Are Chrysler's Electrics For Real?
CNNMoney.com has a Special Report about Chrysler’s development of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. We originally learned of Chrysler’s plans a few months back, which we greeted with a healthy dose of skepticism. Any skepticism seems completely omitted from the CNNMoney piece. There’s simply no counterpoint to Chrysler’s claims that it can turn around all-electric vehicles easily and cheaply by 2010.
This is news to us. Chrysler says the “economy” of their vehicles lies in the fact that they’re not developing an entirely new vehicle like Chevy’s Volt. Instead Chrysler is putting electric drivetrains into existing models, namely the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and the Jeep Wrangler SUV.
Now we’re not saying Chrysler can’t build a fully operational electric vehicle. The technology is there, and their engineers can certainly build cutting-edge products if so tasked. The question is: How do they make it cheaply?
Using existing models will keep costs down, according to CNNMoney.com. Even with those savings, Chrysler will need giant battery packs to power these rather large vehicles, which are nearly twice the size — and presumably the cost — of the Volt. We also assume there are still a few extra costs involved with building new floorboards and other parts to fit these drivetrains. A Jeep Wrangler Unlimited currently starts at $22,815. Most current hybrids come with a 30%-50% price bump. We can only guess an all-electric car or range extender would cost more than that. So let’s say it would cost at least $30,000 for an electric Jeep Wrangler? That would certainly be an attractive price point for buyers.
There’s also no mention of who will supply these giant, expensive batteries, a significant issue in this new world of lithium-ion powered vehicles. There are currently no companies that manufacture the batteries in the U.S.
But, hey, we don’t want to rain on the parade. We’ll make sure to keep an eye out for that affordable electric Jeep Wrangler in the next 13-24 months.
