlotte, NC.

"In 2009, we made a commitment to transition our company cars and trucks to all-electric or PHEVs, with a goal of 100 percent of all new vehicles purchased after 2020 having plug-in capability," said Mike Allison, Director of Fleet Design and Technical Services. "Giving our employees the opportunity to experience driving an electric vehicle, as well as installing the charging infrastructure and collecting the data will help us better plan for and prepare for that transition. We appreciate Chrysler for selecting us to participate in their test."

Each plug-in hybrid minivans is equipped with an E85-compatible 3.6L Pentastar engine mated to a front-wheel-drive, two-mode hybrid transmission.

It also is powered by a liquid-cooled 12.1 KWhr lithium-ion battery that affords a total output of 290 horsepower and a range of 700-miles. Charge times are two-to-four hours at 220 volts with a "Level 2" charge cord unit, and eight-to-fifteen hours at 110 volts with a "Level 1" charge unit.

The vehicle's hybrid system does not require charging.

A fleet of plug-in hybrid Ram pickups also is being evaluated as part of a wider project.

Chrysler Group dominates the minivan market, selling 13.4 million units globally since inventing the segment in 1983.

About Chrysler Group LLC

Chrysler Group LLC, formed in 2009 from a global strategic alliance with Fiat S.p.A., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, SRT, Fiat and Mopar vehicles and products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, the alliance builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., Chrysler Group's product lineup features some of the world's most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300, Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Challenger and Ram 1500. Fiat contributes world-class technology, platforms and powertrains for small- and medium-size cars, allowing Chrysler Group to offer an expanded product line including environmentally friendly vehicles. www.chryslergroupllc.com

About Duke Energy

Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., its regulated utility operations serve 4 million electric customers in the Carolinas, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and a half-million natural gas customers in Ohio and Kentucky. Its Commercial Power and International Energy business segments own and operate diverse power generation assets in North America and Latin America, including a growing portfolio of renewable energy assets in the United States. A Fortune 500 company, Duke Energy is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information is available at: www.duke-energy.com.

SOURCE Chrysler Group LLC