Asked after his speech at the Toledo rally whether any of those vehicles would be made in Toledo, Mr. LaSorda turned to glance at the shiny white Jeep EV - electric vehicle - prototype and said, "One is right there."

Chrysler unveiled three electric prototypes in September, including the Jeep EV, a minivan, and a sports car. But officials at that time said only one would be produced by 2010 and they declined to reveal which one or where any would be produced.

The Jeep prototype was a four-door Wrangler that seats five and runs on electricity, but has a back-up gas-burning motor to generate electricity once the battery charge runs out after about 40 miles of use. The so-called "range extended vehicles" rely on a lithium-ion battery system that plugs into a standard household outlet.

To make the vehicle would require retooling at Toledo Jeep, company officials said. But whether it would mean additional workers was unclear.

Toledo Jeep now makes two and four-door Wranglers and the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro.