This also does not change the plans for the hybrid Ram next year.  Fiat/Chrysler has stated that they think EVs will account for 1-2% of their sales by 2014.  Not a big number, but a pretty realistic number.

While the hybrid Ram is still coming out next year, the Chrysler ENVI vehicle concepts are probably on shaky ground.  The minivan EV still makes the most sense in terms of up front costs (the minivan doesn’t need to be redesigned to electrify it) and market demand.  But the other two may never see the light of day.  The Jeep Wrangler is set to get a diesel engine (it’s about time too) brought over from Europe so they may decide that the diesel is good enough for now.

The Dodge Circuit EV is an electrified Lotus Elise – so a chunk of the cost in that car will end up going to Lotus.  I’m not sure that Fiat would like to be beholden to competitors for product.  They are already having issues with Diamler supplying parts for current Chrysler vehicles.

All is about to change though as Chrysler board member Alfredo Altavilla let word slip out that the company is working together with Italian owner Fiat on an upcoming EV.  News came while Altavilla was visiting Fiat’s gearbox plant in Verrone, Italy.

We should find out more on November 4 when Chrysler/Fiat release their 5 year plan.

Some are suggesting that GM will attempt a similar feat with their minivan expertise.  GM had all but abandoned the minivan segment as they have seemed to lose their luster.  But if you want to make an electric vehicle that has extended range the minivan is the perfect shell to put those components into.

The Chrysler EV runs for 40 miles on batteries and then an gas motor kicks in to recharge the batteries to keep the car running.  This is the exact system that GM is using for the Volt (and the one that makes the most sense for people that can’t afford to have more than one car).  The batteries for it would be in the floor of the minivan where storage used to be.  A small sacrifice for a soccer mom keen on using volts instead of gas to cart her kids around.  Whereas the Volt will have a battery pack that is shaped like a T and goes down the middle of the car causing the loss of the middle rear seat, the minivan would be able to still seat 7.

The floor is also the ideal place in terms of handling.  The battery pack for any EV will weigh hundreds of pounds when all put together.  You want that weight as close to the ground as possible to keep the vehicle stable around corners or for defensive driving.

Lou Rhodes, president of Chryslers ENVI unit has said that Chrysler plans to order 100,000 vehicles from Lotus (the Circuit is going to be based on a Lotus vehicle just like the Tesla Roadster is).  They will be shipped over to the US where the EV parts will be installed and tested.  With that many on order Chrysler can save thousands of dollars per vehicle sold through economies of scale.  They’ll get a lower price on the Lotus vehicle, and will be able to produce all of the EV parts at less cost per part.  This will allow them to price the Circuit well below the asking price for a Tesla Roadster.

As for when this vehicle will be available?  Rhodes hinted that production could start as soon as late next year.

Chrysler recently unveiled these two vehicles—along with the new Jeep Patriot EV, the updated Chrysler Town & Country EV and the updated Jeep Wrangler Unlimited EV—reinforcing a commitment to developing and bringing to market a broad array of advanced electric vehicles for the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands.

“Our goal is to provide creative solutions to the challenges that our customers face around the globe,” Michael Manley, Executive Vice President—International Sales and Global Product Planning Operations, said. “We’ve made electric vehicles the primary path to developing clean vehicles for all our product lines. We will produce at least one of these vehicles for North American markets in 2010 and for European markets after 2010.”

Dodge Circuit

The evolution of the Dodge EV has finally arrived.  The Dodge Circuit is everything the Dodge EV was and more.  Boasting a premium sound system, power windows/doors, cruise control, leather seats, leather wrapped steering wheel – everything you would expect from a high performance sportscar.

“The exterior styling of the Dodge Circuit EV mates bold Dodge styling to the no-compromise performance attributes of an all-electric performance sports car,” said Ralph Gilles, Vice President – Design, Chrysler LLC. “The Dodge Circuit EV offers an extremely fun-to-drive, expressive sports car without fuel consumption and with virtually no impact on the environment.”

The Circuit utilizes a very simple powertrain to get it moving: the electric motor, battery system, and the controller that controls the flow of energy.  The motor is a 200kW (268 HP) motor that’ll propel the Circuit from 0-60 in just under 5 seconds.   It does the 1/4 mile in just 13 seconds and has a top speed of over 120 miles per hour.

The battery pack on the Circuit provides 150 to 200 miles of zero emission driving before needing to be recharged.  That’s more than three times the average daily commute.  The Circuit can be recharged by plugging into any standard 110 volt household outlet, it can also be plugged into a standard 220 volt appliance outlet to cut the recharge time in half.

200C

A little smaller than the current Chrysler 300, this concept vehicle is the likely successor to the Seabring.  The theme for the 200C is connectivity.  The 200C has connections for just about everything you can think of.

“What makes the Chrysler 200C EV concept even more meaningful is the use of technology that will make traveling and managing one’s life an absolute pleasure,” Klegon added. “The 200C EV concept is a connectivity portal to the world outside, creating a rewarding relationship between driver and automobile. The result is a driving experience that celebrates the human instinct to be connected to our world.”

The design of the 200C is obviously more organic than the straight lines that cut through the air on the Chrysler 300.  The the curved body allows for better aerodynamic flow over the car resulting in better gas mileage or longer battery life.

Based on a shortened version (LY platform?) of the current rear wheel drive chrysler vehicles, the 200C provides a fun, powerful, and sporty ride.  The electric drive system similar to that in the Jeep EV and Chrysler EV allows the 200C to drive 40 silent miles on electric power alone.  After that a small gasoline engine starts up to provide extended range.

This blog is devoted to electric cars in general, but more specifically the ENVI division of Chrysler (hence the name of the blog).  I chose ENVI because I think it’s the easiest way for us to get to where we need to be in 20 years.  GM is doing a great thing with the Volt, but it’s very costly for them.  They are making a whole new car from the ground up, including reengineering the components to use the least amount of electricity they can so that the car can go further on the battery pack provided.  That’s 100% custom car, and eventually it’ll be profitable, but not until GM sells a million or so of the thing.

The ENVI division of Chrysler is taking a different approach.  Chrysler is taking currently made vehicles and retrofitting them with an electric drivetrain (the Dodge EV is all new, but it sits on a Lotus Europa frame with new body panels – like the Tesla Roadster – so the costs will be minimal).  Does this mean that the cars aren’t as efficient as they could be?  After all they aren’t optimized for aerodynamics and the components aren’t engineered to use less electricity.

The answer is of course absolutely the ENVI vehicles won’t be as efficient as the Chevy Volt.  That means that they’ll need larger battery packs to go the same 40 miles.  But as far as I can tell that’s the only downside.  Sure you’ll pay for a bigger battery pack, but you’ll also pay less money for more vehicle.  The Chrysler Minivan EV is a simple matter of filling up the underfloor storage with batteries and putting and electric motor under the hood.  The cost of a normal Chrysler Town and Country can aready get up into the 35-40k range, my estimate is that the EV Town and Country will be just a few thousand more.

The best part is that Chrysler won’t have to lose money on every EV sold.  I applaud GM and Tesla for making electric cars as efficiently as they can, but they can’t make them if they’re not around…

Thus, Chrysler’s big EV plans are to forgo aerodynamics, weight and fancy designs. Instead, Chrysler will begin its EV program by converting traditional Chrysler vehicles into electric vehicles, while achieving the same kinds of performance as a Volt – all at a cheaper cost to the automaker and to consumers.

So, why didn’t GM think of that?

Find the answer at the link

The spy shots were taken at night, Chrysler is being very secretive and sneaky with testing their new EV.  They don’t want to let the cat out of the bag on this one just yet.  The new face is distinctly Dodge, however, we don’t quite know yet what the rest of the body will look like.

Although Chrysler has not yet said which EV it will make first (they only said that one of them will be produced in 2010, the others will, but not until later), there’s a good chance that it’ll be the Dodge EV.  They already have it up and running and the speed at which it’s received a new body indicates that they’re going to be pushing this one out the door sooner than later.

Assuming that Chrysler gets those auto loans the Dodge EV would hit the lots in late 2010.