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Dodge Ram Contractor Special Doubles Environmental Benefits

9 November 2000

Dodge Ram Contractor Special Doubles Environmental Benefits With Hybrid Powertrain and Clean Auxiliary Power

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich. and STUTTGART, Germany, Nov. 8 DaimlerChrysler has developed a hybrid-electric version of its workhorse Dodge
Ram pickup that is cleaner and more fuel efficient, while providing enough
clean auxiliary power to run a household.
    On the road, this all-new hybrid vehicle achieves 15 percent better fuel
efficiency, lower emissions and better performance than the comparably-powered
conventional Ram.  Off the road, the vehicle can be converted to a stationary
electrical generator to deliver up to 20 kW of power for work, recreation or
home uses.  The vehicle's gasoline engine is much cleaner than portable
generators, which are not controlled by any emissions regulations.
    "We dubbed this vehicle the 'Contractor Special' because it is perfect for
construction site work, but we believe the vehicle will also appeal to campers
and outdoor enthusiasts, to farmers who have to work on remote sites, and to
homeowners who need to keep their households running in the case of a power
failure," said Bernard I. Robertson, Senior Vice President - Engineering
Technologies and General Manager - Truck Operations for DaimlerChrysler.
    "In addition to doubling as a portable generator, the Dodge Ram Contractor
Special delivers double the environmental benefits," Robertson added.  "It is
cleaner than any conventional pickup on the road, and cleaner than current
generator technology off the road."
    The Contractor Special package is intended for the Ram 1500 and 2500
models, in both the two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions.  Gas-
electric and diesel-electric powertrains are available, depending on the
choice of engine.  The vehicles can be operated in gasoline/diesel-only and
electric-only modes, as well as the hybrid configuration.  Production is
targeted for calendar year 2004.
    The Contractor Specials are anticipated to cost about $5,000 more than the
conventional Ram -- a cost-effective package since comparable portable
generator capacity would typically cost $10,000 to $15,000.  The clean
electrical generator will add about 250-300 pounds to the vehicle's weight,
compared with 2,500 pounds or more for a portable generator.  The Contractor
Special generator is accessed through electrical sockets in a pull-down box
behind the rear fender.
    The generator on the Contractor Special will be much cleaner than
conventional portable generators, because it will be powered by the vehicle's
clean hybrid powertrain.  Currently, the Ram can be equipped with 3.9, 5.2 and
5.9 liter gasoline engines and a 5.9 diesel engine.  A 8.0 liter, V-10 is also
available.
    The hybrid powertrain, with electric motor assist, permits use of a
smaller internal combustion engine, thus lowering emissions and increasing
fuel efficiency compared with a comparably-powered conventional Ram.  The
hybrid versions outperform their comparably powered conventional counterparts;
for example, the 5.2 liter gas-electric motor hybrid can do 0-60 mph in 10.0
seconds and achieves fuel efficiency of 18 mpg vs. 10.6 seconds 0-60 mph and
16 mpg for the 5.9 liter gas-powered pickups.  And because a smaller
displacement internal combustion engine is used, emissions are lower.
    The Dodge Ram Contractor Special hybrid is the most recent addition to
DaimlerChrysler's fleet of clean, fuel efficient vehicles.  In recent weeks,
DaimlerChrysler has:

    *  Created a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Engineering platform.
    *  Revealed plans to produce and market in 2003 a hybrid electric version
of the Dodge Durango SUV, with 20 percent improved fuel economy.
    *  Purchased Global Electric MotorCars, LLC (GEM) of Fargo, North Dakota,
the largest U.S. producer of electric vehicles for use on public roads.
DaimlerChrysler is the first major automaker to sell Neighborhood Electric
Vehicles (NEVs) in the United States.
    *  Achieved sales of more than half a million alternate fuel vehicles in
the past three years, including CNG and E85-powered vehicles.
    *  Unveiled the Jeep Commander 2, a luxury SUV with a fuel cell-hybrid
electric powertrain that achieves near-zero tailpipe emissions and up to
double the fuel efficiency of a comparable gas-powered SUV.
    *  Delivered two versions of the NECAR 4 and the DaimlerChrysler NEBUS to
the California Fuel Cell Partnership in Sacramento as part of a fuel cell
vehicle demonstration program.
    *  Unveiled the fifth-generation fuel cell passenger car, the NECAR 5,
using methanol in an advanced fuel cell powertrain.