Specs on Chrysler's new EV lineup, bigger batteries than the Volt
Dodge EV
Now that we've had some time to find the spec sheet for Chrysler's new EVs on the company's media site and then perusing it, we can answer some of the questions that initially came to mind from the press release. You might have noticed that Chrysler is claiming the same 40-mile electric range for its T&C and Wrangler ER-EVs that GM claims for the Chevy Volt. And yet GM had to completely redesign the car to minimize drag in order to achieve that range. How is Chrysler doing it with a brick shaped Jeep and a maxi-sized minivan? Why, more batteries of course. The Volt is spec'ed out with a 16 kWh battery pack. The Chrysler uses a nearly fifty percent larger 22 kWh pack while the Jeep goes all the way to 27 kWh. The Jeep actually has a larger pack than the Dodge/Lotus sports car which only has a 26 kWh pack. That raises both questions and answers. At 26 kWh, it only takes 4 hours to charge from a 220V / 30A outlet. That kind of charge time with a Tesla Roadster is only available with an 80A outlet. The question is how do they get the 150-200 mile range with a pack roughly have the size of the 53 kWh unit used by Tesla? You can read the full spec sheet here.
Gallery: 2011 Chrysler EVs
[Source: Chrysler]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
vLane.com 5:40PM (9/23/2008)
Okay, so this is the Chrysler plan to turn around the company. Hope this works for them; going heads up with the highly-toted Tesla is going to be tricky!
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Cabob 5:22PM (9/23/2008)
The body they are using for the Dodge EV weighs about a ton and the Jeep weighs about 2 tons. So the excess weight from the jeep is most likely why they can get 150-200 miles out of the EV. I have to say, Lotus has got to pat itself on the back for making the aluminum-tub chassis right about now.
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kert 6:57PM (9/23/2008)
Just yesterday we had Honda telling us that lithium batteries arent ready ..
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Perry 7:18PM (9/23/2008)
I think that the electric race is on and this time its not driven by government mandates that dont work. The free market is demanding EVs and any car company that wants to exist in the next ten years better start building them. I mean honestly how many people were really pining for electric cars in 95 when gas was $1.19 a gallon and before tesla made us realize that electric cars can be alot more fun than gas ones.
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:21PM (9/23/2008)
It's obvious how they get twice the range per KWh versus the Tesla: they lie their ass off.
The Tesla isn't the final word on EV efficiency, but no one is going to double the efficiency in only a year or two.
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:22PM (9/23/2008)
Oops, I meant to continue that. Remember, these are the same folks who claimed it would only take 8 hours to charge from a 110V outlet. This despite the fact that you only get 1/4 the power from a 110V outlet (15A) versus a 220V/30A outlet. You can't even get near 26KWh from a 110V outlet in 8 hours, even at 100% efficiency (which is impossible).
These guys are obviously a little soft on math, so getting the range wrong isn't a long leap for them.
Perry 1:11AM (9/24/2008)
So Toyota and Honda tell us lithium ions arent ready but gm and chrysler says they are? Who do you believe?
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James Sonne 3:11PM (9/29/2008)
Well, who makes the better cars today? Now you have your answer.
Chris M 6:16PM (11/23/2008)
It would be more accurate for Toyota and Honda to say "Our LiIon batteries aren't ready yet". There are a variety of different rechargeable lithium batteries on the market, some versions could well be ready to perform while other versions are either too costly or not reliable enough.
Note that Toyota and Honda aren't saying "Never!", just "Not yet".
s 7:19AM (9/24/2008)
GM and Chrysler obviously b/c lithium ion batteries are ready. It is irrelevant what the car companies say.
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KKat 11:00AM (9/24/2008)
I find it pretty amusing to see a Jeep with a power jack. They were joking about being able to recharge a Chevy Volt with the 110 power outlet on a Hummer, but in the case of the Jeep, that would be about the only way to get home if you ran out in the field. Gas cans can be carried, batteries on that scale can't.
That said, a large solar array and/or wind generator aftermarket item to throw in the trunk may be a good thing. While completely recharging it would take an absurd amount of time, topping off a charge while camping for a week would be a good plan.
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Chris M 6:22PM (11/23/2008)
Apparently you missed the part about the Jeep EV and the minivan EV being "Plug-in hybrids". Those two have a gasoline engine "range extender" that provides power when the batteries run low.
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