It won’t be long before all the cool electric-themed names
are taken (Tesla Motors alone has a de facto coolness to all their cars) and so
we should treat each ‘cell,’ ‘electrode,’ and ‘circuit’ with all due respect.
Which brings us to the Dodge Circuit, Chrysler’s prototype all-electric vehicle
that continues the trend of sports car meets energy conservation (sounds even
more ironic now that it’s typed out).
This spiffy looking EV relies on a 200-kilowatt electric
motor, backed by lithium-ion battery system. With 268 horsepower and the
ability to go from zero to 60 in less than 5 seconds, Dodge maintains the latest
trend from automakers; just because it doesn’t burn gas, doesn’t mean it
shouldn’t be able to burn through energy. Those stats mimic the Dodge
Challenger SRT’s 6.1-litre V8 Hemi, putting the Circuit’s into the echelon of
high-end sports car.
The Circuit is one of the projects to roll out of Chrysler’s
ENVI department, which specializes in electrically driven vehicles, and has
recently been dubbed golden-boy status as Chrysler looks to make the Circuit
the first graduate from the ENVI department into commercial production.
Recently the guys over at AutoblogGreen went for a test ride
and they’ve reported some interesting quirks in the early prototype model. For
instance, due in part to the hard-working regenerative braking system, there’s
no coasting with the vehicle. This means that you’re either going or stopping,
but it’s an issue that’s being looked into. There’s also an ever-present hum to
the vehicle and though it’s not as bad as you ’83 Tercel, it’s an undeniably
unique and potentially annoying sound. Though, once again, it’s on the list of
things to do before production. One troublesome and perhaps insurmountable
issue with the Circuit is that although it’s eye catching design may attract
some of the fairer sex, you’d best hope she’s petite. The interior is cozy and
that’s as potent a euphemism as you’ll get. A more blunt individual would call
it cramped.
But all in all AutoblogGreen sums up the Circuit poignantly:
“Small size. New technology. An (expected) high price tag. A troubled company.
Can these things add up to make a car that people want to buy?” Indeed, one has
to question the economic acumen of a company that’s pouring money into high-end
vehicles (in a recession no less) while the much more profitable market of EVs
for the average consumer remains unserved. Nevertheless, Chrysler will
undoubtedly be speeding forward with their high-end electric exploits, and that
includes the Circuit which may see the market in 2010. Just don’t ask them what
it costs. With Chrysler’s silent on the price, it may not be exactly
recession-defying.
