Chrysler is working to bring back their “ENVI” division – who introduced the world to several hybrid and electric cars years ago. With help from Fiat, Chrysler’s new owner, they plan on breathing new life into those vehicle technologies.

According to Automotive News, “Chrysler’s senior vice president for powertrain technologies, Paolo Ferrero, reiterated his company’s plans to bring an all-electric Fiat 500 onto the market by 2012. He also revealed details for a test fleet of Dodge Ram plug-in hybrids and hinted that there will be a full line of electric vehicles in Chrysler’s lineup. These are the two extremes [the Fiat 500 BEV and Dodge Ram plug-in hybrid], let’s say,” Ferrero said in an interview. “We have an electrification strategy, but we cannot yet disclose it.”

Chrysler’s green strategy also encompasses alternate fuels. One popular alt-fuel, compressed natural gas (CNG), is a topic of discussion around the division. Chrysler’s parent Fiat has extensive experience in building and selling CNG-powered vehicles, something that could be transferred over to Chrysler’s future lineup.

story: greencarreports

The US Postal Service hasn’t agreed to take on Chrysler’s Postal Vans…yet. But the organization has admitted their current Postal Vehicles are out of date, aging, and not very eco-friendly/fuel efficient. This makes sense, as I drove past very beat looking Ford Windstar Post Office vehicles the other day here in Ohio.

Chrysler LLC isn’t heading into the deployment of mass EV rides alone. Duke University and ConEd Power Company are also working with the company to perfect and dole out a large order of EV Minivans. Check out full details in the press release below.

Chrysler Celebrates Earth Day by Revealing All-new Electric Minivan Concepts to U.S. Postal Service

* Chrysler exhibits flexibility of its electric vehicle portfolio with a new Chrysler minivan EV concept, targeted for postal delivery use
* Chrysler intends to submit an application under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Transportation Electrification stimulus program for a federal grant that would enable a nationwide demonstration fleet with the United States Postal Service (USPS)
* Potential partnership with USPS to include infrastructure support from ConEd, Duke Energy, DTE Energy and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)

Chrysler invented the minivan 25 years ago. More than 12 million minivan sales later, Chrysler today showed off four all-electric Chrysler Town & Country minivan concepts to the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) 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 for the U.S. 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 U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery.

“With more than a 40 percent market share, our Chrysler and Dodge minivans continue to lead the segment we created more than 25 years ago,” said Frank Klegon, Executive Vice President-Product Development, Chrysler LLC. “Our ENVI electric minivan concepts illustrate Chrysler’s innovation with electric vehicle technology and show what the future could hold.”

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 U.S. Postal Service for mail delivery.

“We continue to look for energy-efficient replacement vehicles for our aging fleet as we explore ways to reduce our transportation-related carbon emissions,” said Sam Pulcrano, Vice President-Sustainability, U.S. Postal Service.

“Chrysler and the Postal Service have an established relationship as there are more than 10,000 of our minivans in the Postal Service fleet,” said Lou Rhodes, Vice President-Advance Vehicle Engineering and President of ENVI, Chrysler LLC. “The Postal Service is a recognized environmental innovator and leader, and we are excited at the prospect of continuing our relationship by working to deliver alternative energy postal delivery vehicles in the future.”

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.

“Our partnership is structured to easily expand into additional regions of the country as the scope of the project increases,” added Rhodes.

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. Based in Watertown, Massachusetts, A123Systems has announced plans for a Michigan-based production facility. A123Systems will manufacture Nanophosphate Lithium ion prismatic battery cells, modules and battery packs for Chrysler LLC. Advanced lithium-ion battery chemistry has the capability of meeting consumer demands for performance, driving range and durability.

ENVI
A symbol that represents the first four letters of environment is Chrysler LLC’s entrepreneurial in-house organization focused on electric-drive production vehicles and related advanced technologies. ENVI is a cross-functional, nimble team empowered to move quickly and access vast resources within Chrysler LLC in order to integrate electric-vehicle technology into existing products. ENVI-powered electric vehicles inspire a personal mobility revolution, creating a new generation of responsible, no-compromise Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep® vehicles.

Chrysler Minivan leadership
With more than 65 minivan-first innovations in 25 years, the 2009 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan pay homage to the more than 12 million minivans sold worldwide. With the segment’s first and only Stow ‘n Go seating and storage system, minivan-first Swivel ‘n GoTM seat system that allows second-row passengers to swivel 180 degrees to face third-row passengers and segment-exclusive uconnect® studios providing satellite entertainment with family-fun programming-2009 Chrysler and Dodge minivans are the best family-friendly minivans, with more than 40 percent U.S. market share, the third-largest nameplate in Canada, unsurpassed 25 highway mile per gallon fuel economy and sales in more than 80 countries.

About Chrysler LLC
Chrysler LLC, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich., produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Mopar® brand vehicles and products. Total sales worldwide in 2008 were 2 million vehicles. Outside of North America, 2008 was the second-best sales year in the last decade and the third-best ever for Chrysler International.

Chrysler LLC’s product lineup features some of the world’s most recognizable vehicles, including the Chrysler 300 and Town & Country, Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee and Dodge Challenger and Ram. Reinforcing a commitment to bring to market a broad array of advanced electric vehicles across all of its brands, Chrysler has introduced five electric-drive vehicle prototypes since the fall of 2008. At least one of these vehicles will be produced in 2010 for consumers in North American markets, followed by production for European markets.

The Chrysler Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, annually supports hundreds of charitable organizations in the United States and throughout the world. In 2008, the Foundation gave approximately $21 million in charitable donations.

Chrysler is in last place when it comes to asking Congress (again) for money – as they came in behind GM and Ford with a restructuring plan to help them though the next two years. The $11 billion will be used to produce “seven to nine” new models but have yet to confirm what those models actually are. Chrysler has been touting their EV electric car line up at the auto shows, but those only consist of three vehicles (Chrysler EV minivan, Jeep EV and Dodge Sport EV). Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli, like the Ford and General Motors owners, has pledged to work for only $1 and take no health/insurance benefits.

Chrysler may have to drastically cut their production by January of these funds are not put into action. As for the pay back? 2012 is the date when the loan return must begin – we’d hate to see the interest on that number. For Chrysler’s sake let’s hope the Mayans were right.