Jeep Treo
The Jeep Treo was an electric concept car produced by Chrysler under their Jeep brand in the early twenty first century. The car was designed to be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and had three seats.[1] It was produced to appeal to a young urban market and was unveiled at the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show.[2]
| Jeep Treo | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Model years | 2003 |
| Designer | Freeman Thomas |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mini sport utility vehicle |
| Layout | Four-wheel drive |
| Powertrain | |
| Electric motor | 2 |
| Hybrid drivetrain | Hydrogen fuel cell |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,450 mm (96.5 in) |
| Length | 3,235 mm (127.4 in) |
| Width | 1,680 mm (66.1 in) |
| Height | 1,585 mm (62.4 in) |
| Curb weight | 816 kg (1,799 lb) |
Design
Designed by the Chrysler Advanced Product Design Center in California, the Jeep Treo was envisaged as "the ultimate student car" to attract young urban drivers.[3] It was inspired by anime concepts.[1] Power was provided by two electric motors, one mounted on each axle, to give four wheel drive, driven by a hydrogen fuel cell mounted under the floor, to offer a zero-emissions vehicle. The body had a tapered shape while the cabin had two seats forward with a single seat behind, with the ability to carry mountain bikes at the back.[3] The car was designed to use drive-by-wire to eliminate the need for heavy and bulky mechanical components, while the driver’s controls were modular so that the car could be easily switched from left to right hand drive.[1]
Production
The design was promoted as a vision of urban driving “a decade or more” in the future.[3] The concept car was well received by motor journalists and a production vehicle was planned powered by a petrol/electric hybrid engine to be launched by 2008.[4] However, the vehicle remained a one-off build.
References
- D, Nick (25 February 2016). "2003 Jeep Treo Concept". supercars.net. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- Behling, Noriko Hikosaka (2013). Fuel Cells: Current Technology Challenges and Future Research Needs. Amsterdam: Elsevier. p. 517. ISBN 978-0-4445-6326-2.
- Ready, Owen (11 September 2015). "Concept Car of the Week: Jeep Treo (2003)". Car Design News. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- Zoellter, Juergen (4 November 2003). "Jeep Treo". Auto Express. Retrieved 15 July 2018.