Fiat Chrysler plans autonomous electric minivan as a second home
The fifth-generation minivan, of which the design concept is called the Chrysler Portal, would have a 400km electric range and enough screens, ports and social media options to entertain young families, while software handles much of the driving
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is laying out a vision of a battery-powered, self-driving minivan that it bets even a millennial could love. That may not be enough, though, to shake the vehicle maker’s image as the purveyor of the least fuel-efficient fleet in the US. The fifth-generation minivan, of which the design concept is called the Chrysler Portal, would have a 400km electric range and enough screens, ports and social media options to entertain young families, while software handles much of the driving. It was unveiled on Tuesday in Las Vegas, where the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show begins this week. It is always a long way from concept cars until a vehicle enters production — if ever — and so far Fiat Chrysler’s US unit has not said it actually plans to build an all-electric minivan such as Portal. What the vehicle maker’s effort may produce, is a change in the conversation: it has been criticised for adding ecological powertrains more slowly than rivals such as Toyota and Genera...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.