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Fiat Chrysler to test automatically switching hybrid cars to electric mode in Turin

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler is piloting a project in its historic Italian home of Turin to allow its hybrid plug-in cars to automatically switch to electric-only mode when entering congested city centers. The project, which aims to maximize the environmental benefits of hybrid cars, comes as Fiat Chrysler (FCA) rolls out its first alternative-engine models, trying to make up ground on rivals which already offer a range of full electric and hybrid vehicles in Europe. The project, named 'Turin Geofencing Lab' and involving the city authorities and public transport agency GTT, is based on a prototype system with fully integrated on-board sensors allowing a car to recognize when it is entering a restricted traffic zone, FCA said on Wednesday. The sensors will then automatically turn off the combustion engine and switch to electric mode. This would allow hybrid cars to enjoy dispensations for electric vehicles in the city center, including dedicated parking spaces. The system has been initially tested on the new Jeep Renegade 4xe hybrid plug-in model. The tests could be extended to the group's other hybrid models from next year. The COVID-19 crisis has not significantly delayed FCA's plans to launch its first full-electric and hybrid models. An electric version of the Fiat 500 small car and plug-in hybrid versions of Jeep's Renegade and Compass models are due to hit the market this summer. A similar project was launched last year by German carmaker BMW and Rotterdam, with a smart-phone reminder to switch-off combustion engines when passing a virtual boundary into the Dutch city's "electric-only zone." But that did not entail such a direct link between the vehicle and the city's access platform and gates to restricted traffic zones, as in Turin's case. Roberto Di Stefano, FCA's Head of EMEA e-Mobility, said that once the Turin project was completed, it would be gradually offered to other cities, in Italy and abroad.   Green Chrysler Fiat Jeep

China-FCA merger could be a win-win for everyone but politicians

NEW YORK — Fiat Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne has said the car industry needs to come together, cut costs and stop incinerating capital. So far, his words have mostly fallen on deaf ears among competitors in Europe and North America. But it appears Marchionne has finally found a receptive audience — in China. FCA shares soared Monday after trade publication Automotive News reported the $18 billion Italian-American conglomerate controlled by the Agnelli family rebuffed a takeover from an unidentified carmaker from the Chinese mainland. As ugly as the politics of such a combination may appear at first blush, a transaction could stack up industrially, and perhaps even financially. A Sino-U.S.-European merger would create the first truly global auto group. That could push consolidation to the next level elsewhere. Moreover, China is the world's top market for the SUVs that Jeep effectively invented, so it might benefit FCA financially. A combo would certainly help upgrade the domestic manufacturer; Chinese carmakers have gotten better at making cars, but struggle to build global brands, and they need to develop export markets. Though frivolous overseas shopping excursions by Chinese enterprises are being reined in by Beijing, acquisitions that support the modernization and transformation of strategic industries still receive support, and the government considers the automotive industry to be strategic. A purchase of FCA by Guangzhou Automobile, Great Wall or Dongfeng Motors would probably get the same stamp of approval ChemChina was given for its $43 billion takeover of Syngenta. What's standing in the way? Apart from price (Automotive News said FCA's board deemed the offer insufficient) there's the not-insignificant matter of politics. Even as FCA shares soared, President Donald Trump interrupted his vacation to instruct the U.S. Trade Representative to look into whether to investigate China's trade policies on intellectual property. Seeing storied Detroit brands like Jeep, Chrysler, Ram and Dodge handed off to a Chinese company would provoke howls among Trump's economic-nationalist supporters. It might not play well in Italy, either, to see Alfa Romeo and Maserati answering to Wuhan instead of Turin — though Automotive News said they might be spun off separately. Yet, as Morgan Stanley observes, "cars don't ship across oceans easily," and political considerations increasingly demand local manufacture of valuable products.

Chrysler minivans spied in group test

The 2017 Chrysler Town & Country is just a few weeks from its debut at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, and the company continues to evaluate its new minivan. A massive batch of spy shots now shows a whole fleet of them testing, along with the current model and competitors like the Honda Odyssey and Kia Sedona. Several of these examples drop the heavy cladding from earlier prototypes. Compared to today's model, the new Town & Country gets a major styling upgrade. These shots provide another glimpse at the updated front end with its narrow mesh grille and Chrysler 200-like headlights. The swirling camouflage along the side can't hide the more sculpted shape, including a character line that slices through the door handles. Three of the photos also provide a glance at the instrument panel, including the display between the gauges. In this case, it shows the tire pressures, and there's a digital speedometer on top. Rumors suggest at least two powertrains for the new Town & Country: an all-wheel drive plug-in hybrid version or one with a 3.2-liter V6. The van should also offer plenty of connectivity, with reports of USB ports for each row of seats and optional foot-activated side doors. Related Video: