Just days after we told you that Chrysler’s ENVI division will continue after the company’s bankruptcy, now it appears that the agreement with Fiat could even put more green cars on to US roads.
Similar to the Renault Nissan deal, the Chrysler Fiat deal could see more of Fiat’s small cars making their way to the US market in electric form.
Already this year, Chrysler had turned to A123Systems to provide batteries for its ENVI line-up of electric and plug-in vehicles which included the Dodge and Chrysler Minivan as well as the Jeep Patriot, Jeep Wrangler, 200C and the Dodge Circuit.
With Fiat on-board it seems that more compact and sub-compact cars will make their way to the US with electric and plug-in versions likely.
Fiat’s CEO Sergio Machionne stated that the electric vehicle line-up could eventually “get some lighter weight entries based on Fiat’s array of compact and sub-compact platforms.”
However, there are fears that when Chrysler goes before a bankruptcy judge it may rule that an electric vehicle programme is too costly at this stage and force them to cancel it in its entirety.
