Car Industry: Chrysler and Fiat plan to launch an electric version of the Fiat 500 minicar

Chrysler and Fiat plan to launch an electric version of the Fiat 500 minicar packed with lithium-ion batteries from A123Systems in the U.S. this year. It will mark the pair’s first all-electric model, and a big year for A123 as it finds its footing as a large scale battery maker. Chrysler tapped battery company A123Systems in 2010 as the supplier for at least the first generation of plug-in vehicles in its planned ENVI lineup.

The automaker has largely scrapped the original ENVI plan however, making clear in the 5-year plan it unveiled in November 2010 that it won’t kick into high gear with electric cars for the consumer market until 2011 and beyond.

For more: Chrysler to Launch Electric Fiat 500 With A123 Batteries this year