By Jeff Bennett Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES AUBURN HILLS, Mich. Dow Jones)--Chrysler LLC unveiled a comprehensive electric car product portfolio that the auto maker says will begin arriving in North America showrooms by 2010. The auto maker showed off a pure electric-powered Dodge sports car and an electric/gas-powered Town & Country minivan and Jeep Wrangler, with the plan calling for one of the vehicles to be introduced into North America in two years followed by Europe, Chrysler Chief Executive Bob Nardelli said Tuesday at a test track at the auto maker's headquarters. Chrysler officials said the prototype vehicles lithium-ion battery can run on 110- or 220-volt power, with differences in recharging times, and travel about 150 miles fully charged. Chrysler also said it is pursuing a joint project with General Electric Co. (GE) and the Department of Energy to develop smaller battery packs for electric vehicles. The auto maker didn't release details on the volume, pricing or where the products will be built. LaSorda said Chrysler is building a few of the vehicles now but wouldn't release the location. "We are well ahead where the industry observers thought we were," said Chrysler President Tom LaSorda, who added that the auto maker had been working on electric technologies for more than a year. "We kept a pretty good secret." The unveiling comes as global auto makers are intensifying their research and development to bring more fuel-efficient vehicles to both the U.S. and the world as gas prices continue to climb. General Motors Corp. (GM) last week unveiled the production version of its Chevrolet Volt electric plug-in vehicle, which it hopes to begin producing in 2010. The Volt would run 40 miles on a lithium ion battery. A small motor would recharge the battery on longer trips, extending its range indefinitely. GM has been road testing battery packs in old Chevrolet Malibus and in labs designed to replicate years' worth of wear. The tests so far have been successful, GM has said. The company has yet to pick a supplier for the batteries. -By Jeff Bennett, Dow Jones Newswires; 248-204-5542 Click here to go to Dow Jones NewsPlus, a web front page of today's most important business and market news, analysis and commentary: http://www.djnewsplus.com/al?rnd=mxZ09luYJZP8Iqr2QrN8MA%3D%3D. You can use this link on the day this article is published and the following day.
