Chrysler electric vehicle still 3 to 5 years away
Dodge Zeo concept
As company after company announces electric vehicle additions to their lineups by 2010, Chrysler is again expected to be a late arrival to the green-car party. The automaker started the semi-autonomous unit, ENVI, last year specifically to design and develop electric drivetrain vehicles like the Dodge Zeo concept pictured above but any belief they can put one of their creations on a showroom floor in a timely (read "competitive") fashion seems misguided. Company spokesperson, Nick Cappa, in a recent e-mail to the Detroit Free Press said they are currently developing electric vehicles and are "...planning on product within three to five years,". After the past disastrous quarter ,that saw sales plunging 22 per cent, there are many who aren't sure the company will even last that long. Bought up by Cerberus Capital Management last year, it has recently been busy fighting off bankruptcy rumors.
Nick Cappa, for one, still seems to be taking the long view. Defending the company's tortoise-like pace getting into the rapidly expanding hybrid market he says, "If you want to go ahead and make everything a full hybrid system, fine, but what if you can turn everything into a range-extended vehicle and take it beyond the 2020 campaign for 35 miles per gallon? The new technology ENVI is developing could do that." We hope, indeed, his confidence is well-placed and that they pick up the pace a notch or two.
Gallery: Detroit 2008: Dodge ZEO Concept
Gallery: Detroit 2008: Dodge ZEO Live
[Source: Detroit Free Press]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
radhoo 3:53PM (7/14/2008)
It looks awsome.It has only two seats ?
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Domenick Yoney 10:11AM (7/15/2008)
The Zeo seats four.
Richard 3:18PM (7/14/2008)
That's a great looking car. I can't believe it'll take them 3-5 years! That's just stupid!
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jeffzekas 3:42PM (7/14/2008)
Chrysler got the K- Car and the Viper to the marketplace at warp speed, but they can't make an electric vehicle? I'm guessing if a huge asteroid was heading towards the CEO's house, they'd figure out how to blow it up! I mean, hundreds of individuals are now building electric cars in their garages! Hey, that's an idea: Chrysler should ship complete bodies and chassis, sans motors, to electric home-builders, who will install the electric drivetrains for Chrysler! Kinda like when Chrysler took Sunbeam Alpines, and put V-8's in the front-- only this time, with eco-friendly motors!
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floorman56 5:58PM (7/14/2008)
hundreds of individuals are now building electric cars in their garages!
But do they SELL them? Because when you start to sell them you enter a whole new world
Lawsuits if people get hurt
Government Safety regs ( Have you even looked at the rules)
Spare parts
Dealing with Union people and your shareholders if a untested car line doesn’t sell and you have to layoff 100,000 workers
Just because someone can do something in there garage doesn’t mean it can scale up
Dave 3:58PM (7/14/2008)
I think they're out of money and are probably very close to bankruptcy. I may be mistaken but I don't think they have announced any new high mileage mini or compact cars either. I wonder what they plan on selling to the public?
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Brent 5:07PM (7/14/2008)
They are dealing with Nissan to build a small car. They have $8 billion to survive on. They are working with Great Wall and Chery to build cars for various markets. Phoenix engines are coming very soon.
Anyway, I don't think we will see fully electric cars in less than 3 years anyway. The Volt is supposed to come in 2 years. I don't see Chrysler being that far behind. I am expecting good electric cars in 5-10 years.
Ignatius 4:02PM (7/14/2008)
Guess it's 3-5 years before they start turning a profit, eh?
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Mark 4:12PM (7/14/2008)
I'm glad to see more and more major car companies stating that they will build and sell electric cars. More competition is better for the consumer.
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Ken Brunot 4:28PM (7/14/2008)
3-5 years? They won't be around for another 2 years without electric technology cars. R.I.P. Chrysler.
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Brent 10:50AM (7/15/2008)
Can you tell me who is going to have an all electric car in 2010? Thanks
kert 1:54AM (7/15/2008)
Mitsubishi, MiEV at least. Nissan is close behind, Pininfarina as well.
Throwback 4:38PM (7/14/2008)
Considering how poorly built the K-cars and 1st gen Viper where, 3-5 years seems prudent. It's not like Chrysler has loads of cash on hand either.
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Mike 4:54PM (7/14/2008)
It's that wonderful wait and see attitude that has made Chrysler the company it is today. Let everyone else do the work and we'll just by the components later. But will there be a later for Chrysler............
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ddub 4:55PM (7/14/2008)
Why are their brothers over at Mercedes able to move to electric so much faster?
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stevefazek 6:57PM (7/14/2008)
Because Benz dumped their free loading brother.
ddub 7:49PM (7/14/2008)
Wow, I must have been in a coma the past month.
kert 2:15AM (7/15/2008)
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gYYIGZvfhinhgZWi6YzGD5ZFL71Q
Electric vehicles are under development by most auto manufacturers, and one produced by the Bollore group with Italian design firm Pininfarina is to be available commercially in June 2009.
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ROOLLY 4:34AM (7/15/2008)
I think the volt was created to be a commuter car. The car can go 40 miles on power.
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BlackbirdHighway 7:28AM (7/15/2008)
Brent,
Some of these are real, others I would consider to be pure vapor, but they are all making claims. Not all a pure EV, some are hybrid.
Aperta
BYD
BMW
Daimler
Fisker
Ford
GM
Hybrid Technologies
Lightning
Magna
Miles
Mitsubishi
Myers
Nissan
PML
REVA
Subaru
TANGO
Tesla
Th!nk
Toyota
Triac
Venture
Venturi
Wrightspeed
ZAP
ZENN
I'm sure I've left out a couple.
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