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Chrysler Envisions Electric Car Envi Within Five Years

James Raia

Chrysler Envisions Electric Car Envi Within Five Years 1Another auto manufacturer seemingly joins the green automotive world each week. This time, it’s Chrysler and its new Envi division. Chrysler has announced it’s planning to launch all-electric vehicles within five years.

The new line created last September. Its vehicles are slated to operate on battery power alone for about 40 miles, according to Chrysler.

Chrysler is also working on a new generation of hybrid vehicles with lithium-ion batteries that are lighter and store more energy than the nickel-metal hydride batteries now in wide use.

Chrysler has not yet announced any partnership for the project or for the development of the batteries.

General Motors Corp and Toyota Motor Corp are racing to develop rechargeable hybrid vehicles using lithium-ion batteries.

GM’s all-electric Chevy Volt is scheduled to begin production in 2010; Toyota will begin testing a rechargeable version of its Prius hybrid with fleet customers around the same time.

Chrysler Envisions Electric Car Envi Within Five Years 2

Ford is building 20 plug-in hybrid SUVs on a demonstration basis and predicts mass-market distribution within 10 years.

Chrysler, bought by private equity group Cerberus Capital Management last August, showed three “green” concept cars in January during the Detroit auto show that featured electric motors intended to be powered by lithium-ion batteries — Chrysler’s ecoVoyager, Dodge ZEO and Jeep Renegade.

The Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker relies on sales of trucks and SUVs, such as the Dodge Durango SUV and RAM pickup truck, for almost 70 percent of its total sales at a time when U.S. consumers are increasingly demanding lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The rising popularity of gas-sipping hybrids is prompting automakers to invest in the development of hybrids and electric vehicles.

Toyota dominates the U.S. market for hybrid sales on the strength of the success of its Prius and expects to sell more than one million hybrid vehicles annually by early next decade.

Chrysler is also working on a new generation of hybrid vehicles with lithium-ion batteries that are lighter and store more energy than the nickel-metal hydride batteries now in wide use.

Chrysler has not yet announced any partnership for the project or for the development of the batteries.

General Motors Corp and Toyota Motor Corp are racing to develop rechargeable hybrid vehicles using lithium-ion batteries.

GM’s all-electric Chevy Volt is scheduled to begin production in 2010; Toyota will begin testing a rechargeable version of its Prius hybrid with fleet customers around the same time.

Ford is building 20 plug-in hybrid SUVs on a demonstration basis and predicts mass-market distribution within 10 years.

Chrysler, bought by private equity group Cerberus Capital Management last August, showed three “green” concept cars in January during the Detroit auto show that featured electric motors intended to be powered by lithium-ion batteries — Chrysler’s ecoVoyager, Dodge ZEO and Jeep Renegade.

The Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker relies on sales of trucks and SUVs, such as the Dodge Durango SUV and RAM pickup truck, for almost 70 percent of its total sales at a time when U.S. consumers are increasingly demanding lighter and more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The rising popularity of gas-sipping hybrids is prompting automakers to invest in the development of hybrids and electric vehicles.

Toyota dominates the U.S. market for hybrid sales on the strength of the success of its Prius and expects to sell more than one million hybrid vehicles annually by early next decade.

Article Last Updated: July 15, 2008.

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