Future Car - Chrysler EV Series
75Dodge Circuit EV
EV stands for Electric Vehicle.
Much to everyone's surprise Chrysler recently unveiled an all electric vehicle called the Dodge Circuit EV. The Circuit will be an all electric sports car vaguely reminiscent of the Tesla Roadster. This is no fluke as both the Circuit and the Tesla share the same Lotus Europa body.
As Lotus worked with Tesla on both the body and electronics, it is assumed that this expertise is being passed on to Chrysler for the Circuit. Chrysler, for it's part, is silent on this assumption.
The Dodge Circuit will use 200kW ([kiloWatt] or 268 horsepower) electric motor mated to a lithium-ion battery pack complete with integrated power management module. Torque will be in the four-hundred eighty (480) foot pound range which will help launch the Circuit quietly and quickly to sixty miles per hour and beyond. The Circuit EV is expected to achieve 0 to 60 mph in less than five seconds. It will also attain a top speed of one-hundred twenty (120) mph.
Range is expected to be between 150 & 200 miles with
a single recharge. Recharge times of 8 to 10 hours on 110-volt house current or 4 hours on 220-volt current.
Jeep Patriot & Chrysler Town and Country EVs
Chrysler will also introduce a Jeep Patriot EV and a Chrysler Town and Country EV. Both vehicles will be based on the same electric technology and drive train in the Dodge EV with the addition of a gasoline powered engine.
These two vehicles are slated to be hybrids, unlike the Dodge EV, and will be able to use power at the wheels from either the battery pack or an on-board engine. Much like the Chevy Volt (a range extended vehicle; not a hybrid) gasoline engine power will not be used until the vehicle has reached forty (40) miles.
Once the gasoline engine kicks in, the total range is expected to be four-hundred (400) miles. This is 1/3 more mileage per fill-up than the Chevy Volt or Ford Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (I.C.E.) vehicles.
Chrysler 200C EV Instrumentation
Chrysler 200C EV
Finally, Chrysler unveiled the 200C at the 2009 Detriot Auto Show. This car is a slightly scaled down version of the existing 300.
The 200C will be a four (4) passenger vehicle running on lithium-ion cell technology and power augmented gasoline engine. As with the other Chrysler models featured here it is not a hybrid, but a range extended vehicle whose power-train is strictly electric driven by the battery packs or via a generator connected to a gasoline engine.
The 200C will feature a forty (40) mile battery only run mode with no fuel consumption. Performance statistics are touted to be zero to sixty (0 - 60) in seven (7) seconds with a top speed greater than one-hundred twenty (120) miles per hour.
In this version the cockpit has no switches or levers using instead a "...panoramic multimedia touchscreen, a passenger-dedicated ‘techno-leaf' and a stowable tablet PC.*"
The "techno-leaf" will contain climate and entertainment controls.
The 200C EV has a one-hundred sixteen (116.1") inch wheelbase rather than the one-hundred twenty (120.0") inch wheelbase on the 300.
* Source Chrysler (see video at right)
Emissions
Chrysler has not published any emissions estimate for these vehicles. However, when published, they are highly likely to fall into the same range of figures as the Chevy Volt and Ford Hydrogen I.C.E. When the vehicles are running on battery only emissions are expected to be zero (0), excluding power grid plant emissions of course, and greatly reduced emissions from the small efficient gasoline engines designed to augment electric power.
It is quite certain that emissions figures will be well below the EPA mandated emissions standard of today and the CARB (California Air Resources Board) figures for new cars.
This is the fourth in a series on Future Cars.
Future Car Series
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Sorry to join these two models in one hub, but neither company (Toyota or Honda) has a lot to say about the new models. Toyota in particular won't say anything about the upcoming Prius, but rumors abound. ... - Future Car - Subaru
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Comments
EarnestShub: Thanks for the Comment!!!
Apparently they have convinced themselves that they can't sell cars unless they "go fast" and it's not just Chrysler that has this attitude. Ford and Chevrolet, though not touting performance quite so much, do make a point of demonstrating just how fast their EVs can go or how much torque they have.
Chrysler in particular likes to market "sporty" cars. Remember the Prowler? How about the Crossfire?
I take this as high complement (by the way) that you have worked in the industry a long time and found my hub useful and interesting. Honestly I spent a lot more time doing research than I did writing.
I'm currently working on a hub about Hydrogen and it's problems.
One purpose the high performance electrics serve is countering the golf cart stigma, getting the public at large to see electric as cool and sexy will go a long way toward gaining general acceptance. The latest batteries are a bit too pricey for entry level cars, it makes sense right now to showcase the technology in high end vehicles.
They did a good job making the Circuit look like a Chrysler. One minor note, I believe the Tesla is based on the Lotus Elise.
JakeAuto: According to what I'm reading (wikiepdia Tesla Roadster) Lotus lent their expertise with the chassis. The article goes on to state that the T-Roadster shares only 6% of the parts from the Elise. The article also states that Tesla builds the body panels for the Roadster themselves; out of carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
However, from my view, it looks a LOT like the Elise.
An update:
It looks like the product line shakeup following the Fiat takeover of Chrysler has effectively put a hold on the electric car plans, the EV program has been "absorbed" into the main car design team. Fiat cites the immaturity EV battery technology as a key limitation.
JakeAuto: Thanks for reading. This IS disappointing news. Thanks for the update.
earnestshub says:
3 months ago
I enjoyed reading this hub. I am up to date having been in the motor industry a long time.
What I do not get is the apparent inability of these manufacturers to move the market away from fast accelerating cars. This would save fuel getting the mass moving.
Why over 200KW of power and all that torque?
Unnecessary and wasteful in my view. great hub!