What is it?
Dodge EV Concept
What's special about it?
The Dodge EV concept with its bumblebee graphics carries a real stinger behind its compact cabin: a battery-powered electric drive system that kicks out a neck-snapping 480 pound-feet of torque.
The system directs all that grunt to the rear wheels via a 200-kilowatt (268-horsepower) electric motor fueled with juice from a 26 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that can be recharged overnight from a conventional household outlet or plugged into a 220-volt appliance outlet for quicker recharging.
Acceleration from the sporty coupe is almost as quick as that claimed by Tesla Motors for its $110,000 electric roadster. Dodge says its EV can scoot from zero to 60 mph in just under 5 seconds (Tesla claims 3.9 seconds) and will churn through the standing quarter-mile in 13 seconds.
In an impromptu drag race with a 425-hp 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 during a Chrysler event in the parking lot of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, the Dodge EV repeatedly crossed the line ahead of the Challenger, despite the latter's roaring engine and smoking tires.
Top speed is "more than 120 mph," Dodge says, and range on a single charge is 150 miles. That's not if it's being driven flat-out, however. Batteries drain a whole lot faster when asked to dump their stored power all at once than they do when asked to eke it out gradually as the car cruises along.
Built on the platform of the Lotus Europa coupe (which closely resembles the Lotus-built underpinnings of the Tesla Roadster), the Dodge EV is the only one of three concept electric vehicles being shown at the 2008 L.A. Auto Show that doesn't use an onboard, gasoline-burning auxiliary generator to extend its range. The others are a Town and Country EV minivan and a Jeep Wrangler.
Ironically, this makes the fastest, sportiest and most impractical of the three Chrysler-built EVs the most environmentally friendly, because it has zero tailpipe emissions.
We say most impractical, because even lithe 5-foot-8 drivers whose spines are still flexible can have trouble slipping in and out of the narrow racing seats of the Dodge EV's tiny cockpit. And if you wear a size 11 shoe or larger, it's best to drive in stocking feet, because the pedals are so close together it is quite easy (and embarrassing) to catch the brake pedal with the edge of your right shoe while pressing the go pedal with the sole.
Inside Line says: If Chrysler survives the present economic crunch along with the Dodge brand, there's a good chance a Dodge EV sports car could come to market — but we're betting it would be in a larger package that would more comfortably fit American physiques. — John O'Dell, Senior Editor, Edmunds Green Car Advisor
Add A Comment »