Addressing the Detroit Regional Chamber Mackinac Policy Conference on Thursday, Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of the Chrysler Group LLC, said that the Fiat SpA-controlled automaker had added over 1,600 jobs since late last year.

Marchionne, whose comment about the new jobs created at Chrysler was included in his prepared remarks, also said that the automaker is developing new vehicles.

According to an elaboration by Chrysler spokeswoman Shawn Morgan, nearly two-thirds of the employees have been hired directly by Auburn Hills, Michigan-based Chrysler Group as hourly and salaried workers.

Morgan also added that the new workers do not include the 1,100 employees that the company intends adding for a second shift at the Jeep plant in Detroit – the hiring for which has already begun. These jobs were announced last month by Marchionne, after the plant commenced the production of the redesigned Grand Cherokee.

Marchionne also used the conference platform to talk about his vision of natural gas becoming a means to fuel more cars, and result in lower emissions.

Adding that the increased manufacturing of cars that run on natural gas might be the best way to decrease US’ dependence on oil, as well as boost its efforts to reduce missions, Marchionne noted that the infrastructure for refueling cars with natural gas is already in place – with natural gas already being delivered to most of the homes in the country.