by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-in-Chief
While fireworks and noise generally are in copious amounts to ring in the new year, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and its Jeep brand are looking in a somewhat different direction when it comes to turning the calendar this time around.
Specifically, a quiet direction. Like the soft, cozy hum of an electric engine.
Jeep recently announced its plug-in hybrid electric Wrangler, dubbed 4xe, entered production Friday at its Toledo, Ohio, North Assembly plant, with the first editions rolling off the line and heading to showrooms.
“Our Jeep 4xe vehicles will be the most efficient, responsible and capable that the brand has ever created,” Christian Meunier, Global President of Jeep Brand, said during an event earlier this year. “We are committed to make Jeep the greenest SUV brand. The electrification of the Jeep lineup will allow commuters to travel solely on electric power, delivering an efficient and fun on-road experience and offering an ability to enjoy even more Jeep capability off-road in nearly complete silence.”
This electrified, plug-in hybrid Wrangler is the first ever of its kind, and boasts up to 25 miles of electric-only range and nearly 400 miles of total range. It expects to achieve this via an electric motor mounted at the front of its 2.0L turbocharged inline-four cylinder gasoline engine, as well as another electric motor at the front of its eight-speed automatic transmission.
Jeep has said both electric motors are powered by a 400-volt, 17-kWh, 96-cell lithium-ion, nickel manganese cobalt battery pack that is encased in an aluminum housing and will sit beneath the back seat. It is accessible, the brand said, by flipping up the Wrangler 4xe's redesigned bottom seat cushion.
While Jeep has not officially announced charging times for the 4xe Wrangler, designers did make its charging port easily accessible — locating it on the front left cowl by the driver door. This design should make it easier when pulling into a charging station, rather than having to back into place. The charge port also includes LED indicators to display charge status, while an LED battery level monitor is positioned at the top of the instrument panel.
Jeep also noted it is partnering with Amazon to make in-home charging easy for those looking to forgo commercial charging stations. With an online scheduled appointment with a licensed electrician, 4xe owners can purchase an official Jeep HSC-40, hardwired, level 2, 240V Electric Car Charger that delivers 32 amps of power. Jeep says this will recharge the 4xe more than five times faster than the standard cordset. According to the product features, this should fully recharge the 4xe in about two hours.
The 4xe hybrid Wrangler will provide plenty of power for its owner, with Jeep stating it will have a combined 375 horsepower and a staggering 470 lb-ft of torque — making it more robust than any standard Wrangler power offerings. Actually, those figures exceed all of the lineup’s non-hybrid engines—including the 3.0L EcoDiesel that delivers 442 lb-ft of torque.
Only the just announced Wrangler 392 will compare, as that vehicle’s Hemi engine has a whopping 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque.
But one advantage for the 4xe, all that power will be available almost instantly thanks to the electric setup, meaning it will no doubt be a favorite with off-road drivers who demand extreme power at low speeds.
For anyone worried about the vehicle's capability off pavement, Jeep said the electrified Wrangler will be just as happy in the dirt and on the rocks as its gasoline-only counterpart. All non-Rubicon 4xe Wranglers contain a pair of next-generation Dana 44 axles, 20-inch wheels, Selec-Trac two-speed transfer case with a 2:71 low-range gear ratio, full-time four-wheel drive, 10.8 inches of ground clearance, and the ability to ford up to 30 inches of water. Additionally, Jeep said all its 4xe's high-voltage components are sealed and waterproof. Also available are a Trac-Lok limited-slip rear differential that provides extra grip and capability in low-traction situations, such as driving over sand, gravel, snow or ice.
Rubicon editions add the Rock-Trac 4x4 system that includes a two-speed transfer case with a 4:1 low-range gear ratio, Tru-Lok electric front- and rear-axle lockers, electronic sway bar disconnects, 17-inch wheels on 33-inch tires and an impressive crawl ratio of 77.2:1.
All Wrangler 4xe models will wear a Trail Rated badge, have a special accented gray and blue color touches around the vehicle and offer an approach angle of 44 degrees, breakover angle of 22.5 degrees and departure angle of 35.6 degrees.
While Jeep heavily touts the electric aspects of this Wrangler, drivers will be able to swap to gas or hybrid power depending on the driving conditions.
It will accomplish this through three separate driving modes: Electric, Hybrid and eSave — all of which can be activated via buttons mounted to the instrument panel.
The Jeep’s Electric mode operates solely on electric power until the battery reaches a minimum state of charge, or the driver desires even more torque—which will then engage the 2.0L gasoline engine.
In Hybrid mode, the Wrangler 4xe will gain power from both gas and electric sources, but a computer will prioritize battery power until it reaches a minimum state of charge.
The third mode, eSave, basically relies on the gasoline engine for propulsion, thus saving the battery's charge for later use.
Another plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe feature is regenerative braking that blends the traditional friction brakes with the maximum amount of regenerative braking from the electric motor when the brake pedal is depressed. Jeep said this should extend the life of the vehicle’s brake pads. Additionally, Jeep said the four-wheel-drive system will assist in maximizing energy recovery when braking and all that electricity created will feed back to the battery pack to maintain or increase its state of charge.
The 4xe Wrangler even has a Max Regen feature that, when engaged, allows for more assertive regenerative braking when the vehicle is coasting (zero throttle input) which generates more electricity for the battery pack. When selected, this Max Regen feature remains enabled until the driver manually chooses to disengage.
Jeep initially displayed the 4xe electric Wrangler earlier this year at the Consumers Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but did not release any vehicle information at that time.
While no pricing is yet available for the Wrangler 4xe, the vehicle will be available in all three traditional Wrangler trim levels; Sport, Sahara and Rubicon.
