Chrysler to Produce Fiat 500 EV for 2012

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Today, Chrysler announced it will produce a plug-in electric version of the Fiat 500 starting in 2012. The Fiat 500, which is powered by a traditional gasoline engine, is a Mini Cooper competitor that will go on sale at the end of this year.

Chrysler says all development for the Fiat 500 EV will take place at the company’s Auburn Hills, Mich., headquarters. Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa says there is no announcement of a federal loan along the lines of the ones GM, Ford and Nissan have secured from the U.S. Department of Energy. Nissan alone received a $1.4 billion loan for its Leaf all-electric vehicle.

“If there’s a possibility of securing [a similar loan], chances are we’re looking into it,” Cappa said.

This is not the first time Chrysler has promised electric vehicles. In 2008 — pre-bankruptcy and pre-Fiat alliance — it launched an alternative fuel onslaught under the banner ENVI, complete with three concepts that would later grow to five. The first was to go on sale by the end of 2010. Late in 2009, the Fiat-led Chrysler “absorbed” the ENVI group. Cappa says ENVI was an R & D exercise, and the automaker needed to focus on production, which is why those engineers were reassigned.

“Everyone from that group is still here and we’re hiring more,” Cappa said. And what of those promised concepts from 2008? “Is there technology from them that we’re using for the Fiat 500 EV? Absolutely, yes.” Cappa pointed to the Fiat 500 EV concept shown at this year’s Detroit auto show (above) as a case in point. It was a fully functional prototype running on ENVI-developed technology.  
Dodge Ram PHEV
Dodge is also working on a Ram plug-in hybrid that will still feature a 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi engine, but it will travel up to 20 miles on electric power alone and achieve 65% better overall fuel economy, according to Chrysler. Currently, it gets 16 mpg combined.  It will be a limited fleet of just 140 trucks over a three-year period. The company secured loans of up to $48 million for the project.

Chrysler also announced that a hybrid version of the Ram has been canceled due to the poor market acceptance of other brands’ hybrid trucks.