(Wed 24 Sep 08)

Chrysler will put an electric vehicle on the US market in 2010, and sell it in Europe some time after that.

Exactly what electric vehicle? We don't know, and neither does Chrysler, but it will be one of three. Perhaps the most likely to reach production is the Chrysler EV (pictured above), based on the seven-seat Grand Voyager. This has an electric motor producing the equivalent of 255bhp, which can send the EV from rest to 60mph in a rather impressive and almost totally silent nine seconds or so. The range on battery power alone is 40 miles, but this can be extended to 400 miles thanks to a small petrol engine which powers an on-board generator.

If this car isn't chosen for production, we'd like to place a vote for the Dodge EV (pictured below), a two-seat sports car with a 0-60mph of under five seconds. This one has an even more powerful electric motor but no engine - instead, you recharge the battery by plugging it into the mains.

The other possibility is the Wrangler-based Jeep EV, which at the moment uses the more powerful electric motor and the petrol engine. Chrysler is also considering in-wheel electric motors to maximise the Jeep's off-road ability.

Whichever of these vehicles goes to market, it will represent a milestone for Chrysler's in-house electric research and development organisation ENVI (short for "environmental"). "ENVI was created just over one year ago with the strategic intent to develop electric-drive vehicles quickly for Chrysler, and it is surpassing expectations," said says Vice-President and Chairman Tom LaSorda. "With ENVI, Chrysler is developing technology to bring Electric Vehicles and extremely fuel-efficient Range-extended Electric Vehicles to market."

"We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel efficient, advanced electric vehicles," adds Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli, "and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer. The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market."

Previous: Volkswagen Pickup Concept                         Next: Bentley Arnage Final Series