We've taken a pretty in-depth look at Chrysler's three most visible electric or range-extended concepts already, leaving just the neighborhood electric vehicle from its GEM division to peer into. First, those three letters now stand for GreenEcoMobility, much more interesting than Global Electric Motorcars, which is what it stood for until now. What's in a name, anyway... Moving along, Chrysler showed off the new GEM Peapod, a low-speed electric vehicle designed primarily for city use. Unlike past GEM efforts, the Peapod is rather car-like in its look; although it is rather egg-shaped, it has a real enclosure with four doors and what appear to be roll-up windows. Inside is a new dash layout that incorporates iPod and iPhone integration. Expect to see them for sale next year.

GEM also has plans to launch "a new light-duty, battery electric commercial truck and a larger city electric vehicle, with more range and performance." We don't exactly know what that means, but we've heard that the truck may be an electric version of the Tata Ace. Of course, as we know more, so will you. Full press release after the break.


[Source: GEM]

Way back in January, rumors began swirling regarding a potential tie-up between Chrysler's GEM and India's Tata Motors. The rumored love-child was an electric version of the delivery truck known in India as the Tata Ace. Now, we have a potential price for the unit, and it sounds almost too good to be true. According to Auto Observer, the electric Ace could sell for as little as $5,000 and would meet all necessary safety regulations in the United States. We'd imagine that this vehicle would be classified as a NEV, which would limit it to twenty-five miles per hour and operation on streets with a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or less.

No details are available regarding what kind of batteries or range are available. We can see a small delivery vehicle which uses no gasoline going over rather well in dense urban areas. Sales possibilities exist in both the U.S. market as well as in India.

[Source: Auto Observer]

GEM vehicles certainly aren't flashy. They don't go more than 25 mph, they look kind of goofy, and they're stuffed with old-fashioned lead acid batteries. In fact, GEM vehicles embody the "golf cart aesthetic" more than any other NEVs that regularly make an appearance on our little blog here. Still, there's something worth noting about Global Electric Motorcars: it's the Chrysler brand/subsidiary that has growing sales. Automotive News (subs req'd) has a good story that takes a look at how Chrysler is benefiting due to keeping the GEM subsidiary following the Daimler-Chrysler split last year. GEM has sold 37,000 Neighborhood Electric Vehicles since getting started in 1998 and, while the company doesn't announce sales figures, the company is profitable. With Chrysler trying to gin up sales through gas price gimmicks, it's good to see that these zero-emission niche vehicles are going strong. The potential for Chrysler to move GEM from the NEV category into a company that builds vehicles that are capable of higher speeds exists, particularly through Chrysler's ENVI. A GEM Zeo, anyone?

[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]

If you live in California and have a hankerin' for some quality electric maxi-scooter action, it's time to grab your checkbook and head for your nearest Vectrix dealership. The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) has been busy dishing out rebates for a select few rides and there is only so much cash left in the kettle.

The "Fueling Alternatives" program lists a small number of natural gas-powered vehicles that qualify for the rebate but apparently the money reserved for those has already run out. The only other eligible vehicle manufacturers left are GEM and Vectrix and, unless you live in a gated community or on a golf course, I would go with the 62 mph-capable Vectrix.

If you live in Northern California, there is a San Francisco-based dealer, British Motor Cars Distributors, who would be happy to take your order and, according to their website, they deliver. San Rafael residents might want to give Marin BMW Motorcycles a ring. For the rest of California, hang tight, help may soon be on the way. More info after the jump.

The city received the low speed vehicles from Daimler-Chrysler when automakers were dumping NEVs to comply with the California Air Resources Board's Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate without offering full-function electric cars. The City blames budget woes for the decision to auction half the fleet. All the vehicles are in working order, though some will require a bit of work. The first two GEM cars on the block are a G-7 two-passenger model with 3,474 miles and a G-21 four-passenger model with 921 miles. Minimum bids for two-seaters begin at $1,700 and for four-seaters will start at $2,100. If you're looking to buy, contact the City Manager's Office.

[Source: Davis Enterprise]

Our Engadget buddies have posted a picture of a GEM electric truck on fire. There is really no explanation with the article except "GEM neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) burning peacefully on the UC Riverside campus, January 15th, 2008." The post is titled "And you thought that laptop fire sucked..." and some comments have concluded it's a fire caused by the electric car's battery or wiring.

TG Daily is reporting that the UC "campus Police Department said it could have been a test burn." TG Daily also says GEM cars have started two other fires. If I were GEM, I would look into this one quickly because the post has over 400 diggs, more than 60 comments at Engadget and, while shocking, the picture is kinda cool. That's the perfect recipe to start a very bad rumor about GEM's cars.

Related:

• Unplugged electric car likely cause of building fire in San Francisco
• G-Wiz electric vehicle recalled in UK because of fire risk

[Source: Engadget thanks to tipster Remy]

Is the sudden interest in neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV) good for EV movement? Are they helping advance the technology needed to introduce mainstream consumers to EVs? Is there really a strong market for $10,000 or $15,000 grocery getters and industrial-yard security cruisers?

Those are questions the Kurrent, an absolutely adorable NEV that will be built by American Electric Vehicles in Michigan, will answer in the next few years. Company president Scott Thornton says he'll hire 50 to 70 employees for the new venture. The problem with NEVs is that laws prevent them from operating on roads with speed limits faster than 35 mph, and they're allowed to run only 25 mph top speed. Experts disagree on the size of the market potential. Thornton is looking at 15,000 a year. The president of GEM, another NEV manufacturer owned by DaimlerChrysler, says about half that. Other experts say NEVs face considerable competition from less expensive golf carts. Thornton is counting on innovation and marketing. He sees solar panels, electric boats and scooters as a way to grow the company. Right now he's hoping to ramp up to 500 a month by next year.

[Source: Howard Lovy / Oakland Business Review]

UPDATE: Read AutoblogGreen's interview with Thornton here.

Hey, here's a good idea. Get a bunch of teenagers drunk and sit them behind the wheel of an electric car. This is what DaimlerChrysler is doing in Michigan on Monday morning with the help of the Michigan State Police. Of course, the teens will not be actually drinking but wearing "Drunk Busters" goggles that simulate the effects of alcohol but the EVs will be real as anything. DaimlerChrysler is bringing some of its GEM electric vehicles to the anti-drunk driving demonstration at the Oakland County Traffic Safety Meeting as part of the Michigan State Police EPIC program (Education & Prevention of Impaired Crashes). Chrysler has used the GEMs with hundreds of teens in the EPIC program, which gives them a chance to drive the GEM through an obstacle course. I doubt there's pedestrians involved, as illustrated in the image above, which is from the GEM website.

[Source: Chrysler Group]

Here's another San Francisco-based story to complement the news of the SFFD going biodiesel. If you're in the city and want to go for a tour without emitting a lot of CO2 (at least, not from the vehicle you're riding in), then give a look to Electric Time Car Rentals and their GPS-based city audio tours.

Eric over at the traveling weblog Gadling recently took the cars for a spin and reports the experience was "pretty damn cool". The tours are available in six languages. Oh, and the GEM cars can go 25 mph and supposedly have no problem traveling through San Fran's hilly streets. Unlike some car rental operations, you only need to 21 to rent from Electric Time Rental Cars. Costs to rent the cars run at least $44 an hour or $164 a day.

[Source: Gadling]

For those of you in need of electric transportation and with a large family, or a lot of friends, Global Electric Motorcars, a DaimlerChrysler company, is launching production of an all-new six passenger electric vehicle, to join its lineup of two and four passenger versions. GEM is the top-selling street-legal all-electric vehicle in the United States, and the company is expending its operations, with new distributors in Western Europe. While these might be zero-emission vehicles in the strict sense, people should consider a more environmentally friendly way of getting around the neighborhood: walking.

[Source: DaimlerChrysler]