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Chrysler E-REV Sedan Unveiled: 200C EV Concept

January 11th, 2009 | Posted in: Competitors, E-REV

Chrysler surprised the world Sunday with the unveiling of its very own Chevy Volt-fighter. The automaker had previously shown extended-range electric vehicle concepts of a minivan, a Jeep Wrangler (and now Patriot), as well as a sportscar EV that has been updated with the name Circuit.

However, unexpected was the unveiling of a newly-designed small sedan called the 200C EV Concept. Just like the Volt the car is a four-door four-seater with a 40 mile electrical range and a range extending gas engine that powers the car up to 400 miles. Chrysler says the car was designed to "manage aerodynamic forces" while delivering a stunning form that would be appealing to the Chrysler enthusiast.

The interior was uniquely designed to be free of switches and levers and to immerse the driver in connectivity. All human-vehicle interactions are managed by a panoramic touch screen.

The car will have a 200 kw peak motor that enables 0 to 60 in 7 seconds, and uses rear-wheel drive.

Chrysler hasn’t committed to building the car, but says they will produce one of the 5 electric concepts they have now shown in 2010, and three more in 2013.

Posted by: Lyle

101 Responses to “Chrysler E-REV Sedan Unveiled: 200C EV Concept”

nuclearboy Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:09 pm

I love the concept cars and take them like one should take new clothes that models wear on the runways in Milan. They are just a concept designed to intrigue the imagination and they don’t represent what buyers will see as a product.

We should just enjoy this (and the previous caddy) as a concept until something hits a showroom.

If they produced this (assuming they do a good job with the control logic), it would be a real competitor to the Volt.

Hopefully GM will pull a surprise in 2010 and get some Volts out early.

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Dave K. =D~ Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:10 pm

Although the effort is appreciated….

The way for Chrysler to compete in the world of E-REV’s is to offer something different. Let’s be honest, a GM or Ford E-REV of similar design will sell better than a Chrysler. What Chrysler needs is a higher riding “AMC Eagle” type on/off road vehicle. Build on your very successful Jeep technology and play to your strong suit.

http://garfwod.250free.com/Photos/amc.eagle.jpg

Take this design and modern it up a little. Add a quiet ride with suede and saddle leather interior. You will get a decent E-REV market share.

=D~

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Alex S Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:17 pm

Looking good.
Just make sure it stays like this. Don’t do like they did with Volt.

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TxKen Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:17 pm

The interior is extreme (which is the point of concept cars) but the exterior styling is great. It has a bit of a volt look but with elements of recent chrysler models. I’d like to know whether the experts on this site believe that chrysler can produce an E-REV by 2010. They have a lot of experience on the electric front, but without sufficient prep they could tarnish the E-REV reputation for a long time.

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Schmeltz Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:31 pm

Nice. Apparently Chrysler does have people who can design! Maybe there’s hope for them yet.

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Lurtz Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:32 pm

This concept is much better looking and more realistic than the Volt Concept. Chrysler makes very nice looking cars.

BTW: Congratulations to Hyundai Genesis on winning the 2009 North American Car of the Year.

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Jake Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:46 pm

I like this car. Hopefully it gets produced. Electric sports cars are sweet, but let’s get some electric vehicles on the road that can actually be used regularly by normal people.

What’s with the rear wheel drive? That’s a no-go for people like me, who need to be able to maintain some semblance of control during snowy New England winters. Still, an intriguing car. Interesting how GM with its Converj and Chrysler with this 200C are specifically stating that the concept cars are designed with aerodynamics in mind. Maybe the disappointed fans of the Volt concept got their message across somehow.

I see this car is designed to appeal to the “Chrysler enthusiast.” Hmmm, is there any such thing? OK OK, I’m sure there are Chrysler fans out there. But if their current financial situation and vehicle offerings (among the worst cars on the road right now IMO) are any indication, they need to appeal to EVERYONE, not just Chrysler die-hards. Those might be the first adopters, though.

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steve Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:49 pm

Hey Lyle,
ABC news reporter at the show just reported tomorrow (Monday) GM is going to announce which battery company they selected for the Volt. Any scoops?

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Lurtz Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:52 pm

#7 Jake “What’s with the rear wheel drive?”

It’s a generational thing. Big, powerful sedans used to be RWD. It’s nostalgia like stick shifts and home milk delivery and having a pension.

I guess Chrysler’s trying to make the 1950’s come back.

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TED in Fort Myers Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:56 pm

Nice job Lyle. I am a little jealous not to make the auto show. These are exciting times we live in. Take care,
TED

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kdawg Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 7:06 pm

I dont like the big touchscreen. Sometimes you need actual buttons/levers/knobs.. whatever.

I also dont like the rear wheel drive.

I do like the exterior.. kinda classy, Not trying to announce its an electric car from the future.

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Casey Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 7:28 pm

They are all great, they all look really good but don’t you think by 2013 they will be so out dated. They wont even have the same kind of motors or anything else, this will all change, look at a car five years ago, would you buy one of those now?

I don’t care how cheap gas gets I want off foreign oil, all oil

The Volt will be almost two years in coming, it will change, what needs to be done for now is for it to come out ASAP IMHO of course.

NO PLUG NO SALE, LJGTVWOTR, DBNGCMEMEV, (my house)=D~~~(my volt #33,772

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Dave B Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 7:38 pm

Why does Chrysler think they can pull out a production vehicle in less than 2 years when the Volt took 4? Seriously; does anyone know? Either GM is taking way too long or Chrysler isn’t buraucratized like a public corp (or is taking shortcuts). Thoughts?

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Dave G Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 7:49 pm

Hype.

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RB Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:00 pm

It is a beautiful car.

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vincent Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:03 pm

Way nicer than the volt.
Lets see how much they can ruin the design before production.
I’m so tired of fantastic concept that gets totally ruined for production and/or never built.
Why couldn’t they make this before a bail out was needed. These American companies make me sick and deserve their current situation.
Time will tell.
Nice Carrot…within reach???
Still waiting for my stock shares from my tax dollars going to losers firms that cant manage a way out of a wet paper bag.

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Adrian Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:11 pm

I love the exterior stying. And looks production ready based on exterior sheet metal. The inside… well, not so much.

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Jake Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:16 pm

#9 Lurtz – True enough regarding rear wheel drive. And I don’t necessarily have anything against it…it just wouldn’t fit my needs very well. I have to say though, for me, stick shifts are way more than nostalgia! More fun, more efficient, less expensive up front…yeah, I can live with that. Actually that’s the one reason why I might not want a hybrid or electric car right now…I would miss driving stick! Unless it’s a mild hybrid with a stick shift and electric assist, like the Honda Civic hybrid my friend has.

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Frank B Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:27 pm

Looks much nicer than the production Volt. GM is going to have a very hard sell with the Volt. Even the Caddy shown earlier is very nice, but I think that will be another bait and switch by GM when the production model is shown. GM is great at concept cars that stir everyone’s hopes, the come out with a production car that just makes you yawn. Chrysler has been much truer to their concept cars as late, so I look forward to this new entry into the electric future.

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ThombDbhomb Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:28 pm

I view concept cars like junk food; empty calories. Tell me what you will produce.

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D'Artagnon Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:35 pm

Nice! Looking like a possible birthday present for Lady Dart in a couple years.

Best regards,

D’Artagnon

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Marcus Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 8:52 pm

So, in the future, people won’t require air vents in their cars?

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tim-the-dreamer Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 9:03 pm

Wow. I honestly didn’t think Chrysler could come up with something like this. I figured they’ed take a more practical route and simply convert existing vehicles like the three Envi’s and maintain the normal dials and buttons, but this is deffinetly a step up for them. Hope they produce it. I read what happened to the turbine engine system they were told to stop working on, a shame really. Modern electronics could have made them more reliable and user friendly. Especially since you could use any type fuel on the planet for it, including tequilla!

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Jim I Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 9:07 pm

Dave B #13: Maybe Chrysler has been working on this for a while, and just kept quit about it…..

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Randy C. Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 9:12 pm

Chrysler is going to out do our beloved GM in 2010.
GM has only 1 ER-EV product in development.
Chrysler has 2 ER-EV’s and 2 more in development.
GM has no BEV cars for sale and destroyed all they made.
Chrysler is the largest US Electric Vehicle maker already.
GM has no highway speed BEV in development (RIP EV1).
Chrysler is building a highway speed BEV and a damn fast one.

It looks like GM has lost a fan in favor of Chrysler.
BEV = Battery Electric Vehicle, no gas engine needed.

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xed Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 9:14 pm

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/6d/JeanLucPicard.jpg

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The Grump Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 9:25 pm

I have to agree with #7 Jake and #11 kdawg.

Having to look away from the road to find a control or button is dangerous (The Volt suffers from this problem too), and rear-wheel drive helped put my old Chevy Nova in a ditch more than once. The word “fishtail” comes to mind. Rear wheel drive, alone, is a deal-breaker.

Nice try Chrysler, but I’ll wait to see your Town and Country E-REV Minivan (with front-wheel drive), thanks.

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DonC Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 9:30 pm

The big news was posted by hypermiler at #99 in the last thread — two wire reports that LG Chem would supply the batteries for the Volt! Bummer. The A123 battery pack would be safer and would provide greater range.

As for the Chrysler concepts, they unfortunately strike me as window dressing. To begin with, at least three of the five are too heavy. The sad truth is that SUVs, vans, and pickups are too heavy to be EVs at the current time — the battery packs would be far too expensive. I also don’t see Chrysler being too far along the serial hybrid path. They can do a much simpler EV; the serial hybrids will take considerably longer. Expect to see the EV roadster in 2010, not any of the others.

The 200C EV is an interesting concept. It looks like a very nice regualar car, and that is a very good thing. It’s not weird or bubble shaped. However, it looks to be too heavy. When compared to the Cadillac Converj or whatever it’s called, the Caddy is much more compact, and it’s lighter weight makes it much more likely that it will actually hit the road within three or four years.

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Red HHR Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 9:55 pm

Rear wheel drive is for drifting, a new art form.

In the old days (real old) you could do a “Gahoule”

Gahoule, whose name I have most certainly misspelled had a chain jam one of his axles on the back straight of Indy. in an effort to unjam the chain bound axle he ran full bore in circles with one rear tire locked and the other spinning wildly generating copious amounts of some and noise. This stunt amazed and bewildered the spectators as they did not know that one axle had jammed.

As a child I remember the old timers using the term gahoule for doughnuts…

A gahoule, or doughnut, is an impressive demonstration of an engines power.

Just think of what an impressive display 200kw of torque will do!

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bruce g Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 10:05 pm

Chrysler are going to call a vehicle a “circuit”
Seriously?
Why not the a Jeep Schematic…sounds sexier..

An then we could have a “fuze” (blows up on the smallest overload)
to replace the Cruze.

2010 should be a great year for the automobile.

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Exp_EngTech Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 10:08 pm

FYI…..

Bloomberg is reporting…..

“Toyota to Sell Tiny U.S. ‘Urban Commuter’ Battery Car by 2012″

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aUMqD_U5PZkQ

Jan. 10 (Bloomberg) — Toyota Motor Corp., working to hold a lead in advanced vehicles over General Motors Corp. and smaller startups, plans to sell a tiny, battery-powered car in the U.S. by 2012 that can be recharged at electrical outlets.

A concept version of the FT-EV “urban commuter” car will be at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit starting tomorrow, Toyota said in a statement. The world’s largest seller of hybrids didn’t say how much the model, a modified version of the iQ minicar sold in Japan, may cost………

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Cautious Fan Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 10:15 pm

Tesla rolled out a new car…

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10140206-54.html

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GmsAJoke Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 10:22 pm

Better get that extended warranty for a crapsler. Even if GM gets it right and crapsler buys the design, they will screw it up to save a penny for the pigs bonus checks and golden parachutes.

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Cautious Fan Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 10:26 pm

The chasm between “proof of concept” and “production” is huge. Chrysler is proposing a POC, GM is going to production. This doesn’t take away from GM’s “halo.” I’m glad to see more companies piling on here, but Chrysler isn’t getting any points in my book for this. It’s probably just their excuse to keep the gov’t trough open and get some more subsidies.

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Firefly Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 10:49 pm

Although this is nice looking, it is still a concept at this point. But, if Chrysler does with this concept as they did with the Viper it will be very nice indeed. But at the same time, I noticed that the Circuit nomenclature was given instead of the ENVI which to me seemed to show that Chrysler/Cerberus was a little ENVIous of the fact that GM came up with the idea first. As someone has already said, proof of concept:
1) They’ve been secretly working on this for about 3 years
2) They’re licensing technology rights from GM
3) They’re just testing the waters with what GM has already come up with and hoping that this technology will help them further vehicle sales in the future

…my $.02…

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tBay Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 10:51 pm

I don’t know about all you naysayers, but the 200C looks very production-ready and intent (sans the obvious concept interior). Chrylser may be low on money…but so is GM. Chrysler is a very secretive company. For all we know, they could have a production model based on this concept already ready.

I think the 200C looks very nice; very substantial and ‘real’. Along with the Cadillac Converj, this car makes the prospect of an electric-powered car seem sexy. Let’s hope Chrysler is smart and puts this concept to good use by producing it!

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Justin DT Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 11:03 pm

The 200C looks great and it’s rear-wheel drive(helps steering feedback and feel) and claims to be quicker than our Volt. But is its chassis as good as the Volt’s, and is it as quiet? The road tests in 2010 will be interesting reading…

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Redeye Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 11:19 pm

#9 #11 and #18 :
We are so used to front wheel drive these days. But, I believe there are still a number of new cars with rear wheel drive. Corvette and Lincoln to name a couple. Are there any sports cars with front wheel drive ?
I like front wheel drive and think the reason it works is that you put the drive wheels on the heavy (front) end of the vehicle.
Now if the vehicle is balanced in weight it loses some of the advantage.
Another advantage of front wheel drive for us and designers is no drive shaft hump thru the floor.

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John Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 11:27 pm

Build it and I’ll buy it. I’m tired of viewing mock photos and still sitting on my hands waiting for one of these.

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Dave G Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 11:47 pm

#13 Dave B Says: “Why does Chrysler think they can pull out a production vehicle in less than 2 years when the Volt took 4? Seriously; does anyone know? Either GM is taking way too long or Chrysler isn’t bureaucratized like a public corp (or is taking shortcuts). Thoughts?”
————————————————————————————–
The Chrysler 200C is a concept car. Concept cars are nowhere near production. The only purpose of a concept car is to gauge potential market response. If the response is strong, then a production version may follow.

If it’s a completely new design (new chassis, etc.), then it usually takes 3-5 years to develop a production vehicle. If it’s just a modification of an existing vehicle, that would take only 1-3 years, depending on the modification.

After the strong response to the Volt concept car, GM started working on a production version of the Volt around the spring of 2007. Since the Volt’s battery pack is installed and removed from the bottom, a new chassis was required, so the Volt is a completely new design. With this in mind, the 3.5 year development schedule for the production Volt is very aggressive, especially considering it’s the first mass produced car of it’s kind. Lot’s of long hours for engineers on this one.

By contrast, Chrysler basically modified a couple of their existing vehicles to be EREV, and said one of them would be out in 2010, without mentioning anything about how much it would cost. Given the size battery required for a Jeep or minivan, I’m sure these will be very expensive, much more so than the Volt.

A production version of the Chrysler 200C would be a completely new car design, so there’s no way they could get that out in 2010. The 200C would be one of the 2013 models, if it goes production.

Here’s my opinion. I believe Chrysler is desperately trying to be purchased by another company, and they are trying to show how great their technology is to prospective buyers, but in reality, they are expecting to build few if any of these EREV vehicles. If Chrysler does make a production EREV, it will probably be the Jeep or minivan, and it’ll probably be similar to one of the conversion companies that retrofit your car to be electric. In other words, the price will be high and the quality iffy. Not really a mass produced car.

So it’s my opinion that the Chrysler EREVs are basically hype.

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CptJackSparrow Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:02 am

GM awards LG Chem as battery vendor…
http://uk.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUKN1144476620090112

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:03 am

#38 Redeye Says: “Another advantage of front wheel drive for us and designers is no drive shaft hump thru the floor.”
————————————————————————————–
For an EV or EREV, the induction electric motor is physically small and light weight. For example, the Tesla Roadster’s 250hp electric motor, weighs only 70 pounds, and is about the size of a large watermelon.

My point is that if you want rear wheel drive, you simply put the electric motor in the back, so there’s is no drive shaft hump thru the floor.

But you do have to put the battery somewhere. In the Volt, the battery makes a huge hump through the floor, which is why the Volt only seats 4 passengers. Since the 200C is also only a 4-seater, I’m guessing they put the battery in the same place as the Volt.

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CptJackSparrow Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:11 am

It looks like the “Battery Pack” will be assembled here but the “Cells” will be from LG Chem.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/automobiles/autoshow/11BATTERY.html?bl&ex=1231822800&en=9c2448c6a8abb31c&ei=5087

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:17 am

#41 CptJackSparrow Says: “GM awards LG Chem as battery vendor…
http://uk.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUKN1144476620090112”
————————————————————————————–
It looks like Lyle was right.

For my part, I would much rather have LG Chem manufacturing Volt battery cells in South Korea than have A123 manufacturing Volt battery cells in China. South Korea is a thriving freely elected democracy. China is a communist country with human rights issues, blocked internet content, and political prisoners whose only crime is speaking out against the government. Big difference…

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unni Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:19 am

Toyota plans to introduce its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle late this year, a year earlier than originally planned, and a year ahead of the Chevrolet Volt.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/automobiles/autoshow/12toyota.html?_r=1

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KentT Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:29 am

For all you naysayers, remember that the government has dangled $25 billion dollars in grant money (not to be confused with the $17.5 billion loan made in December) in front of the automakers to build more fuel efficient cars. Therefore, we see Chrysler with the 200C.

Tesla expects to get $150 million from this same pot of money to begin to build their auto factory in San Jose, CA to build their 4 door, BEV, “Model S.”

Has anyone heard anything from Ford?

Nothing like money to

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KUD Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 1:11 am

Just to be different … I like clutches and rear wheel drive.

I know there will be no clutch, but a rear wheel drive EREV is intriguing.

NPNS

=D~~

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Jean-Charles Jacquemin Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 3:03 am

KUD 47,

The Mitsu iMIEV is a rear wheel drive BEV,
googlize ‘iMIEV’

Regards,

JC

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Andy Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 4:47 am

40 miles pure electric is now the norm for US made E-REVs? Nobody wants to rock the boat it seems. I am sorry to tell you folks that there ALREADY is a E-REV that does 60 miles on pure electric: the BYD F3DM (for $22,000 apiece). Now think what the reality will be 2-3 years later when the US-made E-REVs join the competition? The competition will only get stiffer. I am telling you: 40 miles will not cut it.

I say it yet again: Meh.

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Rashiid Amul Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:06 am

I have to be honest. That car really looks sharp. I hope they build it.
The only thing that concerns me a little if the rear wheel drive.

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Rashiid Amul Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:08 am

Andy, #49.

Remember when the Yugo was being sold here? That was junk along with the Hyundais. Yugo went away and Hyundai greatly improved over the years. I wouldn’t feel comfortable buying a Chinese car anytime soon.

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Andy Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:35 am

Rashiid, #51: Interesting.

BYD is hard at work to improve reliability and safety (currently 4 stars on Chinese ncap) with real world testing (Chinese are currently the guinea pigs), they have also time on their side (until 2011 they´ll be global) and the all important backing from Buffett. The backing is more psychological than anything else (just see how their stock is doing). The BYD´s production will already be at full tilt when the US manufacturing picks up. Hence, they will be okay by the time they enter global market.

But that is not the key issue here, and I think your comment hilights it perfectly. The key issue is: will the americans buy it? The best option does not always win in US and especially if it is foreign. If they do not buy (but rest of the world does), domestic manufacturers will get lazy and then it is the same old setup all over again. US automanufacturing thrives in this bubble with lower tech products for a while but the world will come crashing in after it cannot be avoided anymore: we will face the same situation we are in just now. Thoughts?

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Rashiid Amul Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:44 am

Andy, #52,

I agree that the best option does not always win.
I also think that Americans are becoming gun shy about Chinese products. We’ll have to see how the Chinese backup there BYD product, how the dealers back it up, and what the reliability ratings are, etc. I am personally shocked about how reliable my Elantra is with 179,000 miles on it. Time will tell if the Chinese can do as well.

The Americans might have the best option, but if they price it too high for the market, no one will buy American either.

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stuey Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 7:35 am

Lurtz Says:
January 11th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
#7 Jake “What’s with the rear wheel drive?”

It’s a generational thing. Big, powerful sedans used to be RWD. It’s nostalgia like stick shifts and home milk delivery and having a pension.

I guess Chrysler’s trying to make the 1950’s come back.

NONSENSE, i wish the volt had have been RWD, here in Australia our GM & FoMoCO both produce big powerfull modern cars that are RWD (GM Holden SS Commodore 6.0L RWD, Ford Falcon 5.4L RWD) plus most Good European cars are too! BMW etc, i hope whoever wins the race to get a Erev to aussie shores makes it RWD and capabale of a RWD drift just for fun!. i reckon Rear wheel drive, All wheel drive, or go home – just my opinion, anyone with me?

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 7:46 am

#43 CptJackSparrow Says: “It looks like the “Battery Pack” will be assembled here but the “Cells” will be from LG Chem.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/automobiles/autoshow/11BATTERY.html?bl&ex=1231822800&en=9c2448c6a8abb31c&ei=5087”
————————————————————————————–
The New York Times article says GM will be assembling the battery packs. Is CPI is out of the picture? Is GM buying CPI?

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FME III Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 7:48 am

#40 Dave G: Amen to your analysis of the situation.

Chrysler’s won many plaudits in recent years for great styling, but under the sheet metal they suffer from mediocre build quality. Bottom line: There’s no way I’m gonna buy one, especially an E-REV rushed into production.

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Xiaowei1 Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 7:56 am

#54 Stuey,

I have to agree. I’ve driven front wheel drives, and when you do a hill start (especially in the rain) , they tend to spin their tires a bit more readily than rear wheel drives.

I personally prefer rear wheel drives too and would be reluctant to buy a front wheel drive vehicle.

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RB Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:02 am

#7 Jake said “What’s with the rear wheel drive?” and others said similar things.
—————————————————–

The advantage of RWD is during hard acceleration.
The rear wheels are less likely to slip.
That makes RWD better for a car that is heavy or a car that is fast 0 to 60.
RWD also tends to make the weight distribution more even, front and rear, which leads to faster corners.
And, as noted, it can spin more easily in the snow and ice.

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statik Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:06 am

Hey you guys, stop ruining the ’surprise’ about the battery pack…it is supposed to be a secret for today’s big NAIAS media/press conference, lol.

BTW…you can watch it, and other related propaganda here…at 10:15AM (eastern) this morning (Jan 12th):
http://gmtv.feedroom.com/?fr_story=a307a8aadfa737ca8ca9720a6c4e90d9f52124f5

Sorry RB…I missed it by a week. I totally overlooked the ‘international stage’ of the Detroit autoshow.

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:10 am

#54 stuey Says: “…i reckon Rear wheel drive, All wheel drive, or go home – just my opinion, anyone with me?”
————————————————————————————–
I prefer front wheel drive. Much better in ice and snow than rear wheel drive.

Four wheel drive adds cost and weight. It also makes the mileage around 10% worse. But it’s also the best for off road and winter driving. So that’s a trade-off some people will need.

The main advantage of rear wheel drive is that it’s simpler to design the power and steering mechanisms on different wheels. This makes it a stronger design for trucks and other heavy vehicles.

In the future, the electric motors will be built right into the wheels. This is happening already. No drive shafts, CV joints, etc.. At that point, I can’t see any advantage to rear wheel drive.

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:23 am

#51 Rashiid Amul Says: “I wouldn’t feel comfortable buying a Chinese car anytime soon.”
————————————————————————————–
Yes, I feel the same way.

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Shawn Marshall Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:29 am

A 400 lb battery pack in the back will give a lot of traction to rwd. Ever drive a VW bug in snow?

I think bloggers just like to blow off – all decisions made by anyone are regarded as faulty.

Love the Chrysler Circuit. Maybe they could have a model for Mrs D’art called the Short Circuit D’art.

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RB Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:42 am

#59 statik said “Sorry RB…I missed it by a week.”
—————————————

Still pretty close. I have to give you credit.

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:43 am

By the way, if this were China, many of the things we say here would get us thrown in jail.

I know some people that lived in China for a while. It’s gotten to the point where Chinese people don’t seem to have any opinions. Ask them a direct yes-or-no question, and they answer “maybe”. They don’t want to be caught on the wrong side of any issue. Compare that to any freely elected democracy.

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:50 am

#62 Shawn Marshall Says: “A 400 lb battery pack in the back will give a lot of traction to rwd. Ever drive a VW bug in snow?”
————————————————————————————–
My brother had a VW bug back in the late 60’s and it was pretty horrible in the snow. You need some weight in the front for steering and braking.

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Jason M. Hendler Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 8:54 am

#2, Dave K,

You are absolutely correct. Chrysler should produce either the minivan or some type of off-road plug-in vehicle with a range extender. Head-to-head, they cannot beat Ford or GM.

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kent beuchert Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:12 am

I’d say the chances of that appearing in 2010 are remote – a simple pure electric is about what Chrysler can manage. Assuming they are still in business, which seems VERY doubtful these days. No one expects them to exist beyond the next year.

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Tim Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:15 am

I love a good E-REV fight. BRING IT!!!!

(the 200C is also beautiful car)

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kent beuchert Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:19 am

If the Chrysler ERev has a 200 kw motor, they must be either using the Fisker technique of allowing the driver to turn on the range extender to produce aux power, or are staging same thru capacitors, etc. GM could easily do the same in their Voltecs. Mostly software modification in the first case.

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k-dawg Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:33 am

#30 bruce g Says:
Chrysler are going to call a vehicle a “circuit”
Seriously?
———–
Yeah, i thought the same thing. Maybe they are trying to tie it in to the Nascar Circuit?

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Rekab Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:44 am

Grumblings around the industry tell me that LG CPI will have the initial battery contract for the Volt. Any takers on this bet?

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:48 am

Rekab Says: “Grumblings around the industry tell me that LG CPI will have the initial battery contract for the Volt. Any takers on this bet?”
————————————————————————————–
LG – Yes.
CPI – No.

GM will build their own packs from LG cells. Not sure if GM is buying CPI or building their own pack assembly capability from scratch.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/automobiles/autoshow/11BATTERY.html?bl&ex=1231822800&en=9c2448c6a8abb31c&ei=5087

(Quote)
ThombDbhomb Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:49 am

Lyle’s 200C EV pictures show the car over an expanse of black ice. If I were to drive there, I would want front wheel drive.

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:53 am

#73 ThombDbhomb Says: “Lyle’s 200C EV pictures show the car over an expanse of black ice. If I were to drive there, I would want front wheel drive.”
————————————————————————————–
Yes, well said.

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Daveo Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:57 am

Very sharp car. Things I see changing:
1. The thing under the grill
2. The thing in the back bumper
3. The brake light thing on the roof
4. The headlight design

I think the front and back bumper things will become cheaper materials. The brake light relocated inside the rear window and replaced by a currently produced version. The headlights have a good chance of staying.
——————————
Black ice? LOL. At best, it’s Photoshop magic.

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ThombDbhomb Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 10:02 am

I forgot about the other photo (below the text). It looks like the 200C EV is driving through a stormy desert. I think a flash flood warning is appropriate. I’d engage the hydraulics to raise the 200C’s battery out of the coming flood waters.

Does anyone make a “front wheel drive” boat?

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Dave G Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 10:25 am

And now for our regularly scheduled power loss…

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Jackson Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 10:43 am

Short of in-wheel motors (I’ll believe they can be practical after extensive real-world vibration tests, and actual costing), 4WD ought to be a much less traumatic system in an EREV than in a conventional vehicle. Why would it be particularly hard to install a second motor to drive the rear wheels? Except for the absence of CV joints, it could be identical to the front-drive unit. There would, of course, be a cost penalty of a second motor and a more complex controller, but the resulting vehicle wouldn’t be as heavy as a traditional 4WD’s transfer case, shafts, etc. Also, consider the possibility of having a controller favor either set of wheels in any condition based on programmed algorithms instead of a mechanical ‘best approximation’ for any given condition.

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N Riley Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 11:35 am

Chrysler is now officially “in the game”. Just hope they can build these new vehicles and even improve on them. We need as many varied vehicles as we can get out there to see what the market likes and dislikes. One or more of them will become winners and be a world-class vehicle. This puts the pressure on GM and there will be more as Ford gets more into the “game”. And that doesn’t even count the foreign automakers.

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Redeye Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 11:53 am

#60 Dave G

Yes I think the future will find the motors in the wheels.

Another point in favor of RWD, at least in cars as they are built at the present time, rear wheel drive is superior for trailering where weight is taken off the front wheels.
Especially noticed when trying to pull a trailer such as boat trailer, up a steep hill or boat landing ramp.

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Jim 75 Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:24 pm

Please Please Please, the Minivan at 50MPG after the first 40 miles. Gas prices will rise again. I think that a Chrysler EV would be cool.

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Anthony BC Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:30 pm

Nice looking car with a very practical design. The more the merrier!

Although the interior definitely has a very strong ST:TNG look!

At least it’s design is not too aggressive like the VOLT prototype, that maybe it has a chance to be released without too much change unlike the VOLT production model.

(Quote)
Dieter Zetsche Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:33 pm

Welcome aboard Chrysler. You and GM have some catching up to do. Hope to see you at the finish line.

- Dieter

(Quote)
Rashiid Amul Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 12:52 pm

I saw a new Ford Mustang driving on the highway during a recent snowstorm. His back wheels were doing about 90 MPH while the entire car was going about 5 MPH sideways. Not a good scene as I passed him easily in the FWD Elantra. I don’t know if it snows in Australia or New Zealand. If it doesn’t, I would probably take RWD also. But here in New England, FWD, 4WD, or AWD is what I will take.

I love the idea of AWD if it can be controlled. I also think individual wheel motors will come in the future.

(Quote)
MikeD Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 1:31 pm

Wow. The exterior design of the 200C is beautiful. Very nice. And it looks like it could be production intent too. The dash is not to my taste, but perhaps with focus groups that will change.

Prediction: If the 200C is built with a less bizarre dashboard, and it is priced comparably with the Volt, the 200C sales will kill the Volt’s sales.

(Quote)
Gary Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 1:34 pm

I like the design/appearance at least as much as the original Volt concept. If they actually carried this through to market and priced similar to Volt I would have to admit I’d be tempted. Substantially cheaper than Volt and I’d be very tempted.

The interior isn’t even close to real yet… no cup holders, power sockets, etc. It’s just some engineer/designer’s experimentation.

(Quote)
N Riley Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 1:55 pm

#85 MikeD

“Prediction: If the 200C is built with a less bizarre dashboard, and it is priced comparably with the Volt, the 200C sales will kill the Volt’s sales.”
—————–

Like elbows and a**holes, everyone has one or more of them. Predictions and opinions fit into the same category. I don’t think your prediction will bear fruit though.

(Quote)
N Riley Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 1:57 pm

#84 Rashiid Amul

What did people do before front wheel drive? Surely some of that Mustang’s problems in the snow was the fault of the driver. Are you laying all the blame on the rear wheel drive system? Surely not.

(Quote)
N Riley Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 2:00 pm

The design of the 200C seems like an extension of current Chrysler sedan design. I don’t really see that much futuristic about it. It is a pleasing design and surely doesn’t resemble the Prius in any manner. Maybe it doesn’t take a “wedge” shape to get 40 MPC.

(Quote)
N Riley Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 2:01 pm

#83 Dieter Zetsche

“Welcome aboard Chrysler. You and GM have some catching up to do. Hope to see you at the finish line.”
————————–
Just who are they supposed to be catching up to?

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jefro Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 4:32 pm

Pretty car.

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Justin DT Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 5:34 pm

Couple of things:
- Being from Down Under too, I agree with ‘Stuey’ that RWD is better, and I don’t get the posts that say they’d prefer FWD- we’re dealing with electric cars here, so there’s no heavy engine, remember? So if you live in a place where there’s ice, maybe optional AWD would be best, and if you don’t (or if you could switch the FWD off in summer) have RWD so you can have better steering feel.
- Dave G (#40 and others) needs to be a MVP poster- good points, Dave. (Hope you’re wrong about Chrysler’s future though )

(Quote)
stas peterson Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 5:55 pm

I was looking at the see-through diagram of the C200 and it shows that Chrysler has a different approach to the packaging of the EREV architecture. It also appears that all five of the concepts are are based on only two electric motor drive trains; and one ICE engine/generator.

There was little discussion of the ICE engine but the so-called World I4 (and I3), is produced at 1.8 liters. Detuned to Atkinson cycle would seem to produce more than just 74 HP. So there may be another downsize to say 1.6 liters. GEMA has flexible engine manufacturing for that engine; and makes 2.4, 2.0 and 1.8 engines all on the same line with claimed lots sizes as small as one, so they are fully flexible and could add a 1.6 without extensive tooling costs or long extensive planning.

GM is erecting a new factory and bringing over the Liberty engine family from Europe. It is updating it, and plans to manufacture it here. That takes time and money. That Chrysler engine though is subject to complaints of NVH crudeness at 2.4 liters. Many believe this is due to trying to maximize HP, because Chrysler suffers from inadequate transmissions. Its pretty refined in Mitsu or Huyndai tuning. It is certainly more advanced an engine than the iron block, Chevy Volt 1.4 liter Liberty engine family. It is all alloy and was designed a generation later, with extensive preparations to support Turbo charging, DI and even anticipates HCCI operation, eventually. That should generate some substantial savings and shorten development time.

The platforms that Chrysler chose are all current production platforms, and not a next generation platform as the Volt’s Delta platform is being created just now.

That should also save some money and development time. The next generation platform for the Chrysler RWD cars is really a third generation of that platform, with little genuinely new that I can perceive. It was used for the Mercedes E class, the current C300, and will be used for the next generation 300C as well as this C200. Again not a lot of expenditure as GM has been doing.

But I want to return to the EREV layout. It appears that the motor generator is transversely mounted in front. The traditional transmission tunnel is allocated to what appears to be electronic controllers and EHVAC and the last part to batteries under the rear seat. In a “short T” package similar to the Volt battery pack. Since there is no connection via axle, to the rear end, this space is well used and should provide a commodious seating arrangement in front. The IRS rear has the electric traction motor. Taken together this should produce a well balanced weight, fore and aft, a very low CG, and the handling benefits of RWD. This was mentioned only in passing, but this 200C could be an award-winning, superb handling vehicle. That LX platform is well sorted out and offers superb handling, with a five point IRS. Mercedes has never been accused of building poor handling cars. With this setup, the weight distribution should only improve. The only drawback is reduced cargo capacity in the trunk, but that is no different than all RWD setups.

Many here fall in love with the work of start-up auto makers who engineering abilities are tiny by comparison. Even Chrysler reduced as it is by circumstances, can bring enormous relative engineering advantages to bear.

I would have feared for the weght of a CD sized EREV, versus a “C” segment implementation. It tappears that Chrysler is not as concerned and GM has less concern with 16KWH being enough to provide 40 miles of AER. CErtainlly reserviing 50% of battery capacity to insure 150K miles of life seems to be turning out to be an un necessary precaution. Perhaps reserving only 40 -45% wil be required, freeing 10% more power for the 40 AER target.

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Jake Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:00 pm

Heh, didn’t mean to start a big debate over the merits of which wheels are powered. Again, I don’t have anything against RWD in and of itself. I would just prefer FWD (or AWD) for handling in the snow. Remember, it’s not all about raw traction. For me, it’s about control. In slippery conditions, I want to have as much control over the front wheels as possible. And without the weight of the engine up front, I would be afraid of the car swapping ends even more easily, particularly in braking situations.

In any case, plenty of people do fine with RWD, and who knows how an EV’s weight distribution might affect handling. I’m just saying that the 200C’s appeal as a “general purpose” vehicle is reduced for me, because I love winter and snow.

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Zach Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 6:48 pm

It looks awesome! I hope Chrysler can make it.

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LB Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 9:29 pm

Impressive! The nice thing about Chrysler is that their concepts make it to production. The trouble with Chrysler is their quality. If they can build it with much better quality than they have been employing in the recent past, this will be an excellent choice in the new electric game.

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tim-the-dreamer Says:
January 12th, 2009 at 11:57 pm

Check out their webb site’s blog section. There’s a video of the 200c that you parents might find interesting. Your kids won’t want you to get this puppy but you’ll like it, alott! It could give the volt some serious compitition where your concerned.

Baby better not be going to those dope-heads’ houses!

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tim-the-dreamer Says:
January 13th, 2009 at 12:45 am

Oh, by the way;
The patriot suv IS a 4×4:-), and has the same stats in range and concept. I WANT ONE!!!!

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Jeff M Says:
January 13th, 2009 at 12:47 am

I’m with Jake… I live in New England, all the cars I drove as a teenager and young adult were rear wheel drive, and they all sucked if driven in the snow as far as handling.

However who knows if C will even sell these with cold/freezing Winter climates.

Only good thing about rear wheel drive is no torque steer… something my Volvo S70 T5 suffers from when gas was cheap and I used to peel out from a stop

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Rashiid Amul Says:
January 13th, 2009 at 7:37 am

N. Riley #88 says,
What did people do before front wheel drive? Surely some of that Mustang’s problems in the snow was the fault of the driver. Are you laying all the blame on the rear wheel drive system? Surely not.

————
No my friend. I owned a 1974 Chevy Nova back in my younger days. That car was a tank in the snow. My next car was a brand new Front wheel drive Pontiac Sunbird. I was unimpressed with the Front Wheel Drive. I honest thought my Nova was better.

As for the Mustang I was mentioning, It was most likely a combination of car, driver, tires, road conditions and transmission.

I have come to prefer Front Wheel Drive over Rear Wheel Drive. But in my opinion, nothing is better than All Wheel Drive

I’m pretty sure where you live, ice isn’t much of a problem.
I have an inch thick ice sheet covering my driveway.
but Front Wheel drive doesn’t always work well. My Elantra makes it out of my driveway with no problem. My wife’s Elantra does not.

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J Man Says:
January 13th, 2009 at 8:34 am

Like the exterior, hate the interior and I am surprised by the RWD

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Chrysler E-REV Sedan Unveiled: 200C EV Concept

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