cars-trend: dodge circuit ev

Thursday 28 July 2011

dodge circuit ev

When Chrysler's ENVI trio debuted last September, the stand out was the Dodge EV, if for no other reason than because it was based on a Lotus sports coupe. Now, the Dodge EV has been given a proper name -- Circuit (get it?) -- along with a freshened look for its re-debut at the 2009 Detroit show.
Much like the Tesla Roadster before it, the Dodge Circuit EV is essentially a Lotus with a lithium-ion battery pack and an electric motor. In the case of the Circuit, ENVI engineers started with a Lotus Europa rather than the Lotus Elise-based Tesla, and for Detroit, Chrysler's grafted a signature Dodge crosshair grille onto the car, making it look something like a baby Viper. Nose job complete, the Circuit EV ditched the Bumble Bee yellow-and-black paint job for a fresh coat of "Tangoreen" orange with big EV graphics and new ENVI badges. Inside, the Circuit EV has been redone in black leather with Satin Silver accents and a premium sound system.
Mechanically, the Circuit EV is essentially unchanged from when we drove it last year. It is still a purely electric vehicle, as there is no room to mount a gasoline-powered range extender in the diminutive sports car. It will reportedly hit 60 mph in under five seconds, run the quarter-mile in the low-thirteen second range and hit a top speed "greater than 100 mph," all the while getting 150 to 200 miles out of a single charge. Like its ENVI stable mates, it can be recharged from a standard 110-volt wall socket, though Chrysler won't say how long it takes to charge, just that the charging time can be halved by using a 220-volt socket instead.