A unique electro-mechanical automatic transmission developed by DCX engineers provides the fuel efficiency of a manual transmission with the convenience of an automatic, Robertson said. By using injection-molded thermoplastic technology, he said, the Dodge ESX3 weighs in at just 1020 kg while meeting all U.S. safety standards and providing the roominess and comfort of today's family sedan. The entire vehicle is more than 80 percent recyclable.
Robertson added that a total rethinking of the car's electronic and electrical systems cut a few kilos from the weight of electronics while "providing an ergonomically satisfying system of driver controls, vehicle monitoring and diagnostic indicators, high-performance audio and video systems, and a state-of-the-art telematics package."
In keeping with the goals of PNGV, elements of this advanced technology have already been incorporated into other vehicles. This will continue to happen, said Robertson, because it is simply good business.