Dodge EV seen in the flesh at LA Auto Show
By Darren Murph 
posted Nov 21st 2008 5:23AM
posted Nov 21st 2008 5:23AM
[Via Digg]
posted Nov 21st 2008 5:23AM
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Drivers that use GPS systems with real-time traffic info spend 18% less time behind the wheel than those who do not.
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Dodgy
Cool car. It's a shame Dodge may not be around long enough to produce any.
On another note, the automotive industry could probably save itself by releasing a practical and affordable electric vehicle right now.
such a sweet car.
2010? can the bailout money keep chrysler afloat until then?
You mean if Cerebus decides to fund cry-sler long enough to produce this? They have more than enough capital to do so. Why they're asking for bailout bucks is beyond me..
WTF?!?!?! An electric car that doesn't look like a shoe or a little lame boxy/bubblely thing? I remember the Chevy Volt also looked cool at one point. We will just have to wait and see what the production model looks like (if they ever make it).
Oh hey Dodge how about a hybrid Avenger or Caliber already?
Two words: Lotus Europa.
2 words: not really
This is done on a Lotus Europa plattform, for sure.
Compare the images:
http://www.xelopolis.com/news/2008/septembre/Chrysler_EV_Concept_2008/Chrysler_EV_Concept_200804.jpg
http://www.lotuseuropa.org/gallery/albums/new-europa/LotusEuropaS006.jpg
It's still a good looking car though. Dodge probably paid them for the design, so everybody wins. Probably.
@Dave S and Unknown-
You guys act like this is some big secret-
Read the article and you will find:
"Pricing has yet to be determined, but it is this sort of cutting-edge technology doesn't come cheap (nor does the lightweight Lotus chassis that the EV is based on)."
@Twist
In case you haven't seen the Caliber commercials Dodge is portraying their designs to go against the whole cute and bubbly thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dCox0jB1Ng
Considering the rumors of GM buying Chrysler, i think if that were to happen then GM would kill this project ASAP. GM has a history of killing off any effort to produce an electric vehicle. GM would much rather produce a slew of gas guzzlers across all of its divisions and then make up reasons why they can't or shouldn't produce an electric vehicle.
I thought it was GM that made the EV1 or whatever some years ago? I may be wrong though
Considering that all of the big three will not survive the next three months without governments money, we don't need to think about that kind of things...
Who killed the electric car?
http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/?detectflash=false&
Mid-mounted? Sweet.
Oh look...
Someone else taking a Lotus platform and renaming it. A Lotus Europa in manky yellow and some dodgy stripes.
So, that makes Tesla, Vauxhall/Opel, Abarth, Fiat......
Ay! Somebody is thinking like me!
Opels and Vauxhalls aren't in the U.S., so that doesn't bother me, but why would Lotus sell THEIR Europa which isn't in the U.S. as an electric Dodge?!?!
I know Lotus is makin money, probably big bucks too, but they gotta stay real... Don't let go of your cars to Dodge...
man this car looks great. If it goes into production, I hope it keeps this design.=D
268HP?
That's 200kW (as near as be damned)
Now, at a battery voltage of 48V, that's 4167A!
That sure is one HOT car!
1.21 Jiggawatts!
shocking! how dare they ditch gas guzzlers and save the world
And where do you think electricity comes from? Just because it's electric doesn't automatically make it green!
well.... we have a 100% all natural gas supply in alaska
True... that most of the electricity will be coming off the grid (not in all states/locations). But, safe, DIY, rechargable, solar systems for use at home can be made for under $3xx. Even if such a system can only supply electricity to your car 4-8 times a month (due to inefficitent solar panel to electricity conversions...enough sunlight available...etc)...it definitely would alleviate consumption off of an electrical grid. I guess my point is even a 40/60... 20/80...etc...
solution would dramatically change dependency on petroleum for automobile fuel. Gas prices will step back up (probably not to $4.xx levels) after this economic downturn .
Let's hope their batteries are better than laptops ones ;)
Looks like a Dodge Viper kit car...LOL
Correct me if I am wrong but an 'all-electric plug-in ' isn't going to have a 268 hp engine. Engines run on fuel, motors are electric.
You know what really would've helped these guys, if they came out with these concepts 2/3 years ago with a plan to release them this year... showing me EV vehicles today with a promise to release them in 2 years isn't going to make me wanna buy anything from them... then again I wouldn't buy anything from GM, or Ford, or Chrysler anyway.
I don't want this car, but I want the girl that'd go for me if I had this car!
Good luck finding a girl that will date you just because you have an awesome car, and actually give a shit that you are doing your part in helping reduce carbon emission.
Screw carbon emission, I want the clueless girls!
Anyone notice the Challenger in the far back round?
See now this is why I like old American muscle cars... They look sooo BAD ASS!!
Those lights are saying "I'm up to no good baby!"
I hope that the automakers make it through and that they start to listen to reason and produce a small selection of cars that are reliable, easy to maintain and bring back options like manual driver side windows on the lower end cars... I don't know what to say, the guys who make the big decisions dug a deep hole...
"manual driver side windows"??? Are you out of your mind?
so... you want to increase the weight of your vehicle with an electric drive on your mirror!? it it THAT big a difference just so you can move the control to the arm rest?
every little bit counts...
I'd rather have a crank manual window than a bill 12 months later for $300 replace a worn out cheap window motor... I am next to the window, is it so bad to roll it down? are you that out of shape? or is it just a status thing... Yes I am driving an economy car but I must have all electric windows... Yea, that supermodel won't get into you car unless it is a Aston Martin buddy...
I would enjoy my manual windows much more if the gears wouldn't strip out... In my Jeep Cherokee (1994), my gear is stripped around where my window gets about a couple inches from the bottom, and if I go down too far, it the window will fall out of track into my door... :(
Lotus or not, this looks to be far superior to the Volt.
I'm guessing the price will be far superior to the Volt also.
@ cg0def
I agree. Electric cars don't save the enviroment any more then your normal average 4 banger. Batteries are a huuuuuuge issue enviromentaly, and electricity ain't cheap. To buy or produce. Considering most of our electricity comes from coal, it's prob greener to drive a car with a combustion engine. My 6 year old car has a ULEV spec. My guess would be that it does better enviromentally then a power plant. No?
What would be better if metal bodies are replaces with plastic. the Pontiac Fiero was a car ahead of its time in terms of material ideas. The car was/is crap but until the general public stops driving like lunatics on urban streets the only way we can get green energy is from the sun.
A 4 banger with an all plastic body will get 50+ MPG...
metal = recyclable
plastic = not so much ....
Tesla = Lotus Elise worked on with new drive train
Dodge EV = Lotus Europa worked on with new drive train etc
Looks cool, I'd love one. Willing to bet that a 1:1 dollar/UKP gadget conversion scale will apply though.
how about dropping 100hp and giving us 300mile range!?
I couldn't go this year :(
It has a motor, not an engine... if it had an 268HP engine, it wouldn't be all-electric, as that would work off of gas (definition of engine: " 1. A machine that converts energy into mechanical force or motion.
2. Such a machine distinguished from an electric, spring-driven, or hydraulic motor by its use of a fuel.")
... geez, are you guys too lazy to read up on electric vehicles on howstuffworks.com?
mmmm....flux capacitor...
Sorry, I can't comprehend pics of new cars if doesn't have 3 chicks in bikinis around it.