To celebrate Earth Day, Chrysler invited a select group of media to the Green Ride N Drive, (held during the SAE Show in Detroit today), to get behind the wheel of the Dodge Circuit EV. So in an act of automotive environmental irony that has to this day only been perpetrated on the planet by Jeremy Clarkson, we hopped in our twin-turbocharged V8-powered BMW 750i test car and drove 300 miles, just to spend 20 minutes in a zero-emissions car.
Sure there were plenty of other "green" cars on hand, including several Japanese hybrids and German diesels that are already on the market, but the Circuit is a stand-out vehicle in a lineup of green alternatives, due to its sporty Dodge looks and impressive performance. We were, however, surprised that the car was painted black… and not the bright orange we had seen before. (A Chrysler rep told us there are actually three Circuit EVs in existence).
Powered by two lithium-ion battery packs, the Circuit EV makes 268hp and can hit 60 mph in less than five seconds. As the route we took consisted of a lap around downtown Detroit, the speed limits didn't allow for any shenanigans, but that doesn't mean we didn't tromp on the go pedal a few times.
It's somewhat strange that there is only one gear, as you often get the feeling you should be doing something other than just holding on. The lack of "shift shock" actually makes the car feel less speedy than it is, especially once you get higher in the mph range. Off the line, however, there is plenty of readily-available torque.
The Circuit EV is somewhat heavier than it looks and we'd suggest some larger brakes for the production model, but the added weight gives a great road-hugging center of gravity and the driving dynamics are very Lotus-like, which is to say, impressive! We tossed the car through the only real corner we found on the drive and it felt incredibly well-planted.
More:
Dodge Circuit EV First Drive (Short Take) on AutoGuide.com
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