Story & Image courtesy of drive.com.au
American 4WD specialist Jeep has unveiled a diesel-electric two-seater concept designed for off-road driving fun with a clear conscience, writes TOBY HAGON.
Just when you thought Jeeps couldn’t get any smaller along comes the tiny Renegade concept.
While the one-off special for the 2008 Detroit motor show is not destined for dealerships in the near future, the Renegade hybrid concept signals a company prepared to abandon any limiting traditions and respond to modern market shifts to smaller vehicles.
The Renegade has seating for just two people: the driver and one passenger.
It doesn’t even have a roof and is instead designed for all-weather conditions and driving on sand dunes or rugged rocks.
“With an electric motor powering each axle, the Jeep Renegade concept is designed for a ‘hang on and have fun experience,’” said Tony Shamenkov, Jeep Renegade concept principal exterior designer.
The Renegade has two 200kW electric motors; one to power the front wheels and the other to power the rear wheels. Each is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack with a range of about 65km.
It also has an 85kW three-cylinder diesel engine – complete with cleaner, Mercedes-Benz-designed Bluetec technology – when more power is needed.
For those wanting to drive further, the diesel engine also extends the range to around 650km.
Looking like a cross between a cartoon-like 4WD and a beach buggy, the Jeep Renegade is constructed from “environmentally-responsible materials”, including things like soy-based foam.
It has a hose-out interior with a drain hole to allow water to flow away.
Inspired by a scuba diver, the waterproof seat materials and interior trims are designed for active people and, again, all weather conditions.
There’s no electronic wiring in the Renegade; instead each electrical component has its own power supply and operates wirelessly with the rest of the vehicle.
“The Jeep Renegade concept’s interior – actually the entire vehicle – is designed to minimise the number of parts necessary for assembly and function,” said Scott Anderson, principal interior designer of the Renegade concept. “We designed the Renegade with an eye toward simplification of systems, both in parts and processes.”
Jeep Renegade buggy jumps into hybrid territory
