Thanks for the bailout - about our plans? Sorry...
From
USA Today:
Chrysler drops three electric vehicles despite having touted them to get billions in government bailout cash
If you believed all the talk from Chrysler about how our tax dollars would help finance its fast-track electric-vehicle future, you're in for a big disappointment.
Chrysler has disbanded the engineering team that was trying to bring three electric models to market as a rush job, Automotive News reports today. Chrysler cited its devotion to electric vehicles as one of the key reasons why the Obama administration and Congress needed to give it $12.5 billion in bailout money, the News points out.
The change of heart on electric vehicles has come under Fiat. At a marathon presentation of Chrysler's five-year strategy, CEO Sergio Marchionne talked about just about everything on Chrysler's plate last week except its earlier electric-car plans. With the group's disbanding, Chrysler's electric plans will be melded into Fiats. Marchionne is apparently no fan of electric power.
He says electrics will only make up 1% or 2% of Fiat sales by 2014 and that he doesn't put a lot of faith in the technology until battery developments are pushed forward.
Marchionne is being wise -- right now, battery life sucks and there is no way to get more than a 40 mile range without getting really expensive. Recharging also sucks -- if you work 30 miles away, plan to spend sixteen hours at work as that is the time it takes for your batteries to fully recharge.
There are physical constraints that make this what it is. Sure you can get 100 miles from your battery pack but your pack's lifetime will be shortened from 800 to 1,000 charge/discharge cycles to 50 or 60. Sure you can charge at a higher current and shorter charge time but with the same reduction in cycles.
There are always new technologies on the horizon but nothing promising as yet.
Posted by DaveH at November 9, 2009 11:33 AM
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