Where Did All The Chrysler EVs Go?
What a difference a year makes. Just before Chrysler went bankrupt, I remember them rolling all of these could-be electric vehicles out. After all, green was in, and Chrysler needed to make itself look viable in the eyes of their savior, the Federal Government. So they gave us an electric Wrangler, a hybrid aspen, and the Dodge Circuit, a Lotus-based EV sports car. Dodge was so serious, they even made an EV division called ENVI to exclusively work on electric vehicles.
Enter 2010. ENVI is dead, all of Chrysler’s hybrids have been swept under the rug, and their plans for electric vehicles canceled. Bailout money well spent?
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This piece in Automotive News (subs. req’d) gets into the nitty gritty, but the basic idea is that as soon as Fiat joined forced with Chrysler, all those grand electric ideas went out the window. No more Ram two-mode hybrid, and that goes double for the Aspen and Durango. The Dodge Circuit is nowhere to be seen either. Instead, Fiat is working to “Europeanize” Chrysler with small cars and small engines. Will it work?
I’ve already heard that Fiat is looking to downplay the Hemi engine, arguably the best engine in Chrysler’s lineup (seriously, everything else is garbage). Ok, I can understand toning down the V8’s. Ford is doing it with its EcoBoost engines, as are many other manufacturers. Fiat is bringing its famous 500 over to America, perhaps also its MultiAir and FIRE engines. But electric vehicles? Forget about it. Fiat is a leader in natural gas, but the only electric vehicle they have planned is a Fiat 500.
So is this a good idea, or a bad one? Chrysler doesn’t have much capital to be throwing at electric vehicle technologies, which cost a pretty penny to test and develop. On the same token, at a time when many manufacturers are working on hybrids and pure electrics, Chrysler could be left out in the cold as the country moves away from gasoline. On the same token, if they make substantial improvements in gas mileage while keeping prices low, they might mop up in a market eager for EV’s, but also bargains. So is Chrysler making a mistake by dropping its EV program, or is it a good idea?
Source: Automotive News | Image: Chrysler
Chris DeMorro is a car enthusiast, blogger, and all-around crazy man who is as passionate about hybrids as he is about Hemis. You can follow his constant misadventures at Three Months In A Mustang.
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July 27th, 2010 at 7:11 pm
When a company has to resort to guaranteeing the price of gasoline, to try and sell their hopeless gas guzzlers — and then cancels the program that would have been the best antidote; I guess I just have to throw up my hands and walk away.
What part of “oil supply is going to run out”, don’t they understand?
Sincerely, Neil
July 27th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
i think cancelling the extended range electric jeep was a huge mistake. While others are making small electric cars they would have been the only company offering something different. As a 4×4 enthusiast i was excited then disappointed after it was cancelled.
July 28th, 2010 at 4:43 am
Did Chrysler had the choice?
The company has been close to disappear last year. It managed to survive, but I guess there was no other way doing that than to put on hold every program that wouldn’t bring quick return on investment.
I’d rather bet on Chrysler which is getting financially better, than on Tesla which has been a money loosing company from the start, with no sign of change.
July 28th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Chrysler’s days are numbered. They were starting to go under before The Bust and the recession/depression only accelerated it.
The bailout was purely to ensure that economic “ripple effect” through the workers and Fiat swooped in to get the company for pennies on the dollar.
If the name isn’t changed to Fiat-Chrysler within the next year, I’ll be surprised. If Fiat doesn’t pull out and leave the company to die an agonizing death within the next two years, I’ll be totally shocked.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:54 pm
I ask that question my self ! Well they made the wrong choise !!!
July 28th, 2010 at 7:16 pm
OK! first off I’m just going to add that Chrysler didn’t even touch the bail out money and they also paid it back. Second Chrysler also came out with a bigger transmission that get better gas mileage. . . its better than their 6spd! Just so you know but the owner of Fiat LOVES Jeeps so I would guess they will come out with something mind blowing with them!
July 30th, 2010 at 9:50 am
I would remind people that Tesla did make a profit last july…
http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/07/technology/tesla_profitability/?postversion=2009080716
Even though it was a small one, profit it profit…for such a small company that is great news and when the market gets nailed with super high gas prices (again) thing will they will make even more… I don’t other EV companies doing as well as them…
August 2nd, 2010 at 10:47 am
“Seriously, everything else is garbage.”
I disagree entirely. The new Pentastar V6 engines are very fuel efficient and powerful, and the GEMA World Engine 4-cylinder family is a very capable and economical line-up as well. In fact, the Chrysler-Hyundai-Mitsubishi 4-cylinder collaboration powers some exceptionally outstanding cars across those three companies’ product lines including the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO.
August 7th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
They probably canned all of the new and inventive ideas because they weren’t going to be priced at anything resembling reasonable. I mean the EV sports car used an AC propulsion engine, similar to (if not the same as) the one used in the Tesla roadster. That means they were basically making a Tesla roadster, which would cost over 100k. The Jeep hybrid would have the same cost as a wrangler plus about 8-14k for electric components. None of these cars were designed to be sold, but rather to prove a point. That point being that Chrysler is committed making eco-friendly cars when looking for a handout.
August 9th, 2010 at 9:13 am
I’d wager its a mistake. “Europeanize” cars for America. Well at 6′ 225# I don’t want any compact mini car. Our family owned a Fiat many years ago – “Fix It Again Tony” indeed. The Circuit EV would have been a squeeze for me to get in and out of – but at least its something worth the effort if it gave the 80-90% performance that the Tesla delivers. I’ve had 2 Dodge trucks, but with gasoline prices volatile and the future uncertain, my next vehicle I intend to be electric.
Who wants my money? I need an electric vehicle that can maintain highway+ speeds (ie 75-100+) for a couple hundred miles, isn’t embarrasing to be seen in, and doesn’t cost as much as a condo. Word was teh Circuit was supposed to be $50-60k – about the same as the Tesla Model S is slated to be. Bad move Fiat/Chrysler.
August 16th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
I really don’t think we will ever see an assembly line built electric car from any of the big car makers.
All of the hype and hoopla is designed specifically to keep smaller manufacturers from getting a foothold in the car business. Think about it, it is exceedingly hard for a small company to acquire capital or an IPO when the public and wall street “think” the big guys are going to do it first and cheaper.It is 2010 where is the GM Volt and the Nissan Leaf?
The big car makers don’t want to loose the ICE parts business income flow.