WSJ: Chrysler Expects To Bring 1st Elec Vehicle To Market In 2010

[steven johnson]

The American car industry isn't sitting still with Chinese and Malaysian electric cars on the horizon.

Chrysler LLC selected A123Systems to build lithium ion battery cells, packs and modules for its electric cars which are expected to begin hitting showrooms in late 2010.
The electric vehicle components will be used in Chrysler's ENVI vehicles, which have been in development for a little less than two years, Lou Rhodes, president of the company's ENVI division said. The five vehicles included the Dodge Circuit EV, Jeep Wrangler EV, Jeep Patriot EV, Chrysler Town & Country EV and the Chrysler 200C EV concept

Chrysler has been tight-lipped about who is helping them build their electric engine vehicles, one of which they say will hit the market next year. The company has not said which one, but has unveiled a minivan, a sports car and two Jeeps with electric engines in the past year.
Rhodes would not say who.


http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090406-705444.html?

In October, Chrysler killed production of its only hybrid vehicles, the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen SUVs, which had only been on showroom floors for less than a month.
The company's ENVI vehicles will use internal combustion engines only for recharging batteries, not for propelling the vehicles--an engineering design that is more fuel efficient.
Chrysler's U.S. competitor General Motors (NYSE: GM) has chose South Korea's LG Chem Ltd (051910.KS) to manufacture lithiu-ion batteries for its electric vehicle--the Chevy Volt.
 

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/17935

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Good

I wish they had done this sooner.

Production of efficient and safe batteries must have been put on the back burner for years.

[SidDithers]

2. Hope they stay alive that long...

Thanks for posting.

Sid

[liberal N proud]

3. Hope this provides enough value to make the company important enough to save

We need all the American companies we can in this recovery and ones with innovation are the most valuable.

[sharp_stick]

4. If it's affordable and it actually works

it will do wonders. I hope they survive long enough to get it done. An electric vehicle has to have enough power to actually go further than 25 miles on a charge while driving on hilly roads IMO.

If only they had of seen the writing on the wall 10 years ago when they were rolling in dough from all of those Durangos they were selling they would have been able to get thing in the showrooms this year.

[AndyTiedye]

5. A123 is a Much Safer Lithium Battery Technology