Archive for the ‘Chrysler’ Category

Fiat 500 in the spotlight again: Chrysler developing all-electric Fiat 500EV for U.S. market

Fiat 500 Abarth electric side

You read a few days ago about super-fancy Pink droptop 500C. Now Fiat has taken the little bug to the drawing board again and they’ve come up with an all-electric 500. We knew Chrysler was up to something when it showed off an all-electric Fiat 500 at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Today, the automaker has officially announced that it will engineer and produce the Fiat 500EV for the United States, starting in 2012.

As of this writing, details about the 500EV are slim. We do know that the powerplant will be comprised of three main systems – an advanced lithium-ion battery, high-power electric powertrain module and an EV control unit to manage overall power flow. The 500EV will be developed and engineered at Chrysler’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

In more Chrysler EV news, the automaker will be receiving up to $48 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to build a total of 140 Ram plug-in hybrids. Originally, the automaker had plans to bring a Ram hybrid to market, but due to the slow-selling nature of other gasoline-electric pickups, Chrysler’s plans were canned. This new round of electrified trucks will be used in a three-year demonstration project that will aid in expediting the development of vehicle electrification technology. No word on if we’ll see a production version of the Ram PHEV anytime soon, however. In the meantime, buyers hoping for a high-mpg Ram can look forward to a light-duty diesel option currently being considered.

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Chrysler’s 6.4L HEMI not for Pick-up’s but for performance on SRT’s

Chrysler burnout

The current 6.1L HEMI has been the heart and soul of Chrysler’s SRT-8 line since 2006. It packs 425-horsepower and 420-lbs/tq. and pulls like a hammer. Over the last four years we’ve also heard about Chrysler’s 6.4 liter HEMI and those of us with SRT’s have literally been drooling at the mouth in the hopes that this engine would find itself in the new upcoming crop of SRT-8 models. The engine, as of November and according to Ram trucks chief Fred Diaz, was originally supposed to appear in Ram’s heavy-duty trucks. Now however things seemed to have changed as Joe Veltri, Chrysler VP of product development stated that the new engine was designed not for heavy hauling, but for performance and will indeed be the mill of choice for hopeful SRT-8 owners.

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