Chrysler dismantles electric car plans under Fiat

* Chrysler slashes EV sales target, disbands unit

* Automaker had heavily promoted EVs before bailout

By Kevin Krolicki

DETROIT, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Chrysler has disbanded a team of engineers dedicated to rushing a range of electric vehicles to showrooms and dropped ambitious sales targets for battery-powered cars set as it was sliding toward bankruptcy and seeking government aid.

The move by Fiat SpA (FIA.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) marks a major reversal for Chrysler, which had used its electric car program as part of the case for a $12.5 billion federal aid package.

As late as August, Chrysler took $70 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a test fleet of 220 hybrid pickup trucks and minivans, vehicles now scrapped in the sweeping turnaround plan for Chrysler announced this week by Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Chrysler spokesman Nick Cappa said on Friday that an in-house team of electric car development engineers had been disbanded in favor of a more traditional organization.

The automaker's former owner, Cerberus Capital Management, had set up a special division called "Envi" -- derived from Environment -- to spearhead development of hybrid technology where Chrysler badly trailed competitors.

"Envi is absorbed into the normal vehicle development program," Cappa told Reuters.