Chrysler Unveils Four All-Electric Minivan Prototypes to USPS; Applying for Grant for Nationwide Demo
22 April 2009
Chrysler unveiled four all-electric Chrysler Town & Country minivan concepts to the US Postal Service (USPS) in Washington, DC, as part of the USPS Earth Day celebration. Chrysler LLC, in conjunction with the USPS and select energy service providers, also announced that the company intends to apply to the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Transportation Electrification stimulus program for a federal grant, which would enable Chrysler to establish a nationwide demonstration fleet of zero-emission electric minivans that could be used by the US Postal Service for mail delivery.
| One of the electric mini-van prototypes. Click to enlarge. |
Chrysler’s ENVI group leveraged the flexibility of its electric-vehicle strategy to demonstrate an all-electric version of its best-selling minivan. These electric minivan concepts are targeted specifically for use by the US Postal Service for mail delivery.
Because robust grid integration is essential for widespread customer acceptance of electric vehicles, Chrysler has enlisted the involvement of key utility partners, including Duke, ConEd and DTE. Each has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Chrysler to equip post offices in strategically selected regions of the United States with a charging infrastructure for the envisioned program. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) also has signed an LOI to provide USPS integration tools.
Earlier this month, Chrysler announced A123Systems as one of its strategic partners and production battery supplier for the company’s initial production electric vehicles. Chrysler LLC and A123Systems signed an agreement stating that A123Systems will supply energy storage systems for Chrysler’s first-generation ENVI Range-extended Electric Vehicles and battery-only Electric Vehicles.
Don't understand why they need Duke, ConEd, etc. to provide special charging infrastructure.
Glad to see Chrysler trying to make this a high profile announcement on Earth Day. It's necessary to raise the profile of EV's.
Now start mass producing them for the masses.
Posted by: danm | 22 April 2009 at 08:00 AM
All Postal delivery vehicles should be BEVs or PHEVs now or in the very near future.
Most Postal delivery runs are ideal for BEVs.
PHEVs, with a very small genset, would be ideal for longer runs. Plenty of time to recharge during numerous stops.
Wouldn't the walk-in Dodge Sprinter (or equivalent) be better choice?
Who is stopping the Postal Services of all Industrial Countries to use such vehicles?
How are France and England doing with their orders?
Posted by: HarveyD | 22 April 2009 at 08:20 AM
The French Postal Services have already received 5 BEV from each of the two winning bidders;
a) Newteon with five Fiat Doblo Micro-Vett and
b) Venturie Automobiles with five PSA Citroen
After extensive trials, the final winner will supply the first 500 e-vehicles, starting in late 2009 or early 2010.
Eventually, La Poste will replace most of its 60,000 vehicles with BEVs.
Posted by: HarveyD | 22 April 2009 at 09:28 AM
So true; accelerate, brake, accelerate, brake, accelerate, brake.. It's like a bouncing basketball made of soft clay.
It just cries for SOME type of regeneration - right away - before snail-mail is no more.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 23 April 2009 at 07:07 AM
So this was posted back in 2009, has Chrysler come out with any kind of timetable when they expect these cars and vans to be coming out. Heaven knows the American car industry could use a shot in the arm. I've heard tell that energy service providers are expecting that the price per barrel of oil will be going down before too long, but the more non-fossil fuel based vehicles on the road the better.
Posted by: Darrington Jack | 22 June 2011 at 07:38 AM