Report: Lotus Europa based Dodge Circuit electric-car has been killed

Posted: May 08, 2009
 Email 5 Comments

With Chrysler going through bankruptcy and giving majority control over to Italian automaker Fiat, it’s a bit unclear where the Auburn Hills automaker’s ENVI electric-vehicle division stands. Recent reports said that the bankruptcy judge or Fiat may decide to kill ENVI completely since it may be too costly.

ENVI was scheduled to deliver its first electric-vehicle in late 2010 with lithium-ion battery packs supplied by A123Systems. The division had created a total of five vehicle concepts but never confirmed which of those five concepts would make it into production. However, last month CNNMoney said that Chrysler’s first production ENVI would be the Lotus Europa based Dodge Circuit.

While that may have gotten many of you excited, a report by AutoCar released today said that the car has been killed.

“The Europa-based Dodge Circuit electric car has been killed by the credit crunch,” reports AutoCar.

Nonetheless, insiders say that Lotus is now talking to European OEM to setup another electric-car program like the Tesla Roadster.

The Dodge Circuit EV is (or was) a pure electric-car that carries a 268-hp electric-motor allowing it to travel 150 miles to 200 miles on a single charge. 0 to 60 comes in under 5 seconds with a top speed of 120 mph.

Dodge Circuit EV:

 

- By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoCar


Share |  Email  Print |

Tags: , , , ,




Subscribe & Connect

Connect with us on any of our social profiles below.

Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.

  • Tony

    What about the ad campaign featuring this car? Its everywhere now. FAIL.

  • zermatt

    Not a surprise.

    This was a half baked and il conceived concept that was thrown together to impress Congress so that Chrysler could get taxpayer cash. It served its purpose and now it is dead.

    I wonder if Congress feels manipulated? Probably not.

  • GMfan87

    i'm with zermatt, big shocker….

  • guest43212

    I'm not sure if this is still true. I just saw a chrysler commercial (june 5 2009) clearly displaying the circuit electric car as one of the flagship vehicles for “the new chrysler” or whatever

  • guest43212

    I'm not sure if this is still true. I just saw a chrysler commercial (june 5 2009) clearly displaying the circuit electric car as one of the flagship vehicles for “the new chrysler” or whatever