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LOS ANGELES -- Chrysler will be showing dealers later this month prototypes of three electric cars that can be produced, says Jim Press, co-president of Chrysler.

"We are making substantial progress on electrification of our vehicles," he said here Tuesday during a Motor Press Guild luncheon.

Chrysler is focusing on developing hybrid electric plug-in vehicles with an extended range of up to 300 miles, Press said. "Fuel cells are in the future, but probably more in my kids' future than my own," he said.

The key issue, he said, is to develop new platforms with electrification in mind.

Chrysler can move forward with advanced products for electrification with or without partners, Press said. All of Daimler AG's technology remains available to Chrysler, he added. Daimler continues to own a minority 20 percent stake in Chrysler more than a year after selling its majority stake to Cerberus Capital Management LP.

Chrysler is working with "a few" battery suppliers, both in the United States and overseas. The automaker just launched the 2009 Dodge Ram pickup, beating the new Ford F150 to market. Ford Motor announced in June that it was delaying the launch of the 2009 F-150 pickup because of a glut of unsold 2008 models.

Press said that he figured the earlier launch would give Chrysler an advantage over Ford "for a little while." He added, "I'll take it."

He defended continued production of the mid-sized Dakota pickup. Dakota sales fell by 40.4 percent during the first half of the year compared with the first half of 2007.

The Dakota has no additional costs for research and development, says Press, "so every time we sell one, there is some sunshine."

The vehicle will evolve into something "more relevant" for future markets, he says.

"We are looking at different segment for lifestyle trucks. Meanwhile, (the Dakota) is selling okay, we will continue production," Press said.

Press left Toyota one year ago to help run Chrysler, which has cut thousands of jobs, discontinued models, and closed plants since his arrival. Chrysler will not generate positive cash flow in 2008, he said.

But it will launch eight all-new products in 2010, Press said.

He predicted the market would start recovering by 2010.

Said Press: "The biggest issue for the auto market today is getting adequate credit, not $4.00 a gallon gas."