The Chrysler EV, An Electric Hybrid Town & Country

Introduced in conjunction with Chrysler ENVI’s electric hybrid 3-vehicle line-up, the Chrysler EV is a hybrid version of Chrysler’s current minivan offering, the Chrysler Town & Country. Ipso facto, the Chrysler EV is also a vehicle that no one, save for that overzealous mom who runs the local PTA, could ever possibly want. Fortunately, although Chrysler has admitted that only one of the three extended-range electric vehicles will make it to production, it hasn’t revealed which one, allowing us the glimmer of hope that it won’t be the Chrysler EV.

Despite the fact that its official classification as a minivan earns it our scathing ire, like the other two Chrysler ENVI vehicles, the Chrysler EV’s fuel-efficient engineering and innovative technology is actually pretty impressive.

Chrysler EV photo gallery after the jump

With the same electronic drive train application as both the Dodge EV and the Jeep EV, the Chrysler EV minivan is powered by a gasoline-powered small displacement engine that is integrated to function in tandem with an electric generator, both of which provide additional power to the Chrysler’s electronic drive system. The motor itself produces a zippy 9 second 0-60 mph acceleration time and produces 255-hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It also provides zero tailpipe emissions, and like it’s two ENVI siblings, features a fuel consumption average of approximately 50 mpg, or 400 miles per every 8 gallons of gasoline.

In addition to serving as a preview of what could possibly translate into a production model, the Chrysler EV also serves as a rubric for future, as yet unreleased vehicles. According to Chrysler, the knowledge and experience gained from engineering the Chrysler EV “will be applied to other front-wheel drive applications in Chrysler’s portfolio.”

We say: Chalk the Chrysler EV up to experience, and give us the Jeep EV.

[Photo Cred: Jalopnik]

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BYD F3DM Extended Range Electric Car Launches In China, Out-Volt's Prius And Volt [Byd]

Chinese automaker BYD has unveiled the BYD F3DM electric vehicle (EREV) for sale in the Chinese market. BYD also plans to bring the 62-mile range $22,000 car to the US and out-Volt the Volt.

First they come for our Hummers, now they go after building our extended range electric vehicles. Have the Chinese no shame!

Though our first experience with the BYD hybrid system came when the company's CEO took Mr. Hardigree on an impromptu test drive of the BYD F6DM inside Cobo Hall at last years Detroit Auto Show, the first real world implementation of the ferrous oxide battery-based hybrid system will be in the BYD F3DM. We're told the F3DM will operate for up to 62 miles in all-EV with a motor making 300 lb-ft of torque, when the battery runs low power comes from a 1.0 liter gasoline engine. Compare that to the Chevy Volt which will only have a 40 mile range in all-electric and will be mated to a 1.4-liter gasoline engine. But, we're presuming the Volt will be a bit safer than the first for-the-street BYD models.

The batteries can be charged in several ways, with a standard wall plug it'll take about 7 hours, a dedicated high power charging station will do the job in about 3 hours, and a half charge can be achieved in as little as 10 minutes.

The real smack in the mouth is the asking price for the F3 DM — only $22,000 for the China market model — much cheaper than the expected $40,000 for the Volt. Again, we're assuming the Volt won't explode when someone leans on it. BYD has announced intent to introduce the car to the US market in the 2010 model year or perhaps sooner depending crash certifications and regulatory hoop-jumping. The F3DM will make it's worldwide debut in January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. [Bloomberg, GasGoo]

Photo courtesy World Car Fans

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Ultra Light Electric Roadster from Evisol brings ThoRR to the Streets

…But a rather quiet “God of Thunder” ThoRR has become (comic book reference… could not resist).

Evisol is yet another Scandinavian company that is looking to provide EV solutions to the growing problem of global high fuel costs. Unlike like the Norwegian company TH!NK that is bringing cost effective budget rides to North America this Fall, the Netherlands based Evisol is dishing out a bit more wind-in-the-face fun with their all electric ThoRR roadster.

Inspired in design by the Lotus 7 roadster chassis the ThoRR roadster is what a primitive roadster is all about, except it derives its motive power from electric motors fueled by lithium batteries and not V8 engines fed on gasoline. The electric powered motors give the ThoRR a rather ominous, erie quiet as it propels down the road (as evidenced in the video that follows).

We use the term primitive because the ThoRR roadster does not have any of the refined attributes of cars today. The concept behind the ThoRR roadster is simplicity, but it is best described on the website itself:   “This concept stands for high performance through simplicity and light weight. Because of the absence of ABS, power assisted braking, power assisted steering, any form of sound absorption, even a roof and a windshield, only the basics of a car remain.” [ThoRR.eu]

That simplicity holds true when you look at the weight of the car and its maximum power output. (more…)

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