It’s not just the Japanese manufacturers that are capable of producing high-tech green cars – now the Americans are getting in on the act as Chrysler announces plans to launch three extended range electric vehicles in the next three-five years.
According to the Green Advisor, the models will be based on the Jeep Renegade, the Dodge Zeo and the Chrysler ecoVoyager concepts that earned the company numerous plaudits at a Detroit auto show in January. All three will be powered by electric motors and feature advanced lithium-ion battery packs that will extend their driving range above and beyond that of a typical electric car.
The Dodge Zeo should prove particularly popular. It will be a pure electric plug-in sports car with the ability to travel 250 miles between charges. It’s a sleek, four door coupe that would turn heads regardless of its green credentials – it’s also capable of achieving 60mph in less than six seconds.
Chrysler will use the same motor, power electronics and lithium-ion batteries in both the Jeep Renegade and the ecoVoyager. The latter will be capable of travelling 40 miles strictly on electricity and will make use of a hydrogen fuel-cell range extender to catapult its total driving range to around 300 miles.
The Renegade meanwhile will also be powered for up to 40 miles by the same battery module, but with a turbo-charged three-cylinder Bluetec diesel engine this will be propelled to 400 miles. The engine will be fuel efficient and comparatively good for the environment as emissions will be reduced through an oxidising catalytic converter, a nitrogen oxide reducing system and a particulate filter.
