Most every major auto manufacturer has announced plans for some sort of electric or electric-hybrid production model for future production, but to date there are still only a handful of hybrid models on the road.
A few months ago in keeping with trends, Chrysler unveiled the Dodge Circuit, a Lotus Europa-based electric car that would be faster than an SRT-8 Challenger while running purely on electric power. But that was before Chrysler declared bankruptcy, and now word has come through the grapevine that the Circuit may already be dead, even after Chrysler published an ad a few weeks ago about “A new car company” which predominately featured the Circuit.
The news comes from Lotus Enthusiast via Autocar, who reports that the Circuit has been killed, and speculation is that Dodge produced the car as vaporware in order to convince the government that they were hard at work building green cars. This, from the same company whose CEO drove to Washington in an Aspen hybrid after the corporate jet debacle, a car that had also been canned at the time.
Mind you, this is not “official” news, mere speculation, But should the rumors prove true, it would be another blow to consumer confidence in Chrysler, whose own dealers are up in arms over mismanagement of the company. Really, the Circuit was nothing special, as Tesla has the same idea of stuffing a lightweight car with batteries and an electric motor. But it provided a glimmer of hope for Chrysler, who has had its coffers emptied and confidence in its sustainability shattered, perhaps permanently.
Source: Lotus Enthusiast
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