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Just one day afterwards letters that Chrysler was advancing a adversary for the Chevy Volt, the aggregation sucked the air out of the automotive columnist with a awful abnormal move this morning. The imperiled Detroit automaker, continued anticipation to be abaft its rivals in developing fuel-efficient cars, acclimated an actualization on CNBC to bare four new electric cars that had been developed, according to CEO Bob Nardelli, “in about secrecy.” While a lot of automakers accept gone out of their way to accomplish publicity for their blooming car efforts in contempo years, privately-owned Chrysler had kept these cars beneath wraps until this morning. The cars arise almost abutting to production-ready, and could change the mural of the automotive industry.

In a video of the acknowledge acquaint on the CNBC website, Chrysler Vice Chairman Tom LaSorda tells CNBC’s Phil LeBeau the cars could be “out in use in some fleets” in 2009. Asked if they ability ability accomplishment for auction in Chrysler showrooms, he replied, “We’re accessible to go in ’11.”

The cars included a brace of extended-range electric cars that Chrysler admiral claimed could biking 40 afar beneath electric ability abandoned afore a 1-liter gasoline engine bliss in, abundant like Chevy’s heavily-hyped 2010 Volt. One was an bearding Chrysler minivan, the added a four-door Jeep Wrangler. While Chevy has not accustomed the columnist to drive the Volt and says the powertrain isn’t ready, CNBC’s LeBeau was accustomed to drive the Wrangler EV on a Chrysler analysis track.

Perhaps the a lot of absorbing of the vehicles, however, was a absolutely electric sports car alleged the Dodge EV. Jalopnik letters that the EV “has agnate achievement numbers,” and “some arresting beheld similarities with” the Tesla high-performance electric Roadster. Admiral affirmation the EV accelerates from aught to sixty afar per hour in beneath 5 seconds, accuse off of a accepted domiciliary outlet, and has a ambit of 150 to 200 afar on anniversary charge.

Lastly, Chrysler admiral showed a “neighborhood vehicle” accepted as “the peapod,” which resembled the GEM electric cars Chrysler has awash in retirement communities for several years. No data on the peapod were offered. GEM cars accept a top acceleration of 25 afar per hour and about amount about $6,000 to $9,000 dollars.

Chrysler admiral did not acknowledge appraisement data on any of the vehicles. Asked about appraisement in the video, CEO Nardelli said alone “we’re acute to that,” and acicular to a angle afore Congress allurement for $25 billion in loans to advice the auto industry aftermath added fuel-efficient vehicles.

Autoblog expects these cars to be acclimated in blame Congress to accept the loans. “Look for all three prototypes to arch to D.C., area they’ll be showcased for Congressional leaders who accept a say in whether or not Washington will appearance Detroit the money they’ve been allurement for,” they write.

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