Chrysler: We'll Build Electric Cars.. Sparingly

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

August 13, 2012

Chrysler hasn't been the strongest proponent of electric vehicles since it has been together with Fiat.

"You're not looking at a guy who's as scared as the rest of them. I'm not scared, I just won't do it. I just will not do it. I think we're smoking illegal materials if we think we're going to make those [profitably]," said Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne in a interview with Automobile Magazine back in July.

This might be an odd thing to say since Fiat is working on a 500 EV that will go into production later this year. However, Marchionne has been on record saying the 500 EV will lose money and is a "compliance car", a vehicle that will meet requirements for sales of a certain number of zero-emission vehicles in the state of California.

However it seems Chrysler is taking some small steps off this belief.

“We do believe in electrification, sparingly and for the right kinds of targeted applications. We’re developing technology for commercialization, preparing for the shift when consumers start pulling them into the marketplace,” said Chrysler's vice president and head of engineering for engine and electrified propulsion Bob Lee this past week at the Center for Automotive Research conference in Acme, Michigan.

For the time being, Chrysler will put more focus on diesel, CNG, hybrid powered cars.

Source: Bloomberg

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.