Electric Vehicle Tech in a minivan!

2010 Chrysler Town and Country EV

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People desire the type of car that allows them to transport multiple passengers in comfort, while not breaking the bank in gas money. The Town and Country EV Concept Car incorporates some of the newest technology that Chrysler has to offer. Electric Vehicle technology, or EV, has been around for a long time but has just started to make its way into the average consumer market. So far, this is the most practical application of Chrysler's hybrid technology.

With a 40 mile range on a fully charged lithium ion battery the vehicle is powered by a 200 kW (268hp) electric motor powering the front wheels. After 40 miles and the battery has depleted itself the Town & Country EV then activates a generator in the form of a small 98-hp gasoline engine.

Electricity created from the internal combustion engine is sent not only to the battery for recharging, but also to the electric motor, boosting the total range of the vehicle.

Research and Implementation

Chrysler's internal research and development for the evolution of electric-drive production is Called ENVI. ENVI (for ENVIronmental) is developing electric-drive systems for future Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles. "ENVI was created just over one year ago with the strategic intent to develop electric-drive vehicles quickly for Chrysler, and it is surpassing expectations," said Tom LaSorda, Vice Chairman and President Chrysler LLC. "With ENVI, Chrysler is developing technology to bring Electric Vehicles and extremely fuel-efficient Range-extended Electric Vehicles to market."

Chrysler CEO and Chairman Bob Nardelli states in a press release: "We have a social responsibility to our consumers to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient, advanced electric vehicles, and our intention is to meet that responsibility quickly and more broadly than any other automobile manufacturer. The introduction of the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge electric vehicles provides a glimpse of the very near future, and demonstrates that we are serious and well along in the development of bringing electric vehicles to market."

Blast off Into the Future

The electric vehicle technology is made of 3 primary sources. These include an advanced lithium-ion battery system to power the electric-drive motor, a controller that manages energy flow and an electric motor to drive the wheels. The electric-drive system is being developed for front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive, and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive vehicle applications. "This technology provides customers with a vehicle that has zero tailpipe emissions and a 150- to 200-mile driving range far exceeding most Americans daily commutes, as nearly 80 percent of Americans drive less than 40 miles per day, or 14,000 miles per year," said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President Product Development, Chrysler LLC. "Electric Vehicles provide the opportunity to fulfill social responsibility, reduce dependency on foreign oil, and eliminate monthly gasoline bills, while delivering performance and utility that our customers desire."

Advanced Electric Drive Technology

The Range-extended Electric Vehicle combines the electric-drive components of the Electric Vehicle with a small gasoline engine and integrated electric generator to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. This provides the positive attributes of an Electric Vehicle with the driving range equivalent to today's gasoline-powered vehicles with no compromises in performance. Range-extended Electric Vehicles offer environmental responsibility without giving up driving range, comfort or utility.  

Chrysler and its ENVI organization have new production-intent, advanced electric-drive technology packaged in three different vehicles, Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge.

Chrysler will select one electric-drive model at a later date which will be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, and European markets after 2010. Additionally, approximately 100 Chrysler electric vehicles will be on the road in government, business, utility and Chrysler development fleets in 2009.

Chrysler says that it is well into the development of advanced, production-intent electric vehicles. It will apply electric-drive technology to its front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive platforms in the next several years.

"This technology provides customers with a vehicle that has zero tailpipe emissions and a 150- to 200-mile driving range far exceeding most Americans' daily commutes, as nearly 80 percent of Americans drive less than 40 miles per day, or 14,000 miles per year," said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President Product Development, Chrysler LLC. Range-extended Electric Vehicle Technology.

Focusing on the Future

Chrysler and General Electric are currently working on a project with the United States Department of Energy to explore future techniques for energy-storage technology.

"Chrysler's partnership with General Electric combines the electric-drive technology demonstrated in the Chrysler Electric Vehicles, with GE's research and development of advanced energy storage systems," said Klegon. "Our collective goal working with the DOE is to develop a new, integrated energy-storage system to make electric vehicle battery packs smaller and significantly less expensive than current designs."  

Chrysler and GE will research and design dual-battery solutions based on GE's unique technology. Read about the unveiling of the Town & Country EV at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show.

"One of the challenges with electric vehicles is finding a battery with the correct balance between power for example, during vehicle acceleration and energy for long driving range," said Klegon. "We believe that combining two unique battery chemistries one biased toward power and the other toward energy into a single battery pack is very promising for a future Chrysler Electric Vehicle."

Focusing on the future cooperating with the help of GE, Chrysler has certainly cemented their future thinking of the needs of drivers while not losing their present direction. Chrysler has been a technological pioneer for years and is certainly embracing the future with their ENVI technologies. With this new and quite profitable direction for the family vehicle to head, Chrysler's new vehicles should sell quite well. Read here for more detailed specifications of the Chrysler EV.