HoodaThunk?

With all of the buzz going on about the Chevy Volt it was only a matter of time before the rest of Detroit got in on the action. Chrysler lifted the veil on 3 new electric vehicles today, the products of their 2007 ENVI program.

In 2007, Chrysler announced the launch of a program called ENVI aimed at developing electric cars, but other than a few nonrunning concepts displayed at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, not much information on the project had leaked out since. Now, in a move aimed at cheering up the company’s employees and stealing the spotlight from the recently introduced Chevy Volt, Chrysler is showing its hand to the world.

In spite of the remaining questions about how a mass influx of electric vehicles will affect the nation’s power grid, I think this is wonderful news. The choice of vehicle frames developed shows that Chrysler is going all in on the concept, too. The Dodge EV is a 2-seater sports car designed for fast acceleration and exhilarating driving. (The fact that it looks nearly identical to the Tesla Roadster is, I’m sure, purely coincidental.) While the concept of such a car is intriguing, it’s pretty much useless to a family with kids. That’s why the other 2 Chrysler vehicles are of such interest to me.

For the family, the Chrysler EV is a reengineered Town and Country minivan that Chrysler claims will be able to travel 40 miles on electric power alone. Similar to the Volt, it also carries a small gasoline engine on board that can charge the batteries and extend the range of the vehicle to up to 400 miles, at an average of 50 miles per gallon.

The Jeep EV is a four-door Wrangler Unlimited that uses the same gas-electric power combination as the minivan, but with four electric motors — one for each wheel — that give it the kind of off-road capability buyers have come to expect from the brand.

We’ve had a Pontiac Montana minivan for 8 years now and I really can’t imagine not having that car for the various long-distance trips we do. It’s been a great car but she’s starting to show her age. The Town & Country minivan mentioned here would be fantastic to have as a replacement for that car. My wife tends to drive that one because her commute is 1) shorter than mine and 2) she works in a fixed location Monday thru Friday. A 40-mile range would handle her daily driving needs easily and the range extension motor would still permit trips of the length we take on occasion. So long as they didn’t really dumb down the car when they converted her to all electric, I’m most definitely interested!

There’s been bad news aplenty but there are bright spots like these, too. I’m glad to see it.