Future Models - Jeep 2003 Treo concept

Tokyo show: Jeeps shows a Treo

Funky: two electric motors drive all four wheels of the 816kg Treo concept.

Jeep fuses funky off-road ability with zero emissions in the Treo concept

21 October 2003

By BYRON MATHIOUDAKIS

Jeep has unveiled the Treo, a youth-orientated entry-level 4WD concept that takes advantage of the packaging benefits of a zero-emission powerplant and drive-by-wire technology.

Unveiled at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show, the 4WD-capable Treo sits on a new platform that can accommodate a fuel cell application, amongst other projected future motivation sources, to free up passenger and cargo space in a compact package.

The concept car’s actual power source is from two electric motors of undisclosed output, capable of driving all four wheels. It weighs approximately 816kg.

The Treo is a nod towards the growing US trend of “urban mobility vehicle,” which is usually an affordable, compact car-based 4WD-like hatchback aimed at the twenty-something set.

To this end, the Treo features Jeep’s corporate round-headlight and vertical-bar grille face grafted on a teardrop shaped three-door monobox hatchback body with oversized wheels.

Two mounted off-road bicycles flank the heavily tapered rear.

The glass-roofed cabin, which seats two occupants up front and one behind, has a dash, steering and pedals module that slides from left-to-right hand drive for global market applications.

A second removable module houses the climate, audio and satellite positioning operations.

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