Electric vehicles - not just compact sedans any more!

[Geesie]

Chrysler expects to have a "range-extended" electric vehicle in showrooms at the same time as Chevy expects to have the Volt out. Additionally, they're planning on having a pure electric Lotus-based Dodge out - presumably somewhat lower spec'd and lower priced than the Tesla Roadster.

What I like here is how Chrysler is playing its strengths rather than weaknesses. Chrysler makes the best minivans in the world - you can see more Plymouth Voyagers on the road today than Nissan Quests and Plymouth hasn't even existed for the last 7 years. Jeep is the original SUV and continues to be an icon. As much as I like my Sebring, Chrysler hasn't been able to convince people that its midsize sedans are competitive with anyone else's. There's no way that a Chrysler electric would be able to compete on image and perception with the Volt or the Prius or Civic or Camry.

I also like how they're challenging the image that electric or hybrid vehicles are tiny bubbles. You can haul around 7 kids and all their stuff and still get 55 MPG with a range-extended EV minivan. The Tesla Roadster is trying to show that all-electric vehicles can be sporty but the thing is listed at $110,000.

I suspect that Chrysler was wanting to keep this stuff top secret until right before release but they need more money to get it out the door so they had to tip their hand sooner than expected.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I for one welcome as many players into alternative energy vehicles as possible. I like the idea of being able to buy something for daily use that does not use $4 a gallon gas, and that does not put us at the mercy of the whims of other nations which are less than friendly towards us. What I want to see next is an added layer of efficiency with the new CIGSS spray-able solar cell technology used to coat the body of the vehicle. That way, it will partially recharge while you are at work or shopping and require even less energy production you have to pay for. It also would do a little bit of range extension while driving and prolong the need for the onboard generator to kick in. You could also put solar cells on the roof of a carport or garage and use them to charge a battery pack while you are away. That way, when you come back, you can use the batteries to recharge the vehicle and run it completely off the grid.

As some of my posts show, this is an idea I have been playing with in my head for some time now. I just wish I had started down the road of my engineering degree 10 years ago so I could have been at the forefront of this new wave of technology.

 

[Geesie]

I love the idea of range-extended electric vehicles especially since it will be child's play to swap out the range extender when new technologies become available. You won't have to redesign a Chevy Volt to run the generator on diesel, LNG, hydrogen, or whatever. Just swap out the generator and leave the rest of the car as it is.

I also welcome anything that helps Chrysler stay alive. Yes I know that they've had quality issues but really...

We would all lose if we saw the end of a company that thinks that a full-sized sedan should look like this

instead of this

and that a sports car should look like this

instead of this
(you probably don't see a picture because Toyota no longer sells sports cars in the U.S.)

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

The interesting thing about the Volt is that the range extender engine does not fully charge the batteries either. Instead, it only brings it to a half charge so you can get home and charge it off grid power instead. Ironically, the EPA is the bad guy now with the Volt. It is saying that the engine must be running the whole time while they do the mileage tests. So, instead of the 100+mpg that is the reality of the technology, it would see 48 mpg and essentially make it look like it's no better than a standard hybrid. If anything, this once again proves how antiquated the EPA's testing procedures really are. However, at a cost of $40,000, it would make it essentially unmarketable and keep us from making a great leap forward in technology. I hope GM is not short sighted enough to kill the project for this reason as I am sure that other auto makers will not. Others will make them even at a loss ( like the original Honda Insight) as an investment in their corporate future. The knowledge gained from deploying these cars to the first adopters will give the manufacturers who do a quantum leap over others in this important technology. It may well be the difference between life and death for these companies. This is also why Honda now leases fuel cell cars to the general public ( with restrictions) in parts of California with their FCX car project.

 

[Geesie]

That's absurd. The car at no point runs off the gasoline engine. There are miles/kilowatt-hour ratings that convert to MPG for electric cars.

 

[megaladon6]

and they don't make the prius go through that crap. or is that just because the motor never seems to turn off in them?

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Anyhow, here's a link to a story on Motor Trend's site which basically restates what I said with more detail concerning the Volt.

http://blogs.motortrend.com/6293345/government/could-the-epa-cripple-the-chevy-volt/index.html

 

[andrewmp6]

Watch who killed the electric car ford gm and toyota had working electric cars that was mass production too.For me a high compression engine and e85 is great.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

"Who Killed The Electric Car" fails to mention a few legal facts. Why GM did the EV1 as a lease has to do with laws put in place in the early 90's which stated that a manufacturer has to ensure that there is a 10 year supply of spare parts for a car in order for it to be legal to sell here. To avoid servicing these cars long after sales had flopped ( GM was only able to lease 800 of them), it was done as a lease so they could absolve themselves of legal responsibility should the program fail. This is probably also why Honda distributes the FCX as a $600/month lease and will not sell those cars. ( The FCX is the world's first production hydrogen fuel cell car). Should market demand fail to exist, they are not on the hook for 10 years of parts that do not interchange with any of their other cars or programs. Eco-Marxists are always quick to blame corporations because their desires fail to catch on with the buying public. However, it must be remembered that in order for green technologies to get widespread distribution, it must make economic sense for a wide base of consumers to adopt the technology. A small group of first adopters means little if the larger market cannot afford to buy in to the new technology. A $50,000 EV1 that was good for little more than commuting is not palatable to the majority of consumers who are unwilling to sacrifice the convenience of internal combustion for a negligible environmental impact. That's why various hybrid vehicles do better than the EV1, they do not have range limitations for long trips. This is a big country and people like to be able to drive wherever they wish to go. A 40-60 mile range does not allow them to do that.

 

[Wake]

I remember reading, GM took back all the cars, by tow truck, and had all the EV1's crushed.

I find it hard to believe no one claimed their EV1 was stolen, and stuck it in their grandparents barn somewhere.

Actually i find it hard to believe one really wasn't stolen.