Zoomi Life

Unlike many automakers who have only one electric vehicle they’re pushing, Chrysler is working on a full line of them in order to cut costs and improve quality. While other companies like GM are focusing on one vehicle as the starter for a platform, Chrysler is focusing on the platform itself.

Read More: NY Auto Show: Chrysler’s ENVI Showcase

Tesla Motors has already run into the problem with that the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Incentive Program’s loans don’t apply to them. Not because of their technology, but because they can’t put up matching loan funds to secure the loan.

The ATVM program requires that those applying for the loans put up matching equity funds and demonstrate their financial viability. Tesla was unable to do that and General Motors and Chrysler are in the same boat. GM can’t even convince the Obama Administration that it’s viable, let alone the DoE. Chrysler is likely to find itself in that same predicament, since they were given 30 days to clean up their financial quarter or face bankruptcy.

Read More: No DoE ATVM Loans For GM or Chrysler Either

In announcements that surprised no one, both Chrysler and General Motors have announced their battery suppliers for plugins and electrics. One announcement was made in the usual on-screen handshake and press release and the other was made amidst heavy fanfare and money-wasting jubilee. One guess as to which was which.

Read More: Chrysler and GM Pick Battery Suppliers

Both General Motors and Chrysler are again begging for bailout funds. They want another $14 billion (to make their total bailout now $39 billion). They started asking for the increased handout Tuesday.

Read More: Detroit Still Begging At the Bailout Trough

Chrysler (finally) figured out their weak spot: a total lack of small, fuel-efficient cars. They’ve made a move to fix that by penning a deal with Fiat. The deal, from Fiat’s perspective, is pretty sweet and sour. They get 35% of Chrysler in exchange for Chrysler having full access to their small car platforms for development and rebranded sale.

Read More: Chrysler Gets Bailout From Fiat

I know, the NAIAS Detroit Auto Show isn’t actually over. In fact, only the press show is done, the public show starts this weekend. All of the major announcements that were going to be made, all of the cars that were going to be debuted, and all of the pontifications on how such-and-such company promises to be this-that-or-the-other in the future have been grandstanded. So we feel confident in giving a roundup overview of this year’s show.

Read More: NAIAS Detroit Auto Show Roundup

Ford and Chrysler have both announced that they will be showing off their electric vehicle plans at the upcoming NAIS Detroit Auto Show. The show begins (publicly) on January 17th.

Read More: Ford, Chrysler to Reveal Electric Vehicle Plans At Detroit Auto Show

It was a surprise to everyone but the Executive VP of Product Development of Chrysler, who showed off the new PHEV. This is a realistic, sell-able concept car that Chrysler is showing off as the future of their “Project D” line (green vehicles).

Read More: Chrysler Pulls a Rabbit Out of Its Hat at the Detroit Auto Show: The 200C PHEV Concept

Worried that $78/hour UAW workers would be out of a job, President George W. Bush agreed to bypass Congress’ decision and give Ford, Chrysler, and GM $17.4 billion in bailout money from the $700 billion earmarked to “save” the financial industry. No word on how the money will be split amongst the three pigs, but the money’s been dumped in the trough, so I guess we’ll soon find out.

Read More: Bush Bails Out The Big 3 Losers

GEM, a subsidiary of Chrysler, unveiled a new electric car yesterday. The GEM Peapod is the first of a new generation of GEM electric vehicles that will be more user-friendly and efficient.
“We have evolved the GEM design language to better reflect its ecofriendly performance and its upbeat, positive image,” says Chrysler chief innovation officer [...]

Read More: Chrysler unveils GEM Peapod electric car, to hit roads by 2009