Dodge Circuit EV Concept

A Performance Sports Car with All Electric Power

The basic formula for the Circuit is a good one; start with a lightweight, mid-engine Lotus sports car, remove the engine, and add a large battery pack and electric motor.  Despite some faults, this is a very promising vehicle.  The bigger question is whether a low-volume, presumably pricey sports car-regardless of its roof-really helps Chrysler with its financial recovery.  The Circuit has style, it has the features you would expect in a performance sports car, and has the ability to drive like a sports car should.  The Dodge Circuit EV offers driving enthusiasts a performance sports car that can be driven to work every day - without consuming gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. Dodge Circuit EV packages zero tailpipe emissions in the unlikely form of a bold, two-passenger rear-wheel-drive sports car with responsive, agile performance including an all-new design inside and out.  The Dodge Circuit EV displays bold exterior and interior styling with outstanding performance, zero gasoline consumption and zero tailpipe emissions. It is unknown when the Circuit will go to production, but Chrysler has promised to roll out at least one of its ENVI vehicles by 2010.

Driving the Circuit EV

Zero-to-60 acceleration in less than 5 seconds is predicted, and an impressive quarter-mile time of 13 seconds. It uses front and rear independent suspension, regenerative braking to recharge the battery and gets 268 hp.  More work needs to be done on the Circuits brakes; the tight grip that the Circuit's brakes have on the wheels as soon as you take your foot off of the gas acceleration pedal might be changeable by the driver through a knob on the dashboard. The car is noisy, with the hum of the electric motor omnipresent when you're not at a standstill. Luckily, the sound is kind of cool. Other parts that need work are the incredibly thick sills between the occupants and the doors. The already-tiny cabin is made even smaller and is a challenge to get in and out of.  Like the Dodge Viper it alludes to, the Circuit is a "halo vehicle" that's all about performance.  Dodge claims the Circuit would have a driving range of 150 to 200 miles and a top speed over120 mph.

Inside a Circuit EV

Unfortunately, the cabin of the Circuit is cramped. The Dodge Circuit EV delivers all of the convenience features of a performance sports car, including premium sound system, power windows and door locks, air conditioning, speed control. The Circuit carries over much of the Europa's cockpit fittings and instrumentation.  The Circuit weighs 300 pounds more than a stock Lotus Europa. The uncomplicated interior of the Dodge Circuit EV delivers a combination of pure function and athletic refinement.  

Electric Power!

The battery pack on the Circuit provides 150 to 200 miles of zero emission driving before needing to be recharged.  The Circuit can be recharged by plugging into any standard 110 volt household outlet; it can also be plugged into a standard 220 volt appliance outlet to cut the recharge time in half. Circuit utilizes a very simple powertrain to get it moving: the electric motor, battery system, and the controller that controls the flow of energy.  Unique battery technology invented by GE will allow the two companies to develop and evaluate new dual-battery solutions.

Dodge Circuit EV Design

The Circuit is based off the original electric sports concept car from Dodge, simply called the EV.   Although the Circuit has certainly kept some main design cues from the EV, plenty has changed.  The Dodge Circuit EV's profile demonstrates perfect proportions for balanced handling, placing the driver and passenger midway along the wheelbase. At the front of the vehicle, the distinctive Dodge crosshair grille splits the wind, sending it over the long, low hood and cleanly over the windshield and cockpit. The body sides feature a deep scallop, providing visual depth and also a functional rear-brake air duct. At the rear, the functional elements blend with design to create a uniform finish.  By the time the Circuit was reintroduced at January's Detroit auto show it had acquired new front and rear panels, giving it a "unique, fearless Dodge design" with a strong family resemblance to the legendary Viper V-10 sports car-minus the exhaust pipes.  A restyled Circuit hadn't been expected at the show, where it appeared beside three Chrysler vehicles adapted to electric or series hybrid drive: the familiar electric-drive Chrysler Town & Country minivan and Jeep Wrangler, and a newly unveiled series-hybrid Jeep Patriot crossover.  One major area that simply must be changed is that the Circuit has basically zero rear visibility. Side mirrors and a tiny tunnel of light for the rearview mirror to see through simply are not enough, and did nothing to make driving this expensive prototype easy with Detroit drivers all around.


Final Thoughts

The most impressive Dodge Circuit EV number is zero. That's how much gasoline the vehicle consumes while providing exhilarating sports car performance. It's also how much tailpipe emissions are produced. And it can't get better than that.  The Dodge Circuit is one of Chrysler's electric vehicles being developed by its electric only ENVI division.  The Circuit is unique even among its ENVI siblings because it is the only all-electric vehicle in the ENVI family.  Chrysler says all of its ENVI concepts - the Circuit included - are production intent and could reach dealers by 2013. The question is though, does a market exists for a low-volume, high-cost electric roadster built in part by Lotus. Read another review of the Circuit EV for further research. Dodge Circuit EV packages zero tailpipe emissions in the unlikely form of a bold, two-passenger rear-wheel-drive sports car with responsive, agile performance including an All-New design inside and out.  Looking like a smaller, less-menacing version of Dodge's brutal Viper exotic car, the Circuit provides a glimpse of how the brand might marry electric power and a sporty character.