Since the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, we haven’t heard much at all concerning new electrified vehicle technology coming from the company, but a Chrysler electric vehicle could be in the works, judging from recent job listings.
Slowly, but surely, more automakers are realizing they’ll need to electrify their vehicles if they’re going to meet with stricter Corporate Average Fuel Economy [CAFE] standards, as well as compete with the rest of the market for high-mpg vehicles. Chrysler already has some affiliation with electric vehicles, the Fiat 500e specifically, but somehow that partnership has taken a while to turn into a Chrysler electric vehicle.
Electrical engineers with an interest in electric vehicles might be interested in the latest job listings on the Chrysler Careers site, a number of them referencing electrified vehicle powertrains and management. This could mean that a push is being made toward Chrysler electric vehicles [EV] and hybrid electric vehicles [HEV], which the Chrysler lineup is sorely lacking in.
Chrysler did test a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle [PHEV] version of the Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, but won’t be producing it, and only had one other hybrid electric vehicle, the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid. There was even a Chrysler electric vehicle division, that developed the Dodge Circuit EV, but this was abandoned as well.
A Chrysler electric vehicle? It’s about time!
Image © Chad Horwedel / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND
