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News: The Volkswagen BUDD-e Electric Concept

While the Volkswagen BUDD-e probably won’t make it to production, the hardware under the body will. The concept is the first vehicle to showcase VW’s new Modular Electric Platform, called MEB for short. Designed specifically for either plug-in hybrid or battery-electric vehicles, the platform can accommodate both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in a variety of body styles.

News: 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Minivan

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid will have a 30-mile all-electric driving range and is expected to deliver up to 80 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) on EPA tests. The powertrain centers on a 3.6-liter Atkinson cycle Pentastar V-6 gas engine. It’s mated to a two-motor hybrid system that substitutes for a transmission and operated like an electrified version of a continuously-variable transmission (CVT). A 16-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is located under the second row of seats, which preserves Chrysler’s Stow ‘n Go seating and storage for the third row.