Dodge EV seen in the flesh at LA Auto Show

Could you tell a few auto shows were going on in California? In case you've somehow overlooked it, a number of automakers are showing off some swank new in-car connectivity options, and Dodge is striving to elicit even more fluids from your saliva glands by showing off the Dodge EV. We initially heard about this mythical automobile back in September, and now the very Viper-inspired whip is wowing onlookers in LA. The all-electric plug-in boasts mid-mounted batteries, a 268-horsepower engine, a 150-mile range and a 0 to 60 time of under five seconds. Have a peek at what you'll be attempting to finance "as early as 2010" down in the read link.

[Via Digg]

[Homer @ Nov 21st 2008 5:26AM]

Dodgy

[Smart People Play Tuba @ Nov 21st 2008 7:16AM]

Cool car. It's a shame Dodge may not be around long enough to produce any.

[OneLove @ Nov 21st 2008 12:15PM]

On another note, the automotive industry could probably save itself by releasing a practical and affordable electric vehicle right now.

[SITEiNK @ Nov 21st 2008 4:47PM]

such a sweet car.

[Fernando @ Nov 21st 2008 5:28AM]

2010? can the bailout money keep chrysler afloat until then?

[elloh7 @ Nov 21st 2008 10:04AM]

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..

[Twist @ Nov 21st 2008 5:31AM]

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?

[DaveS @ Nov 21st 2008 6:02AM]

Two words: Lotus Europa.

[cg0def @ Nov 21st 2008 7:10AM]

2 words: not really

[Unknown @ Nov 21st 2008 7:32AM]

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

[sip @ Nov 21st 2008 10:21AM]

It's still a good looking car though. Dodge probably paid them for the design, so everybody wins. Probably.

[SweetSauce @ Nov 21st 2008 1:20PM]

@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)."

[TheStupidOne @ Nov 21st 2008 5:37AM]

@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

[GhostDoggy @ Nov 21st 2008 5:37AM]

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.

[Patriks7 @ Nov 21st 2008 5:52AM]

I thought it was GM that made the EV1 or whatever some years ago? I may be wrong though

[Unknown @ Nov 21st 2008 7:35AM]

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...

[donmai @ Nov 21st 2008 1:54PM]

Who killed the electric car?

http://www.sonyclassics.com/whokilledtheelectriccar/?detectflash=false&

[Flibster @ Nov 21st 2008 6:03AM]

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......

[Christian @ Nov 21st 2008 6:49PM]

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...

[Aerodynamics @ Nov 21st 2008 6:06AM]

Mid-mounted? Sweet.

[scott @ Nov 21st 2008 6:13AM]

man this car looks great. If it goes into production, I hope it keeps this design.=D

[dervheid @ Nov 21st 2008 6:16AM]

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!

[Butato @ Nov 21st 2008 11:57AM]

1.21 Jiggawatts!

[avis @ Nov 21st 2008 6:22AM]

shocking! how dare they ditch gas guzzlers and save the world

[cg0def @ Nov 21st 2008 7:10AM]

And where do you think electricity comes from? Just because it's electric doesn't automatically make it green!

[cb88 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:28AM]

well.... we have a 100% all natural gas supply in alaska

[Eric @ Nov 21st 2008 11:15AM]

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 .

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 21st 2008 6:27AM]

Let's hope their batteries are better than laptops ones ;)

[Ford Mustang @ Nov 21st 2008 6:48AM]

Looks like a Dodge Viper kit car...LOL

[Name @ Nov 21st 2008 7:17AM]

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.

[wrabbit @ Nov 21st 2008 7:23AM]

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.

[loocas @ Nov 21st 2008 7:52AM]

I don't want this car, but I want the girl that'd go for me if I had this car!

[Unique Gift Ideas @ Nov 21st 2008 12:13PM]

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.

[loocas @ Nov 21st 2008 6:37PM]

Screw carbon emission, I want the clueless girls!

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 7:55AM]

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...

[Ayle @ Nov 21st 2008 8:05AM]

"manual driver side windows"??? Are you out of your mind?

[cb88 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:27AM]

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...

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 9:48AM]

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...

[Zeus.:God @ Nov 21st 2008 12:16PM]

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... :(

[Evan @ Nov 21st 2008 7:55AM]

Lotus or not, this looks to be far superior to the Volt.

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 8:38AM]

I'm guessing the price will be far superior to the Volt also.

[Pete @ Nov 21st 2008 8:03AM]

@ 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?

[iEye @ Nov 21st 2008 9:05AM]

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...

[cb88 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:24AM]

metal = recyclable
plastic = not so much ....

[ric @ Nov 21st 2008 8:48AM]

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.

[cb88 @ Nov 21st 2008 9:20AM]

how about dropping 100hp and giving us 300mile range!?

[Falcom @ Nov 21st 2008 12:33PM]

mmmm....flux capacitor...

[DirtyVegas @ Nov 21st 2008 1:34PM]

Sorry, I can't comprehend pics of new cars if doesn't have 3 chicks in bikinis around it.

[f00 @ Nov 21st 2008 2:06PM]

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?

[Dan @ Nov 21st 2008 2:37PM]

Good news: LIFETIME WARRANTY!!

Bad news: Chrysler's lifetime.