The minivan was a revolution for the domestic automotive industry. In the 1980’s,
Chrysler was facing financial insolvency and battling for market share against Japanese vehicles which were superior in almost every way when it came to quality and fuel economy. It was clear that in order to dig their way out of the hole they had found themselves in, the company would be forced to innovate. This brainstorming led to the creation of the minivan as a people-mover replacement for the trusted and true family station wagon. Offering greater cargo space and more interior room than a standard wagon, the minivan was an instant success and saved the company from the scrap heap of history.
Flash ahead 20 years.
Chrysler has spent the intervening time perfecting their minivans, a market that they once completely dominated with the Caravan and Voyager. While these vehicles remain excellent choices for families on the go who occasionally have to transport an entire soccer team or two, the marketplace is no longer theirs and theirs alone. In fact,
Chrysler no longer even leads the segment, having ceded the position to resurgent import automakers who have refined the minivan concept into a bewildering array of crossovers and van-like cars.
The designers and engineers for
Chrysler would very much like to regain their crown as king of the people-movers. Unfortunately, the utilitarian nature of this class of vehicle means that there is very little that can be done with a standard minivan in order to make it sexy or interesting to the average buyer. Most people purchase a minivan because they have to, not because they want to. For 2008,
Chrysler is hoping to shift people’s perceptions with the ecoVoyager Concept, which attempts to tie in interesting looks with ecological responsibility.
With its slightly compacted oval shape, the ecoVoyager more than resembles a jellybean. The traditional minivan lines are apparent in the DNA of the vehicle, but unusually there are no visible sliding doors. The ecoVoyager is motivated by an electric motor and stores electricity in lithium-ion batteries. It seats four and is a mid-size vehicle. The concept uses the space vacated by the traditional engine and transmission to increase interior room, and the open passenger area is made possible through locating the battery and engine underneath the floor.
Even for a larger vehicle, the electric engine is more than up to the task of moving the ecoVoyager on down the road. 268 horsepower helps the concept reach sixty miles per hour in 8.8 seconds. The top speed of the ecoVoyager is 110 miles per hour, and while most people are not looking for a high-performance minivan, operating at this level of performance drops total range to only 40 miles from a full battery charge. During everyday operation, a 300 mile range is made possible by energy from the regenerative braking system and an optional hydrogen fuel cell.
The futuristic interior of the ecoVoyager displays a full-width flat screen below the windshield that is divided into 3 sections. Instead of side mirrors, the left and right screens display images from integrated cameras, and the middle screen functions the same way to replace a rear-view mirror. The passenger entertainment system, designed to keep children occupied while not distracting the driver, keeps all video screens out of the front sightlines, and each screen has its own individual headphone jack.
Chrysler is making a significant push for its electric car platforms, and it is encouraging to see a vehicle which is powered by batteries but which is also bigger than a breadbox. The ecoVoyager concept could be the edge that the company needs in order to once again compete in a crowded marketplace.
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June 4, 2008, 7:06 am
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