Chrysler Quietly Circulates Plug-In Hybrids

The Chrysler EcoVoyager is a concept car that draws power from a hydrogen fuel cell. Its wheels are driven by an electric motor that's powered by a lithium-ion battery.

Chrysler Vice Chairman and President Jim Press said the vehicles are being developed by its Envi unit, which the automaker created last year to focus on electric vehicles and other advanced propulsion technologies.

Chrysler spokesman Rick Deneau said the prototypes are further along than the concepts the company unveiled in January. "We are excited about the Envi organization, and we continue to work toward electric vehicles," Deneau said.

Plug-in hybrids are different from current hybrids on the market in that they can go farther and faster on electricity alone. They also can be recharged by being plugged into a standard electrical outlet, making them cheaper to drive than any gas-fueled vehicles.

Press said Chrysler's prototypes can reach 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds and have a range of at least 300 miles, The Los Angeles Times reported. He said the technology would be useful in off-road vehicles and might be used in the Jeep brand, the Times reported.

Chrysler, General Motors and Ford have been working frantically to develop new hybrid electric powertrains as consumers shun the automakers' traditionally popular large vehicles.

In January, Chrysler showed three concept cars at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit featuring pure electric and hybrid electric powertrains — the Chrysler EcoVoyager, the Dodge Zeo and the Jeep Renegade. (Read about their debuts here.)

The company has not provided a timeframe for development for these vehicles, but spokesman Nick Capa said the company would have Envi products on the road within three to five years.

Chrysler also is working to develop hybrid and diesel versions of its top-selling Dodge Ram truck. It has also invested more than $3 billion in new powertrains, including a fuel-saving engine called the Phoenix that it expects to arrive in the 2010 model year.