Chrysler Tries To Charge Up Interest In Future Vehicles ANN ARBOR, MI (Michigan Radio) - Chrysler unveiled a bit of a surprise today - three new vehicles powered by electricity.

The company says one of those vehicles will go on sale in 2010. That's far sooner than analysts had expected from the company.

And Chrysler used the announcement to push its case for new federal loans.

The Jeep Wrangler is a symbol of ruggedness. You've probably seen it in ads climbing over rocks.

But the future of the rugged Wrangler sounds like little more than a high-pitched hum.

This is the Wrangler EV.

Of the three electric vehicles that Chrysler has unveiled, two are modified versions of vehicles that are already on the road. There's the range-extended electric Wrangler, and a range extended Chrysler Town & Country minivan.

Both vehicles have a gas engine onboard to recharge the battery once it runs out of juice. They'll go forty miles on electricity, and a total of 400 miles once the engine kicks in. Chrysler also unveiled the Dodge EV. It's a small, two seat sports car with no gas engine.

Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli introduced the new vehicles to a group of reporters at the company's headquarters in Auburn Hills. He said the three vehicles would all appeal to different customers.

"I think that's what's uniquely different about today's announcement, is that we're not talking about a car. We're talking about a full line," Nardelli said.

That approach is different than the one taken by Chrysler's cross-town rival GM.

For almost two years, GM has hyped its new extended range, electric vehicle, the Volt. Engineers at GM say they eventually plan several different takes on the Volt. But initially GM will have just one - a four door hatchback.

Chrysler president Jim Press contrasts that with his company's plan for an electric minivan.

"It's a car that already is a very efficient way to move seven people," Press says. "And people who buy it need help with fuel costs."

And yet, if Chrysler has such a good idea here, why hasn't the company been talking about it the way that GM has been talking about the Volt?

"We're not trying to win any PR awards or anything like that," Press says. "What we want to do is get cars in the hands of our customers who have told us they want really good cars, good value, good mileage."

But some outside observers see an ulterior motive.

"Of course it's about PR," says veteran auto industry journalist Paul Eisenstein.

He says Chrysler is on a campaign to change people's minds.

"They have to convince consumers that they're on the case, that they're moving ahead," Eisenstein says. "They have to convince the bankers and others who will have to loan them money in the traditional way. And now they have to convince Washington to come up with a very costly loan."

That loan from Washington has been a big focus for all three Detroit automakers in recent weeks.

And it was a big focus for Chrysler executives as they unveiled their new electric vehicles.

CEO Bob Nardelli said his company will make investments in cleaner vehicles with or without the government's help. But he warned that if the government doesn't help, the company might have to make cuts to be able to afford those investments.

"Unfortunately, we've had to furlough many families as a result of the economy turmoil, and certainly the downward spiraling in the industry," Nardelli says. "And I'd like to make sure that we don't have to go further to be able to support this advanced technology work."

The auto companies are hoping to get $25 billion from the federal government.

Chrysler says its first electric car will come out in 2010, regardless of the loans. Executives won't say which of the three cars that have been unveiled will come out first. But if the federal loans come through, they say they can speed up development on the other two. © Copyright 2009, Michigan Radio