AFSCME 3357-HOF'S BLOG

Chrysler Unveils Electric Vehicle(s)
. . . Sort of

According to Autoblog.com, at a press conference today, Chrysler will unveil its own electric powered vehicle, with an all-electric operating range of 150-200 miles, up to 5 times the electric range of the Chevrolet Volt. (The volt has a gasoline engine as well.) The catch: it's not a Chrysler-developed vehicle, it's an electrified Lotus Europa sportscar. This vehicle rides on the same platform as the Tesla sportscar.

Perhaps more significantly, Chrysler will unveil prototypes of "range-extended EV" versions of its Chrysler Town & Country minivan and Jeep Wrangler. According to Chrysler "at least one" of these vehicles will be available before the end of 2010. By 2010 the market will be very different that what it is today. There will likely be other hybrid minivan competition.

I have long thought that a "30/30" minivan (30 mpg city/30 highway) minivan hybrid would be hugely successful. Both Honda and Chrysler already have space that can be used for the battery and hybrid components without taking up precious cabin room. Each of those vehicles has underfloor storage that could be dedicated to battery room. In the case of the Toyota Sienna, the space taken by the drivetrain for the all-wheel-drive version could be allocated to hybrid components. Toyota has indicated that all of its major lines would have hybrid options in the future. Honda and Toyota minivans will be due for a redesign by 2010 anyway. The Chrysler van had a major revision in 2008, so it would ordinarily not receive a major redo until at least 2012. As an alternative to hybrids, Honda may achieve 30 mpg highway with a diesel Odyssey.