Auto Channel

Starring alongside what become the rather more conservative Chrysler and Dodge concept vehicles next to Jeep's Renegade Hybrid Vehicle at January's Detroit Auto Show is a concept car designed from the outset to turn around heads as much as global warming. This is a compact, sports concept employing weight-saving strategies and an array of drivetrain technologies to produce an eco-Jeep worthy of its nameplate.

Packing the combination of a lithium-ion battery pack, electric motors and a Bluetec diesel engine, the Jeep Renegade is a concept whose strength lies in numbers: namely the 110 mpg fuel consumption figure that Chrysler expects it to return. Four-wheel-drive capability is assisted through dual electric motors with an 85 kW total output which are each dedicated to an axle.

To aid achieving such impressive fuel economy, an aluminium frame reduces weight, while stylish but lightweight features such as a cut-down windshield, roll bar, openings in the door panels and a hose-out interior too aid both function and form.

Stay tuned for more information to follow shortly ahead of the concept's debut at Detroit early next year. Until then, stay in the know for all things eco-friendly on our green category page.

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