Go Green Stay Green

Good God! It seems like Chrysler has realized exactly how smart GM has been with their giant investment in the Chevy Volt. First they were dubious, then they were jealous…and now they’re getting ready to get even.

Chrysler’s plan (and it seems a little bit ambitious) is to have one of these three electric vehicles in show rooms for sale at the same time as the Chevy Volt (late 2010.)

The EVs in question are:

1. A Dodge all-electric sports car that will charge with a regular 110 outlet in eight hours or at a 220 outlet in four. The car will be Lotus designed (sound familiar?) and will probably have an impressive acceleration time, but an unimpressive range (and uncomfortable price.)

2. An extended-range EV version of the Chrysler Town and Country minivan. This will charge at a 110 or 220 outlet as well, but the lithium ion batteries will only take it 40 miles before a gasoline generator kicks in to recharge the batteries. Since it’s a minivan and not a svelte little five-seater, the battery is going to be significantly bigger (and thus more expensive) than the Volt’s.

3. An EREV Jeep Wrangler that is even boxier and bigger than the Town and Country but still promises 40 miles on each electric charge. And, as you might expect, the battery is even bigger, nearly twice the size of the Volt’s. So, yeah, you can expect that this thing will have a price tag upwards of 60k just adding the price of the battery onto the price of your average Wrangler.

That they’ll have one of these in showrooms by 2010 seems questionable to me. If they do, they’re either going to be selling them at a loss, or selling them for a LOT. GM has been working for over five years on the Volt, and getting the battery to work without overheating or exploding in an accident has been a gigantic challenge that I don’t even think they have yet entirely overcome.

And while I would love for GM to give Chrysler a break and lend them a hand with their batteries…I don’t think there’s enough love there for that to happen. I’m willing to give Chrysler a chance here. But if they rush these things to the showroom and sour America’s taste for plug-in vehicles by selling cars that don’t work well, I will not forgive them.

But 2010, as we predicted, is certainly shaping up to be a game-changing year for automobiles. If you’re planning on getting a new car…I’d suggest waiting.