Chrysler announced on Tuesday that it is developing three electric-technology vehicles to be available in North America as early as 2010, the latest move by a major automaker to position itself in what many believe is the future of automotive tranportation.

The third largest U.S. automaker plans one new vehicle for each of its brands—Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge. Prototypes were unveiled Tuesday morning at the company’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

“Chrysler’s electric car bombshell is an attempt to prove to the public and media that the company is indeed working on future vehicles, and that it still has life left in it,” wrote Aaron Bragman, an analyst with Global Insight, in a note following the announcement.

But the automaker said that only one of the three models would be introduced into North American markets in 2010 and European markets after that year. It did not say if or when all three models would be available.

The announcement comes as major automakers around the world scramble to bring reliable and affordable alternative vehicles to market. Consumers have shown a growing appetite for these cars, as fuel prices soar and fears of climate change intensify. Toyota now sells 250,000 Priuses a year, the Japanese automaker’s popular gasoline-electric hybrid model.

Meanwhile, China, the second largest car market in the world after the United States, intends to build a network of electric car charging stations that will eventually cover the entire nation.

The Dodge EV is slated to be the only all-electric car of the new fleet, according to the announcement. Chrysler described it as a “performance sports car.”

Bragman said this is the most likely candidate for the 2010 rollout. It’s based on an existing platform, the Lotus Europa, and “looks similar enough to the Dodge Viper that it would fit well in the Dodge line-up,” he wrote.

The all-electric model will have a top speed of 120 mph and will reach 60 mph in less than five seconds. Using lithium-ion batteries, the car will have a range of 150 to 200 miles between charges and will take four hours to charge on a 220-volt outlet and 8 hours to charge on a 110-volt outlet.

The other two new models, the Chrysler EV and Jeep EV, are so-called range-extended electric vehicles. The former is a version of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan and the latter is based off the four-door Jeep Wrangler.

But Mr. Bragman criticized the Jeep Wrangler model idea. “A plug-in electric off-roader seems somewhat of an oxymoron,” he wrote. “You can’t plug into a tree and recharge out in the woods.”

He applauded the minivan idea, however. “Used primarily for family hauling duty around town and longer-range vacations, the fuel cost savings for such a vehicle would make it extremely appealing to family buyers,” he wrote.

Like the Chevy Volt, these cars combine the electric-drive components of an all-electric vehicle with a small gasoline engine to produce additional energy to power the electric-drive system when needed. Chrysler said these cars will drive 40 miles on pure electric power before the on-board engine kicks in to extend its range to nearly 400 miles.