Chrysler has officially unveiled the Chrysler EV, Dodge EV and Jeep EV today, which are Chrysler's answer to the Chevy Volt that was unveiled last week.
The most exciting of the three is the Dodge EV, which isn't based on an existing Chrysler vehicle like the other two EVs. The Dodge EV may look familiar to you, since it is wearing the same sheetmetal as the Lotus Europa. The Dodge EV uses a 200kW electric motor, which is equivalent to 268 horsepower. The electric motor is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The Dodge EV reaches 0-60 mph in five seconds and has a top speed of 120 mph. The EV has a range of 150-200 miles and requires 8 hours to recharge it using a standard 120-volt outlet and 4 hours with a 220-volt.
The Jeep EV and Chrysler EV are more like the Chevy Volt hybrid since they can go up to 40 miles on electric power alone and then after that a small engine kicks in to recharge the batteries and propel the vehicle until its batteries can be fully recharged. Both vehicles can travel up to 400 miles with only an 8 gallon fuel tank, which equals 50 mpg. The Jeep EV is powered by an electric motor making 200kW (268 hp) and 295 lb-ft. of torque, while the Chrysler EV is powered by a 190kW (255 hp) motor with 258 lb-ft. of torque.
Chrysler is planning on bringing one of these vehicles to market by 2011, the same time as the Chevy Volt.
PRESS RELEASE:
Chrysler LLC Surges Forward with Production-intent Electric Vehicles
Company Introduces Three Advanced Electric-drive Vehicle Prototypes
* One targeted to be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and European markets after 2010
* Chrysler LLC to have approximately 100 electric vehicles on the road in government, business, utility and development fleets in 2009
* Chrysler electric-drive technology to be applied to front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms
* Dodge EV: All-electric Performance Sports Car
* Jeep® EV: Wrangler Range-extended Electric Vehicle to allow customers to roam the planet and take care of it at the same time
* Chrysler EV: Town & Country Range-extended Electric Vehicle
* Chrysler and General Electric pursue joint project with U.S. Department of Energy
Auburn Hills, Mich., Sep 23, 2008 - Actions speak louder than words.
Chrysler LLC announced today that the Company and its ENVI organization have new production-intent, advanced electric-drive technology packaged in three different vehicles – one for each of its brands, Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge.
Chrysler will select one electric-drive model to be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and European markets after 2010. Additionally, approximately 100 Chrysler electric vehicles will be on the road in government, business, utility and Chrysler development fleets in 2009.
The Company said that it is well into the development of advanced, production-intent electric vehicles, and that it will apply electric-drive technology to its front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms in the next several years.
At its World Headquarters here today, Chrysler revealed its electric-drive prototypes – Dodge EV, Jeep EV and Chrysler EV – and demonstrated the driving performance and capability of each.
"We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient, advanced electric vehicles, and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer," said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO – Chrysler LLC. "The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market."
ENVI Organization
The development of Chrysler's Electric Vehicles and Range-extended Electric Vehicles is led by ENVI – representing the first four letters of "environmental" – the Company's in-house organization that was formed to focus on electric-drive production vehicles and related advanced technologies. The development of electric-drive systems for future Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles is maturing quickly.
"ENVI was created just over one year ago with the strategic intent to develop electric-drive vehicles quickly for Chrysler, and it is surpassing expectations," said Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President – Chrysler LLC. "With ENVI, Chrysler is developing technology to bring Electric Vehicles and extremely fuel-efficient Range-extended Electric Vehicles to market."
Electric Vehicle Technology
Chrysler's Electric Vehicles utilize just three primary components. These include an electric motor to drive the wheels, an advanced lithium-ion battery system to power the electric-drive motor and a controller that manages energy flow. The electric-drive system is being developed for front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive vehicle applications.
"This technology provides customers with a vehicle that has zero tailpipe emissions and a 150- to 200-mile driving range – far exceeding most Americans' daily commutes, as nearly 80 percent of Americans drive less than 40 miles per day, or 14,000 miles per year," said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President – Product Development, Chrysler LLC. "Electric Vehicles provide the opportunity to fulfill social responsibility, reduce dependency on foreign oil, and eliminate monthly gasoline bills, while delivering performance and utility that our customers desire."
Range-extended Electric Vehicle Technology
The Range-extended Electric Vehicle combines the electric-drive components of the Electric Vehicle with a small gasoline engine and integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. This provides the positive attributes of an Electric Vehicle with the driving range equivalent to today's gasoline-powered vehicles – with no compromises in performance.
Range-extended Electric Vehicles offer environmental responsibility without giving up driving range, comfort or utility.
Dodge EV
The Dodge EV development Electric Vehicle is a two-passenger, rear-wheel-drive sports car that marries high performance with zero tailpipe emissions.
"The Dodge EV sets a new standard for what can be expected in electric-drive vehicles," said Lou Rhodes, Vice President – Advance Vehicle Engineering, and President – ENVI. "The electric-vehicle technology enables a fun-to-drive performance sports car and helps redefine the vision of an environmentally responsible vehicle for the Dodge brand."
The electric-drive system consists of three primary components: a 200 kW (268 horsepower) electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery and an integrated power controller.
The 200 kW electric-drive motor generates 650 N•m (480 lb.-ft.) of torque. The instant high torque of the electric-drive motor delivers outstanding performance, accelerating the Dodge EV to 60 mph in less than five seconds, with quarter-mile times of 13 seconds. The Dodge EV has a top speed of more than 120 mph.
Working with the latest advanced lithium-ion battery technology, the Dodge EV has a continuous driving range of 150 to 200 miles – more than triple the average daily commute of most consumers. Recharging the vehicle is a simple one-step process: plugging into a standard 110-volt household outlet for eight hours. The recharge time can be cut in half to four hours by using a typical 220-volt household appliance power outlet.
The Dodge EV offers driving enthusiasts a performance sports car that can be driven to work every day – without consuming gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions.
Jeep EV
The Jeep EV development vehicle is a Range-extended Electric Vehicle that provides a glimpse into the future of a "Go Anywhere, Do Anything" vehicle with renowned Jeep Wrangler capability.
The Jeep EV combines Wrangler's unmatched off-road capability with the ultimate "Tread Lightly" mindset by providing nature ambassadors with the ability to roam the planet and take care of it at the same time.
The Jeep EV Range-extended Electric Vehicle uses an electric motor, an advanced lithium-ion battery system, and a small gasoline engine with an integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. The 200 kW (268 horsepower) electric motor generates 400 N•m (295 lb.-ft.) of torque. With approximately eight gallons of gasoline, the Jeep EV has a range of 400 miles, including 40 miles of zero fuel-consumption, zero-emissions, all-electric operation.
"We are also exploring four-wheel-drive, in-wheel electric motors to demonstrate the full reach of ENVI's advanced electric-drive technologies," said Rhodes.
The instant high torque of the electric-drive motor and the ability to precisely control each wheel independently results in off-road capability ideally suited for the Jeep brand, without compromising on-road driving capability.
Chrysler EV
The Chrysler EV development vehicle is a Range-extended Electric Vehicle that demonstrates another possible application of ENVI electric-drive technology in the segment-leading Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
"With the Chrysler EV, we are able to blend seven-passenger capability and the luxury of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan with electric-drive technology, demonstrating family practicality with zero compromise," said Rhodes. "ENVI's electric-drive development vehicles showcase our accelerated application of electric-drive systems into a wide range of vehicles in Chrysler's future product portfolio."
The Chrysler EV combines the electric-drive components of an Electric Vehicle with an integrated small-displacement engine and generator to produce additional electricity to power the electric-drive system when needed. This provides all of the positive attributes of an Electric Vehicle and extends the driving range to be equivalent to today's gasoline-powered vehicles – without compromises.
The Chrysler EV uses a 190 kW (255 horsepower) motor, producing 350 N•m (258 lb.-ft.) of torque, providing 0 to 60 mph acceleration in approximately nine seconds. The Chrysler EV Range-extended Electric Vehicle can drive 40 miles on all-electric power, and boasts a range of 400 miles on approximately eight gallons of gasoline. This makes the Chrysler EV the perfect fuel-efficient family vehicle.
The knowledge and experience gained from the Chrysler EV will be applied to other front-wheel-drive applications in Chrysler's portfolio.
Chrysler LLC Electric-vehicle Consumer Web Site
Chrysler LLC has launched a Web site – www.Chryslergoeselectric.com – to allow consumers to view the latest updates on Electric Vehicles and Range-extended Electric Vehicles from the Company. Content will include videos, photography and news, and visitors can sign up for updates. In addition, the site features a blog where consumers can interact directly with the Company.
Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement
Chrysler and General Electric are jointly pursuing a project with the United States Department of Energy to explore advanced energy-storage technology.
"Chrysler's partnership with General Electric combines the electric-drive technology demonstrated in the Chrysler Electric Vehicles, with GE's research and development of advanced energy storage systems," said Klegon. "Our collective goal working with the DOE is to develop a new, integrated energy-storage system to make electric vehicle battery packs smaller and significantly less expensive than current designs."
Chrysler and GE will develop and evaluate dual-battery solutions based on GE's unique technology.
"One of the challenges with electric vehicles is finding a battery with the correct balance between power – for example, during vehicle acceleration – and energy for long driving range," said Klegon. "We believe that combining two unique battery chemistries – one biased toward power and the other toward energy – into a single battery pack is very promising for a future Chrysler Electric Vehicle."
Comments (21)
FIRST!!!!!
It makes sense to me that the vehicle that would com to market first would be the Chrysler, since it would be the most useful to most families.
Posted by RT_Freak | September 23, 2008 2:33 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 14:33
Seems like every Electric Sports Car will be made from the Lotus Elise or Europa.
Posted by TrainRekS | September 23, 2008 2:36 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 14:36
When I saw the Dodge EV I instantly thought 'if they'd produce badge cars that all looked like that thye wouldn't be in the mess they are in.' Lovely shape.
Makes me wonder though. Specs are VERY much like the Tesla, and appears based on a Lotus design, much like the Tesla. Wonder if there've been some background deals, or if Chrysler is being VERY unoriginal.
OTOH, the town and country van and the jeep concepts are pieces which are good to see, in that they are normal EV's that average joes can identify with.
The marshmallow concept? Nope. That kind of thing being usd to make EV's seem 'futuristic' is one reason so few people take them seriously.
Mostly good IDEA's, Chrysler. But they don't mean squat until they become products leaving the factory doors.
Posted by kw | September 23, 2008 2:51 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 14:51
Good job, Chrysler! The minivan and Jeep don't look exciting, but they are exciting because they are the meat-and-potatoes hybrid vehicles that American has been wanting. The Dodge EV... nice! I like it.
If it was a perfect world, we would see these paired with a diesel engine, but this is America after all ("no diesel for you!").
Posted by Icester | September 23, 2008 2:58 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 14:58
I do believe GM just got their ass handed to them. Your move GM.
Posted by Mathew | September 23, 2008 3:22 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 15:22
With the paint-job, the Dodge EV looks more like a Viper to me that it does a Lotus (except for the side shots).
Posted by JD | September 23, 2008 3:41 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 15:41
Is it just me or are we moving the problem of polution from the vehicle to the polution generated from the coal fed power plants.
At the end of the day it is still polution.It is just being generated in a different place.
Nuclear Power Plants generate toxic waste so there is issues there too.
Posted by Peanut | September 23, 2008 4:17 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 16:17
If the Dodge EV comes out looking like it does in the photos, this company will be a serious contender. GM's Volt concept was very sporty looking, but ended up looking more like a cross between a Civic and a Prius.
However, the comparisons with the Tesla worries me. I can also see Dodge shooting themselves in the foot by making this car a "prestige" vehicle - pricing it beyond the average driver. If they do that, then this will make no dent in the market except for folks that are more interested in being seen "making a difference" rather than actually wanting to make a difference.
As always, the above are my opinions and in no way represent the beliefs of the others in this forum. Heh...
Posted by leguerre | September 23, 2008 4:23 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 16:23
@ Peanut,
Yes, but coal power plants are much more efficient than gasoline engines.
Nuclear is still the best way to go in my opinion.
Posted by Noya | September 23, 2008 5:27 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 17:27
I just wish dodge ev had backup generator to increase range.
Wind Power!!
Posted by Patrick | September 23, 2008 6:12 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 18:12
GREAT!
Now if we can only get the government to back these vehicles, instead of oil companies. And how about every building in America having solar panels? Haven't we built infrastructers before? ANYTHING to create jobs and bring down the oil companies. 200 years ago aluminum was a precious metal! Now, one of the cheapest!
Oh by the way, GM made this move... 15 years ago. Squashed by big oil, the goverment, AND GM. They couldn't make any money on the EV-1's because they didn't require maintenance. Drive electric vehicles 9 months out of the year. Drive fun, exciting Mustangs, Corvettes, Vipers, etc. during the summer on weekends.
Wanna check my facts? Watch the movie "Who killed the electric car"
As an American automotive engineer (for Toyota) I hope Chrysler finally got the ball rolling on this....
Posted by William | September 23, 2008 6:54 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 18:54
Leguerre hit the nail on the head. Don't everyone start praising this car yet. I was all hyped about the Chevy Volt concept. Then the production car came out and all excitement and interest was lost. Dodge should learn from that mistake.
Posted by Mike M | September 23, 2008 7:07 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 19:07
chrysler has proven itself totally incompetent in the design and manufacture of automobiles. i recommend they divest their assets and reinvent themselves as a manufacturer of sporting goods or feminine hygiene products.
Posted by cobaltssman | September 23, 2008 8:39 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 20:39
The sports coup is a great idea! There's already a 2 year waiting list for the Tesla and its $100k! The coup could fetch a high price, like the viper did and help to pay for further research and development to keep the prices down for the rest of the EV's. Kind of like what they did with the Challenger. They made a limited run of the 2008 models, most sold above the MSRP. They factored in quite a profit from the Challenger. The profit just about paid for the development of the LY platform. The LY platform is the basis for the next gen 300 and Charger. This isn't the same Chrysler from 3 years ago under Diamler; It has focus, it has goals, and within a few years, they'll be making cars that will attract people back to buying them.
Posted by Twilight_Imperium | September 23, 2008 8:52 PM
Posted on September 23, 2008 20:52
This is all rather exciting as competition in the marketplace drives down prices and breeds innovation which is usually passed along to consumers in the form of better products.
Although I think the Volt concept looks better than the production Volt, it's still a decent-looking vehicle. If any of these EV's are comparable to the Volt's specs, which they look to be so far, then people will at least have some options when it comes time to make a decision.
Posted by D! | September 24, 2008 12:52 AM
Posted on September 24, 2008 00:52
Yeah, power plants are more efficient, plus the carbon can be captured for reuse (say producing calcium carbonate) or disposed of (eg. pumped into the ground).
I would think in wheel motors like on the lightning and Supra hybrid would be more efficient than a single motor.
Posted by Hangman | September 24, 2008 1:47 AM
Posted on September 24, 2008 01:47
As for coal power plants, fly ash can also be collected from their waste if it burns at a low enough temperature. This flyash can be used as to replace up to a third of the cement in concrete. Cememt production makes so much of the world's CO2 emmisions that this offset alone could reduce emmisions by 5-10% if not more.
Posted by iamright | September 24, 2008 5:04 AM
Posted on September 24, 2008 05:04
Honestly, are we all happy Dodge is going green or that they are bringing the Europa to the US?
Posted by Jason | September 24, 2008 7:32 AM
Posted on September 24, 2008 07:32
When I first saw the article's picture, I thought that was a Dodge Viper Hybrid for a second. Luckily, Chrysler isn't that desperate:)
Posted by Saheed | September 24, 2008 10:39 AM
Posted on September 24, 2008 10:39
nuclear is the way to go... we have must better safety standards and understanding of safety procedures nowadays so it's a wonder why people constantly balk at the idea of nuclear power.
Posted by anon | September 29, 2008 7:57 AM
Posted on September 29, 2008 07:57
Why havent we heard nearly as much about dodges electric efforts as the volt? Crazy I say! Congrats to them, they seem to be in a pretty good position.
Posted by Alex | September 29, 2008 10:51 PM
Posted on September 29, 2008 22:51