Chrysler To Launch Electric Autos by 2010!

Chrysler's announcement of new production-intent, advanced electric-drive technology vehicles – one for each of its brands, Chrysler, Jeep® and Dodge, was quite a surprise for the auto industry.

The company will select one electric-drive model to be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and European markets after 2010. And the company expects about a hundred Chrysler electric vehicles to populate the road as a part of government, business, utility and Chrysler development fleets in 2009.

The automaker also intends to 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.

The Electric Vehicle Technology

The technology has three primary components: 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 Range-extended Electric Vehicle, as its known as, 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 set up combines the positives of an Electric Vehicle with the driving range equivalent to today’s gasoline-powered vehicles without compromises in performance.

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. It has a 200 kW electric-drive motor generates 650 N*m (480 lb.-ft.) of torque. Accelerates 0 to 60 mph in less than five seconds, and a top speed of over 120 mph.

Jeep EV

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. It has a 200 kW (268 horsepower) electric motor generates 400 N*m (295 lb.-ft.) of torque. About eight gallons of gasoline has a range of 400 miles, including 40 miles of zero fuel-consumption, zero-emissions, all-electric operation.

Chrysler EV

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.

Adapted from original press release