Chrysler Pacifica e-Hybrid thoughts

The time has come to start looking for a replacement for our Chevrolet Volt. Our three-year lease is winding down, and as much as we’ve enjoyed our car, it’s always exciting to look for something new! Right now we have a long list of possible replacements, so you may see a lot of articles as we whittle that list down to a few final contenders. Up for consideration today is the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Either you get why a minivan is appealing, or you’re thinking to yourself “Next!”.

Our Volt is rated for 53 miles per charge, and 42 mpg after the battery is depleted. 90% of our Volt driving is done via electricity, so we fill the tank an average of once per month over the course of a year.

The Pacifica Hybrid has an EV-only range of 32 miles and gets 30 mpg once the battery is drained. As we tend to charge all through out the day, there would be very few days, if any, that 32 miles per charge wouldn’t cover our needs. In addition, our Volt is on the small side, so there are frequently times that we take our larger gas-only vehicle solely for the additional space it offers. A plug-in hybrid minivan would actually help reduce gas only miles driven in our gas-guzzler, in addition to fulfilling most, if not all of, the Volt’s EV miles that we currently drive.

When I originally began to daydream of what might charge in my garage next, I assumed it would be a pure electric. Now I’m not so sure, I think there is a case to be made for the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Ultimately the goal is to drive as many miles as possible electrically, rather than fossil fueled. For us, that might mean a vehicle that provides more opportunities for EV-only miles, rather than the most EV-only miles at one time. Food for thought, thanks for letting me bounce this off you!