Dodge Intrepid ESX
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The Chrysler Corporation and its Dodge Division were given quite the task when President Bill Clinton asked them to create a vehicle able to achieve 80 miles per gallon in fuel economy. President Clinton called this project Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles or PNGV and put it to The Big Three American automakers.
Chrysler’s Dodge Division in 1993 began with its Dodge Intrepid ESX I investing approximately three million in the project. Using only conventional technology, the Dodge Division created this hybrid with expensive materials and construction processes. The downside of the Dodge Intrepid ESX I was its price tag of nearly $90,000, hard to pass along to the customer when their already base Intrepid vehicle was priced at a modest $20,000. The cost of this vehicle was so enormous it was never released, even at Chrysler annual dealer shows in Las Vegas.
It’s engine, a hybrid-drive propulsion engine utilized forty percent of the gasoline’s energy, however, kept its goal of achieving 70 miles per gallon in fuel economy—quite remarkable when most vehicles Chrysler was producing only achieved fifteen percent of their gasoline potential. A VM Motori 1.8L three-cylinder turbocharged diesel was sent to a 300 V battery that contained two oil-cooled electric wheel motors. This regenerative braking technology recharged the batteries, an effect usually dismissed through conventional disc brakes.
In 1998, Chrysler’ Dodge Division engineers tackled the Dodge Intrepid ESX II in an attempt to improve on design and cost effectiveness. Called a “mybrid” or mild hybrid its dependence on electrical power was utilized more than battery power. Two motors that worked in conjunction with each other, a 1.5L 74 bhp direct-injection diesel, and a 20 bhp AC-induction electric motor were utilized on the ESX II. The 5-speed manual transmission and nickel-metal hydride battery pack were installed similarly to the Patriot hybrid Chrysler’s Jeep Division was developing at the time. The diesel engine had the power and the electric motor amped the batteries giving it the extra acceleration drivers demand. Saving on production, the Dodge engineers fitted the car with an unpainted thermoplastic body and an aluminum frame. Inside, the trim exacted carbon fiber and the seats were of tube framing design. The ESX II was a more modest attempt but came with a much better price tag of approximately $37,000. Still the Dodge Intrepid ESX II was not shown to North American dealers as a possible hybrid.
Finally, in 2003, the Dodge Division tried again with the Dodge Intrepid ESX III to improve fuel efficiency through system changes. This attempt at the electric mybrid came with an efficient diesel engine and electric motor with a lithium-ion battery and topped at 72 miles per gallon in fuel consumption, two miles better per gallon than the ESX II. Chrysler and its Dodge Division were happy as they were close to President Clinton’s goals for the PNGV program.
By 2003, Chrysler was DaimlerChrysler and German engineering provided the fuel efficiency of a manual transmission with the ESX III’s automatic transmission. The body weight was light and injection-molded thermoplastics were utilized to improve base weight and lower cost. The ESX III weighed in at only 2250 pounds and was able to meet or exceed federal safety standards while maintaining its family sedan design. Another achievement was the vehicle’s production using more than eighty percent of recyclable materials. DaimlerChrysler engineering was able to save weight by electric modifications while still offering intelligent driver controls, vehicle monitoring, and diagnostics.
Even with DaimlerChrysler’s innovate technology, the Dodge Intrepid ESX came to an end with the ESX III and now that the company has turned back to simply Chrysler Motors, LLC, dealers nationwide have been told their answer to the hybrid is Chrysler’s dependable diesel engine. Chrysler Motors, LLC has no plans in the future to continue hybrid or mybrid technology other than the testing and planning stage as of the second quarter of 2008.
Customer’s are insisting on hybrids and Chrysler Motors, LLC may fall behind GM and Ford it they don’t jump on track with them—and soon.
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