With the energy crisis on people's minds, car companies are working feverishly to develop electric cars, and they're telling consumers that some of these cars may be available as soon as 2010.

Chrysler LLC formed a special team called ENVI to develop all-electric and range-extended electric vehicles. No price estimates are listed on ENVI's Web site, so it is difficult to say how much these electric vehicles will cost.

Sam Jarvie, general sales manger of the Provo Brent Brown Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership, said he hasn't heard of the ENVI program or the electric cars. He said he doubts the ENVI cars will be available by 2010 or soon after.

"We've been hearing about the new Chevrolet Camaro for years," Jarvie said. "Have we seen one of those yet? No."

NEV's, or neighborhood electric vehicles, have been around for some time now. NEV's are limited to a top speed of 25 mph, which makes them less desirable to drive on public streets and commute in. The GEM Peapod, which was built by Chrysler, LLC., is a fairly common NEV, a few of which can be seen cruising silently around the BYU and MTC campuses.

One of ENVI's objectives is to develop front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive and body-on-frame four-wheel-drive vehicles that are similar to those consumers drive now.

ENVI is currently developing three vehicles.

The Dodge EV is an all-electric rear-wheel-drive, two-passenger sports car that looks like a Lotus Elise. It will have a range of 150 to 200 miles, and will require eight hours plugged into a standard household outlet to charge the lithium-ion batteries. The electric motor will produces 268 hp and will accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than five seconds.

A seven-passenger minivan called the Chrysler EV is also receiving ENVI treatment. The same electric motor that powers the Dodge EV, but with an additional small internal-combustion engine to act as a generator to recharge the batteries for a range of up to 400 miles on eight to 10 gallons of gas.

A four-passenger Jeep Wrangler EV is in the works, with a similar setup and cruise range to that of the Chrysler minivan.

Despite the growing number of people who await the arrival of affordable, practical electric cars, the ENVI program has its critics.

"I would only buy an EV if it was $10,000 brand new and all electric," said Provo resident Mikek Griffiths.

Griffiths is the senior project manager in the Center for Teaching and Learning at BYU. He rides to and from work on an electric bike which he charges with a solar panel at his home.

"I don't want to be in chains to the oil company or the car company," Griffiths said.

Griffiths constantly monitors the progress and development of electric car technology. He said electric cars should be simple and should not be as large and complex as current gas-powered cars.

"The customer wants something that the manufacturer is not willing to sell them," Griffiths said.

He said the cars should be all-electric, smaller, lighter, and cost far less than gas-powered cars do now.



Copyright Brigham Young University 22 Oct 2008