Chrysler brought to the Detroit Show three very different concept vehicles, each using a variation of the company's ENVI electric-vehicle architecture. The most radical of the trio is this two-seat Jeep Renegade Concept, which is motivated by a pair of 200 kW (268 hp) electric motors — one at each axle — powered by a centrally mounted lithium-ion battery pack. It'll run 40 miles on a full charge, but a 115-horsepower, 1.5-liter three-cylinder Bluetec diesel engine can extend the range to more than 400 miles, returning the equivalent of 110 mpg in the process. Naturally, the Renegade has enough off-road hardware to earn Jeep's "Trail Rated" badge, including four-wheel drive with low-range and locking differentials. What's particularly compelling about the Renegade (unlike the show's other off-road concept, the Hummer HX) is that although it certainly embraces the brand's climb-ev'ry-mountain ethos, its off-road capability is balanced by a healthy dose of leave-no-trace responsibility. A winner.
More photos of the Renegade after the break, courtesy of Jeep.
