ENVI was a division of Chrysler Group LLC formed in 2007 to create electric-drive vehicles

Electric vehicle

An electric vehicle , also referred to as an electric drive vehicle, uses one or more electric motors or traction motors for propulsion...

 and related advanced-propulsion technologies.

Birth and dissolution

ENVI was headed by Lou Rhodes who had been in charge of "Advance Vehicle Concepts and Innovation" at Chrysler Group LLC.
The group was dedicated solely to creating production vehicle

Production vehicle

A production vehicle is one that is put into mass production, as a model produced in large numbers and offered for sale to the public. It is the vehicle you can actually go out and buy ....

s, and not basic engineering research.

Chrysler's new owner Fiat SpA disbanded the division in November 2009,
removed the three ENVI models from its 5-year plan for Chrysler,
and Chrysler announced Lou Rhodes will become the group line executive in charge of electric car development for both Fiat and Chrysler.

The first electric vehicle planned from Fiat-Chrysler is an electrified Fiat Doblò

Fiat Doblò

The Fiat Doblò is a panel van and leisure activity vehicle produced by Italian automaker Fiat since 2000, it was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2000.-First generation :...

 light commercial van.

Planned products

In September 2008, ENVI revealed three "production intent" electric vehicles to the public and announced that Chrysler Group LLC will start bringing a portfolio of electric vehicles to showrooms in 2010. The vehicles were the electric-only Dodge EV

Dodge EV

The Dodge EV development vehicle, also called Dodge Circuit EV sports car, was a two-passenger, rear-wheel-drive, all-electric sports car shown to the public at the 2009 North American International Auto Show....

 sports car, the range-extended Chrysler EV minivan and the range-extended Jeep EV. All used advanced lithium-ion batteries.
At the time Chrysler said it was investigating in-wheel motors and dual battery chemistries.

The ENVI group was also creating a new hybrid vehicle

Hybrid vehicle

A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to move the vehicle. The term most commonly refers to hybrid electric vehicles , which combine an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors.-Power:...

 from "the ground up" in the same manner as was designed the Toyota Prius

Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius is a full hybrid electric mid-size hatchback, formerly a compact sedan developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation...

 and Honda Insight

Honda Insight

The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by Honda and the first production vehicle to feature Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system. The first-generation Insight was produced from 1999 to 2006 as a three-door hatchback...

.

See also

• Dodge Circuit EV
  Dodge EV
  The Dodge EV development vehicle, also called Dodge Circuit EV sports car, was a two-passenger, rear-wheel-drive, all-electric sports car shown to the public at the 2009 North American International Auto Show....
  
  
• Chrysler 200C
• Chrysler Town and Country EV
• Jeep Wrangler EV
• Jeep Patriot EV
• GEM
  Global Electric Motorcars
  Global Electric Motorcars , a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries, is a U.S. manufacturer in the low-speed vehicle category, producing neighborhood electric vehicles since 1998 and has sold more than 45,000 GEM battery-electric vehicles worldwide as of December 2010.Until June 2011, GEM...
  
  

External links

Most references to ENVI were removed from Chrysler web sites in November 2009.

• http://www.chryslergoeselectric.com/
• ENVI