Perhaps a fitting sign of the times, Chrysler has announced that it is “seriously considering producing” the Louts Europa-based Dodge EV that was unveiled earlier on Tuesday. Chrysler is no stranger to platform sharing as it currently produces the Routan minivan for Volkswagen – based on the Chrysler Town & Country – and will soon begin producing the Titan pickup truck for Nissan – based on the Dodge Ram .
On the other side of things, Lotus is no stranger to lending out its hardware to various automakers, either. The UK sports car maker currently supplies California-based Tesla with its Elise two-door, which serves as the basis for the company’s all-electric Roadster model. Chrysler took notice of the Roadster’s Lotus roots and discovered just how ideal Lotus platforms were for sporty, yet efficient, vehicles.
“ Lotus has a lot of experience with lightweight vehicles and aluminum structures,” Frank Klegon, Chrysler executive vice president of product development, told Automotive News. That light curb weight is a major factor in the Dodge EV’s ability to sprint from 0-60 in under five seconds and reach a top speed of 120 mph.
If Chrysler does ultimately give the Dodge EV the green light – and it looks like it will – the Michigan automaker will source the EV’s platform directly from Lotus. However, like Tesla , Chrysler will supply its own drivetrain.
But because of Dodge’s value image, look for the production Dodge EV to undercut the Roadster’s $109,000 price tag. Klegon noted the Dodge EV would list for less than $109,000, but failed to give an exact figure. Whatever the price, the Dodge EV could be roaming the streets in production guise as early as 2010.
