New electric vehicle will be engineered and developed in the U.S.

Fiat 500EV

Here at LotPro.com, we see where the mystery surrounding the electric Fiat 500 that appeared at both the Detroit Auto Show as well as the Chicago Auto this year is about to be solved.

Earlier today, Chrysler announced that it was planning to engineer and assemble an all-electric vehicle based on the Fiat 500 platform.

"The alliance with Fiat presented new opportunities to merge Chrysler Group engineering knowledge with new platforms and the Fiat 500EV is an outstanding example of our efforts," said Scott Kunselman, Senior Vice President Engineering--Chrysler Group LLC. "The Fiat 500 is a small, lightweight platform perfect for integrating electric-vehicle technology."

Here is more from the press release:

The Fiat 500EV powertrain is comprised of three main systems; high power electric powertrain module, advance lithium ion battery, and an EV control unit to manage power flows. Beginning in 2012, Chrysler Group will manufacture the Fiat 500EV for the United States market. All powertrain engineering and vehicle development will take place at Chrysler Group headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich. Pricing will be announced closer to launch, but will be competitive with similar electric vehicles in the market.

Chicago vehicle specs

Although the Fiat 500EV was not identified in Detroit, Chrysler did see fit to identify its innards in Chicago with the following information:

Specifications:
Length: 142.6 inches
Width: 63.4 inches
Height: 58.6 inches
Wheelbase: 90.5 inches
Track (F): 55.7 inches
Track (R) 55.4 inches
Turning radius: 30.4 feet

E-Drive System:
Layout: Front-wheel drive
Motor: 255 hp Regenerative braking
Battery: Lithium-ion battery
Suspension: Front – MacPherson, Rear – Torsion Beam

Performance:
0-60 mph: 5.6 seconds
Standing ¼ mile: 14.2 seconds
Top speed: Greater than 110 mph
All electric range UDDS Cycle: Greater than 100 miles

Whether or not the production vehicle’s specifications will reflect those of the 500EV show car remains to be seen, since there were no vehicle specifications released with the press release information.