Click the Jeep for a high-res gallery of the Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD
Currently, every Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle, with the exception of the Dodge Viper, is being sold in Europe with a diesel engine option. What's more, half of them are able to hit the 35 mile per gallon mark in combined driving. In what may seem like the ultimate slap in the face, they are all built right here in America, but we cannot buy them. All of this information is available here, which is a popular article circulating on Digg. The writer of the article makes the aforementioned points as an argument as to why Chrysler should be able to sell their diesel vehicles here in the states. At this time, only one of Chrysler's diesels, the Grand Cherokee, is being sold here.
One problem stands in the way of the rest of the diesels being sold stateside, and it's a big one: emissions. This is a much bigger problem than the article seems to contend. There is more to the greening of our fleet of vehicles than fuel mileage, and emissions are a very important part of the puzzle. Diesel engines can be made to meet the emissions requirements in the U.S., but they add to the cost of the vehicle. When we add in the rising price of diesel fuel, diesel vehicles can become a tough sell. In the coming years, it is likely that manufacturers will introduce more diesel engines here in the U.S., and the hope remains that as they do, the price of the technology will go down.
When Jeep cancelled the diesel engine option for the Liberty, there was great wailing and gnashing of teeth, at least from the scribes here at AutoblogGreen. The diesel engine option was actually a bit of a surprise hit for Chrysler, and there is still a market of offroaders clamoring for the engine. We've now heard a rumor that, to help meet this pent-up demand, Jeep is considering offering an engine package to convert Jeep TJ's, YJ's and CJ's from gasoline to diesel using the same 2.8 CRD engine that was available in the Liberty. The kit is said to be complete and include everything needed to perform the swap.
While this is indeed good to hear, we still wish that Jeep would go the extra step to certify this engine for new vehicle sales again and offer it as a factory option for the Wrangler, Wrangler Unlimited and Liberty.
For Americans who have never driven in Europe, it might be hard to imagine driving through six countries on a single tank of fuel. In the U.S. it would be hard to drive through six states on a single fillup. British hypermiling enthusiasts John and Helen Taylor set out to see just how far they go in a pair of Jeeps, in this case a Compass and Patriot. The official range of those too models is 473.5 miles. Unlike the U.S. versions, these European Jeeps are equipped with 2.0L diesel engines rated at 36mpg (Compass) and 35mpg (Patriot) combined.
The couple set out from London and headed for the Channel Tunnel. Once they got off the train, they set off through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland. They ended up in Slubice Poland, 698 miles from their starting point. Each vehicle used about 48L of diesel with the Compass achieving 55.6mpg (U.S.) and the Patriot doing slightly better at 56.2mpg. Pretty impressive numbers for crossovers (come on, these are not SUVs even if they are Jeeps, in name at least). Head over to the Chrysler Blog and check out the video.
The Detroit Auto Show is open to the public this week. If you're the type of person who really wants to be there, but can't find the time or money to arrive, allow me to present you with a viable alternative. Sure, we already brought you news about the green cars that were revealed or are on display at the show, but sometimes you'd like to just aimlessly wander the aisles and see what you can find, right? If that sounds good to you, here's a way to do just that at your computer. Click on the gallery thumbnails below to begin a journey through 111 images shot by Newspress at the NAIAS. As I was posting these images, I felt like I was back in Cobo Hall. You can feel like you're there, too. Enter any time.
While Sam took some amazing photos of the three Chrysler concepts - the Jeep Renegade diesel RE-EV, the ecoVoyager andthe Dodge ZEO BEV - during their respective live reveals at the Detroit Auto Show, he wasn't able to get inside the vehicles. When I went down to the show floor a little later, the cars were all lined up and waiting for me. One simple question to the guy standing by the tensa-barrier and I was in like Flynn. If you want to see some slick looking interiors (the ecoVoyager was particularly impressive), check out these galleries.
Gallery: Detroit 2008: Dodge ZEO concept interior
Gallery: Detroit 2008: Jeep Renegade diesel RE-EV interior
Of the three new Chrysler concepts on revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, the Jeep Renegade was certainly the best received as far as its design. The compact off-roader is immediately recognizable as a Jeep, with its round headlights, seven slot grille and bulging fenders. The two-seater takes a BlueTec diesel range extended EV platform and adds Jeep's "Trail-Rating" to create an environmentally friendly off-roader.
While the current small Jeeps - the Compass and Patriot - are no great shakes, the off-road icon has created a concept that really jump-starts the brand's green image. The Renegade is a small B-class sized open-air two-seater designed to maintain Jeep's off-road credentials. The power-train however is something unlike any other Jeep. A pair of 268 electric motors power each axle of the vehicle. In keeping with Jeep's Trail Rated image, the each motor has a step down low-range gear available along with locking differentials.
A 16kWh lithium ion battery pack can propel the Renegade for up to forty miles. At that point, a 1.5L three cylinder diesel engine kicks in to drive a generator that charges the battery pack. The 115hp diesel is equipped with BlueTec emissions control system to clean up the NOx and particulate emissions. With 10 gallons of diesel in the fuel tank, the Renegade has an estimated range of 400 miles although Chrysler also quotes combined fuel economy of 110mpg. Presumably the 40 mpg range is based a single plug-in charge and continuous driving to empty. The 110mpg is probably based on a more typical shorter range driving cycle and includes several charges.
Not long ago, we published a list of SUVs available in Germany with the highest mileage possible. But what about - at least on legal terms - how much CO2 a car produces? Never fear. Auto-News has a list of the "cleanest" SUVs on sale in Germany (and I'd say most of the EU), all of them producing less than 200 g/km of CO2, so it complements that previous list which had no information about CO2. Just remember that automakers should have an average of 130 g/km in four years' time.
Most of these models are also available in the U.S. but, as usual, without the high-mileage diesel powerplants Europeans love. The list is after the jump. Vehicles with DPF (Diesel Particulate Filters) have these letters added to the marque and model. The picture above shows the SUV in the 20th position, the SsangYong Actyon 200 Xdi 4x2.
I am not sure I can accuse the Jeep "Rock Me Gently" TV commercial in the video above of greenwashing because it's just so strange. The ad and website implies animals really like Jeep which, you could argue, implies Jeeps are good for the environment. It's also possible Jeep is saying, "we destroy the environment but we do it 'gently.'" What do you think? If you can't take just one minute of that 70's classic "Rock Me Gently," enjoy the musical stylings of Andy Kim singing the entire song below the fold.
The 2008 Detroit Auto show concept from Jeep revives an old name on a whole new vehicle. The sub-compact sized Renegade is a sci-fi-styled off-roader with a range-extended electric power-train. Like the other two Chrysler concepts this year, the motor's electron supply comes from a lithium ion battery pack, this time sized for a forty one mile range. Further miles are covered supplied by a small Bluetec diesel driving a generator for a combined 110 mpg rating.
If you're in the market for a truly off-road capable, mid-sized SUV with great towing capability that gets better-than-expected fuel economy, Chrysler has just made it a little easier on your wallet. They have expanded availability of the Mercedes 3.0L diesel V-6 to the entry level Laredo model and dropped the package price on the up-level models by $1,000. You can now get a 4X2 diesel Grand Cherokee starting at $35,685. The Jeep is certainly no Prius, but if you need a 7,400 lb towing capacity, it's a hard option beat. You can check out our recent full review of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited CRD here.
Want to know the hottest, green trend in car design and the vehicles that are sure to turn heads in 2008? The answer, IMHO, is convertible, two door, mini SUV/crossovers. I have compiled a list of the top 10 best concept Jeeps and Jeep-like vehicles for you. Why will young, hip, urban types suddenly go Daisy Duke and start driving a Jeep? Small vehicles like sip gas when compared to an SUV and with gas prices probably going to $4 a gallon next year, a vehicle type even smaller than the crossover that maintains the usability and apparent safety of the SUV just might take off.
Major car makers like GM see green technology like hybrids and smaller design as a way to improve the mileage and sales of their best selling SUV. Crossovers as a solution to the problem of slowing SUV sales are losing steam and, as 2007 comes to a close, we are already seeing a Hummer even smaller than the 20 MPG H3 and the BMW Mini entering the SUV market. The Hummer and Mini SUV are on the top of our top 10, which you can read in full below the fold. Are you ready for modern, small off-roader?
A couple of days ago it was reported that Chrysler would likely drop as many five models from their lineup in the not too distant future. The plan includes dumping slow-selling models like the Jeep Commander and Chrysler Pacifica. The company also wants to shift their whole lineup towards higher fuel efficiency. For far too long, Chrysler has had a major dependency on thirsty vehicles like the Ram pickups, Dodge and Jeep Suva and, of course, the minivans which have grown substantially larger and gotten a lot more powerful in the two decades since their inception. While the first generation Caravan only had four cylinder engines, the current models have big V-6s. The powertrains of future Chryslers will feature diesels, smaller direct injected gas engines, hybrids, and dual clutch gearboxes. Smaller cars like the Hornet will also join the lineup.
Let's get something out the way first. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is not green. Now that we can agree on that, why is it being reviewed here on ABG? Because it's the first chance we've had to to spend an extended period with one of the new wave of diesel-powered vehicles that are coming to the US market. While not every blogger on this site agrees that diesels are a good thing, the fact is they do get significantly better fuel economy than gasoline-fueled equivalents. While some of you may argue about the energy density of gasoline vs. diesel fuel and the number of miles you get per pound of fuel we don't typically by our fuel by the pound in the US. We buy by the gallon and in virtually all cases the cost per mile and CO2 emissions per mile are both less for diesel than gasoline. Having justified why we even bothered to test this Jeep, let's go past the jump to find out what Chrysler's latest salvo in the diesel wars is like to live with.
Chrysler is expanding the availability of flex-fuel vehicles during the 2008 model year and expects to build about 500,000 of them in total this year. Among the vehicles that are capable of running on E85 are the 3.3L-equipped minivans, 4.7L V-8 trucks and SUVs and the 2.7L V-6 Avenger and Sebring. As with other manufacturers, Chrysler is equipping their E85 vehicles with yellow fuel filler caps. With 1,100 E85 filling stations in operation now, the biofuel is becoming more available but the price difference from gasoline is typically does not make up for the 15-20 percent reduction in fuel economy. Note, though, that we recently had a flex-fuel Dodge Avenger in the AutoblogGreen Garage that actually performed better on E85 than gasoline.
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