2008 Detroit Auto Show: Eco-Friendly Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep Concepts

Chrysler unveiled sketches and preliminary details of three concepts it will show at the 2008 Detroit auto show in early January. All three feature some form of alternative energy powertrain, and all appear to be classic “concepts,” meaning there's little chance they’ll be produced.

2008 Chrysler ecoVoyager Concept

Chrysler stuffs a lithium ion battery and hydrogen fuel cell under the floor – yes, GM did this with the Sequel a few years back – for a cab-forward design and four doors. Because everything is under the floor, the company could have shrunk the size, but this sucker is just a few inches shorter than a 300C. Estimated range is 300 miles.

2008 Dodge ZEO Concept

Dodge goes the sports-car route with a Scion tC-sized four-seat coupe. This is an electric-only concept that Dodge execs say can hit 60 mph in under six seconds, with a range of 250 miles on a single charge.

2008 Jeep Renegade Concept

Jeep gets a pint-size concept – about the size of a Mini Cooper – that looks to us like a dune buggy. It’ll have a hose-out interior and will be Jeep-capable off-road. The hybrid powertrain features a lithium ion battery teamed to a diesel engine, which combined would get 110 mpg because it can run on electricity only for 40 miles at a stretch.

*All numbers are also just concepts. No EPA testing has been done.

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Comments

Nov 20, 2007 3:17:55 PM

Is this a joke? Last one to the party, and they have the most ambitious claims...

Infosaur

Nov 20, 2007 9:10:42 PM

I consider these to be styling excercises and nothing more. If Chrysler manages to survive another 5 years under Cerberus, I'd venture the ecoVoyager might portend the next 300, the ZEO will be a spin off of the Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Jeep will never see the light of day. Jeep Concepts seem to have the worst track record of all. The Dakar was a home run concept and we're just getting a 4-door wrangler now.