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eBay Find of the Day: 1979 Chrysler ETV-1 electric car prototype

Electric cars may be reaching their time in the sun with successes like the Tesla Model S, but the basic concept goes back to practically beginning of motoring. EVs also saw a brief renaissance in the 1970s when automakers were trying find a way around rising fuel prices. This 1979 Chrysler ETV-1 concept for sale on eBay Motors is a great example from that era.
Built in 1979, designers hoped the ETV-1 would preview what an electric car would look like in 1985. The base price was slated to start at $6,400, or the rough equivalent of $20,536, which seems like an optimistic price. General Electric created the ETV-1's powertrain, and Chrysler was in charge of styling. At the time, the Department of Energy called it "the first advanced four-passenger subcompact experimental electric car."
While it seems ancient compared to today's EVs, the ETV-1 featured regenerative braking and a computer-controlled electric motor. Chrysler reported a 100-mile range at 45 miles per hour with two passengers in the car. The range fell to 75 miles with four passengers. Acceleration was not brisk with Chrysler claiming the run to 30 mph in 9 seconds. Power was stored in 18 lead-acid batteries, and a full charge took 10 hours from a home outlet.

2015 Chrysler 200 earns Top Safety Pick+ [w/video]

If safety is a priority in your next car purchase, the 2015 Chrysler 200 looks like a pretty good bet, according to a recent evaluation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The new sedan scored top marks in all of the agency's crash tests and a "Superior" score from its optional front crash prevention system to earn it a Top Safety Pick+ rating. In the latest small overlap front crash test (video below), the new Chrysler nabbed a score of "Good," the IIHS's top rating. In the 40-miles-per-hour evaluation of the front 25 percent of the vehicle, the agency found that there was a low risk of serious injuries. The safety systems kept the dummy's head in position, and the side airbags protected it well. It also beat out the previous generation 200 that only had an "Acceptable" in that test. As part of its "Superior" score, the front crash prevention system was able to completely stop the 200 in the IIHS 12-mph test and significantly slowed it down from 25 mph. Scroll down to watch the carnage unfold as the sedan gets put through the small-overlap crash and read the official IIHS announcement of its results. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. All-new Chrysler 200 aces small overlap front crash test, earns TOP SAFETY PICK+ ARLINGTON, Va. - The redesigned 2015 Chrysler 200, a midsize moderately priced car, earns the top rating of good in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test, a step up from the previous generation's rating of acceptable. With good ratings in all five of the Institute's crashworthiness evaluations, plus an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior rating, the 200 qualifies for the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award. In the small overlap test, the driver's space was maintained well, and injury measures recorded on the dummy indicated a low risk of any significant injuries in a real-world crash of this severity. The dummy's head was well controlled by the frontal airbag, which stayed in position during the crash. The side curtain airbag deployed and had sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with side structures. The 200 earns a good rating in every measurement category for small overlap protection including structure, restraints and dummy kinematics, and injury measures for the head and neck, chest, pelvis, and legs and feet.

Chrysler investigating complaints of vehicles with faulty power modules

Chrysler owners are hopping mad after experiencing a series of electrical gremlins in some of the company's vehicles. Issues range from mere annoyances - windows rolling down and radios turning off of their own accord - to serious safety issues, with headlights that randomly shut off at night and cars that stall and refuse to start.
The issues are being blamed on the total integrated power module, which can cost up to $1,000 for customers to replace. This, of course, has led to a hefty batch of complaints to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with 240 owners expressing their displeasure so far. Another site, CarComplaints.com, has registered over 300 complaints relating to the 2010 to 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango, alone, according to The New York Times.
Chrysler has acknowledged that it's investigating the complaints and is analyzing the faulty TIPMs, but that isn't quite enough for customers of the affected vehicles. The newspaper has snagged a few of the more harrowing tales with the electrically challenged Chrysler products, culled from the NHTSA complaints.