The Automotive Business Review is reporting Chrysler has announced plans to engineer and produce a pure electric vehicle based on the Fiat 500 platform for the U.S. market, and demonstrates the benefits of the alliance between Chrysler group and the Fiat group.
Starting in 2012, Chrysler will build the Fiat 500EV for the U.S. market with all powertrain engineering and vehicle development taking place in Chrysler’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
The new vehicle will showcase a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 with a two-mode hybrid transmission and a 12KwHr lithium ion battery. Chrysler has partnered with Electrovaya to supply the lithium Ion batteries.
Scott Kunselman, senior vice-president of engineering at Chrysler group, said the alliance with Fiat presented new opportunities to merge Chrysler Group engineering knowledge with new platforms and “the Fiat 500EV is an outstanding example of our efforts. The Fiat 500 is a small, lightweight platform perfect for integrating electric-vehicle technology.”
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