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Dodge EV takes to the streets
Click above for hi-res gallery of the Dodge EV in the wild
While a lot of the legwork was done for them by Lotus, we still have to give Chrysler a little credit for getting an electric vehicle prototype on the road so quickly. When we first saw the Dodge EV a couple of months ago, it looked like it was ready to roll, with a Tesla-like blend of Lotus platform and electric powerpack. Soon after we heard that the car was likely to make it to production, with a delivery date that would challenge the Chevrolet Volt. While it had appeared that Chrysler was way behind its domestic rivals in developing an electric car, we know that through their GEM subsidiary, Chrysler has actually accumulated a lot of EV expertise and become the nation's leading electric car seller in the process.
The Dodge EV is essentially a Lotus Europa, but uses lithium batteries and a 268 hp electric motor in place of the standard 2.0L four cylinder engine and transmission. It promises a range of 150-200 miles and a 0-60 time of under 5 seconds. It's a full-blown, plug-in EV, just like the Tesla Roadster, and should require a 4-hour recharge from a 220V outlet or 8 hours on a 110. To help launch Chrysler's new ENVI electric car division, the Dodge EV has been traveling the show circuit, but today we spotted it at one of our favorite local cruise-ins.
It attracted quite a crowd. Not surprisingly, many folks at the show mistook it for a Lotus until they saw the Dodge badges. Even then a lot of people figured it was some type of joint venture between the two firms. Most were amazed to learn the car might be in Dodge showrooms by 2010. Try as we might we couldn't wrestle the keys from the Chrysler reps. Hopefully the car and the company make it through our current economic crisis so we can sample one when they hit the streets.
Gallery: Dodge EV in the wild
Photos copyright ©2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
s13hybrid 6:48PM (11/16/2008)
Wow, this is the first time I have actually thought of buying a Dodge product. Depending on the price, this car could really help out Chrysler, especially if they can move this tech to a larger platform.
This deserves just as much hype as the Volt and Tesla Roadster.
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Hanoi Jane 7:39PM (11/16/2008)
Autoblog only goes gaga for GM products.
But seriously, this car will cost probably around 50+, Lotus costs 45K plus the EV should make it very expensive.
I think that Town and Country has a much better chance of becoming a real car that will sell in real numbers.
tankd0g 10:25PM (11/16/2008)
I don't know if buying a Europe from Lotus and paying extra for them to put some Tesla parts in it really counts as a "Dodge".
CarbonBlack 10:36PM (11/16/2008)
"Autoblog only goes gaga for GM products."
Really? If that's the case, they had me fooled!
Luis 11:15PM (11/16/2008)
I agree. The fact that it has a better range than the Volt and a lower price tag than the Tesla should lure some buyers. There's no point in bringing new technology if the masses can't afford it.
happy_penguin 9:39AM (11/17/2008)
Correction: It has a better electric range than Volt. No electric will ever have the full range of the Volt because Volt has gasoline backup which is important for people who want to take long trips. You can't just charge a car anywhere. I think the Volt is best suited to people who drive less than 40 miles per day on a weekly basis, can use an electric car but can't give up the range potential of a regular gasoline car which can be refueled almost anywhere in the country.
CPT 7:00PM (11/16/2008)
It looks great, keep in mind they outsource for this type of vehicle and hype it up like they have something innovative. Chrysler needs this vehicle and this type of technology asap !
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geo.stewart 8:36AM (11/17/2008)
where is the crosshair grille>
ohhhh, that's right. Its a Lotus with batteries.
ad Luis is wrong, this does not have more range than a Volt. It can go further on a charge but the Volt's hybrid model gives it a much further range beofre it needs a charge and refill.
But a 200-mile charge is good for everything but long-distance trips. just have to move the price down
Lotus Elise Blog 12:11PM (11/17/2008)
I agree. As happy as I am to see the "lowly" Lotus Europa getting some good exposure I'm a bit sad that it's being represented as a Dodge and that people won't really understand that. Americans at least.
Chrysler/GM/Ford all need to really study (not outsourcing the majority) the designs and innovations of already successful or up and coming brands to help them better innovate.
zamafir 7:05PM (11/16/2008)
lame, every time i miss cars and coffee something awesome or unique is there - every time i go it's the same 3 vectors. rrrr.
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CarbonBlack 7:11PM (11/16/2008)
I respect the car, but the Dodge badges/Dodge name irritate me!
It is a Lotus Europa first and foremost, with a dodge drive-train!
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Jeff 10:25PM (11/16/2008)
then whats a 1st and 2nd gen viper? a dodge body with a lamborghini drivetrain.
to actually get products out on the market outsourcing is usually needed.
Zeus.:God 10:45PM (11/16/2008)
Where did Lamborghini get in on that deal? I was under the impression the Viper was Dodge's car, part for part...
CarbonBlack 12:15AM (11/17/2008)
Zeus.:God,
I was also under that impression!
I always thought they used one of their truck's V10, and made their own chassis/interior/exterior.
I did find (On Wiki) that lamborghini helped lighten the engine, but It seems that isn't really a large contribution
The "Dodge EV" IMHO is mostly Lotus!
stevefazek 12:48AM (11/17/2008)
The 1st and 2nd gen viper has a dodge truck engine but the heads where designed by lambo because dodge owned them back in the day
Gstill 7:32PM (11/16/2008)
The car looks nice. I can only imagine what the sticker price will be. This has to be more expensive than the Volt.
If Dodge could turn the Demon concept into a hybrid, they'd have something there too.
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tankd0g 10:25PM (11/16/2008)
More expensive than a Tesla roadster. Not that it'll ever be sold.
m666 7:21PM (11/16/2008)
prolly should be a Chrysler in my book.
i hope using the europa body saved them some money, for some reason i doubt it. they should have put on a new front spoiler or something!
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bduddy 7:31PM (11/16/2008)
There is also a Chrysler EV, a minivan I believe-fitting because minivans are the only Chryslers anyone buys now.
Anyway, if Chrysler wants to survive, they need to do this and they need to do it big. They need to get the kind of hype behind it that GM has behind the Volt, they need to have it ready around the same time, preferably before, and they need it to work. If it goes 0-60 in 7 seconds, say, instead of 5, well, no one should care, but it needs to go 150 miles, and it needs to not break down. Chrysler has nothing else in the pipeline that will make them even remotely salvagable, and it is looking increasingly unlikely that they will be bailed out by Congress or any other car companies. But if they can do this, they have a future.
Jay Guzowski 7:54PM (11/16/2008)
Quite honestly.. this is cool... but Chryco should really be focusing on having that Minivan they showed... that would give them the opportunity to be first in a segment (a segment they are known for to boot) and gain some first mover advantage.... its not sexy like this sports car but it could be huge volume.... and no one else has anything like it
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