Dodge Circuit EV

Many of my previous posts have covered new electric cars and hybrids.....it appears that the electric revolution has started. There are two trends that are influencing electric car development, the first is the price of fuel, which is anticipated to increase substantially, the second is global warming.

Since, automobiles contribute substantially to global warming the smart idea to to eliminate the by products of the internal combustion engine. So, an electric car substantially reduces both major issues.....today's post covers a new electric car by Chrysler the Dodge Circuit.

Chrysler has lagged behind in the development of green vehicles but Chrysler executives said the day is coming when the whole Chrysler fleet has electric powertrains. "The goal is to achieve fundamental technology, get economies of scale, improve our ability to make the future generations more robust, less cost, smaller, more powerful, better performance," according to Bill Press V.P & President. "Ultimately it will lead to a transformation of our entire fleet that will be in some manner electric drive."

The Dodge Circuit EV sports car, is a two-passenger, rear wheel drive, all electric sports car that combines a lithium-ion battery pack with a 200-kilowatt motor, capable of generating 268 horsepower. The 0-60 mph. time is less than 5 seconds and with a top speed of approximately 120 mph (190 km/h). This car is built by cooperation with Lotus Motors and is almost identical to the Tesla Roadster.

The Circuit is based on the European Lotus Europa S...it includes a 268 horsepower electric motor as well as an advanced lithium-ion battery. Chrysler indicates that the Circuit has a range of 150 to 200 miles, which is similar to the Tesla Roadster.

Pricing has not been announced but the base price of a European spec Lotus Europa S is £33,000 $54,120 USD. That price does not include the changes to electrify the vehicle....the similar Tesla Roadster starts at $109,000 UDS.


SUMMARY:

Tesla started this new paradigm of using another manufacturers vehicle shell then adding the electric systems. This is substantially cheaper way to manufacture a car without starting from the ground up. It is another salvo in the beginning of the electric revolution!