Jeep’s new Wrangler 4xe with plug-in hybrid powertrain has made its way into European stores. The intriguing electric version of the Jeep off-road vehicle showcases its off-road potential through a visually arresting concept unit that exploded at the 2021 SEMA Show.
The 2017 Jeep Wrangler 4xe’s debut at European showrooms has sparked considerable enthusiasm. And it’s not every day that one of the most iconic SUVs on the market makes an electrification gamble with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain (PHEV). It improves performance while also dramatically enhancing efficiency in an era when sustainable transportation is gaining traction.
Now, on the opposite side of the Great Puddle, at the SEMA Show 2021, a significant innovation has been unveiled that centers on the plug-in hybrid Jeep Wrangler. That would be the all-new Jeep Wrangler 4xe Concept. A unit customized by Mopar professionals and fitted with Jeep Performance Parts accessories (JPP). As a result? Let us go into further depth.
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Concept’s essential components
The new Jeep Wrangler 4xe Concept has several innovations and improvements over the production model currently available on the market. The modifications started with the addition of a FOX shock absorber kit, which raises the body’s free height off the ground. Additionally, this modification enables the use of 37-inch BFGoodrich KM3 tires wrapped in JPP Beadlock rims.
Additionally, the Gorilla Glass JPP glass delivers up to three times the resilience of a conventional windshield. At the base of each A-pillar is a pair of 5-inch JPP off-road LED lights. Additionally, the bodywork is painted Ivory Pearl white, which continues all the way to the JPP tube doors. A color that pairs well with the neutral metallic dark gray features that were once black. Additionally, customized visuals were incorporated.
At the back, a JPP revolving door hinge reinforcement enables for the installation of a full-size spare wheel and tire, as well as a JPP CHMSL rubication kit that adds a third brake light to the revolving door’s center.
An interior that has been prepared for the world of off-road
Anyone who has any remaining concerns that we are on the verge of entering the electric era should bury them immediately. With the electrification of all off-road vehicles’ fundamental meter, modernism is inching closer to the last frontier of pure combustion theory. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the brand’s fourth plug-in hybrid vehicle, after the Jeep Grand Commander PHEV (exclusive to China) and its PHEV siblings, the Compass and Renegade. And it won’t be the last, since a plug-in hybrid should be available in every Jeep model in the future.
The 2017 Jeep Wrangler 4xe depends on unmatched off-road capabilities.
Jeep’s answer is to install an electric motor into the Wrangler 4xe’s primary gearbox. This is placed in lieu of the torque converter in the Torqueflite eight-speed automatic gearbox. The combustion engine is a two-liter turbocharged gasoline engine similar to those seen in the Jeep Wrangler, Cherokee, and Alfa Romeo. The engine’s twin-scroll turbocharger boosts horsepower to 280 in the Wrangler.
This option for total engine and gearbox separation enables the Wrangler to be powered entirely by electricity – with all-wheel drive. Because a transfer case is flanged at the automatic transmission’s output, as is the case with the combustion Wrangler, the transfer case gives driving power to the two axles through cardan shafts.
Due to the integration of the electric motor, the gear unit is somewhat longer, and the lengths of the two cardan shafts differ slightly from those found on ordinary Jeep Wrangler models. The driving battery is housed behind the back seats and has a capacity of 17.3 kWh in total.
Jeep has finally released statistics on the two electric motors in the European version. The belt starting generator produces up to 46 kW for a brief period and 20 kW continuously, the gearbox-integrated machine produces up to 107 kW, and the manufacturer specifies a maximum continuous output of 47 kW. The maximum output of the system is 280 kW / 380 PS.
As is customary with plug-in hybrid vehicles, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe has a variety of driving modes. The hybrid mode is standard, including interaction between the combustion engine and the e-machine; entirely electric operation may be pre-selected as an alternative.
Another “Save” option either maintains the present battery charge or charges the traction battery while driving using the combustion engine. The latter may be configured using a newly added menu item in the Uconnect multimedia system. Additionally, the recovery’s strength may be pre-selected in two phases. The WLTP range is 44 kilometers in mixed mode and 53 kilometers in city mode.
Otherwise, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe’s off-road capabilities should be comparable to those of its combustion engine counterparts. Axle differential locks, a raised chassis, and wider off-road tires are all available for the plug-in hybrid as well. The maximum wading depth of 30 inches (76 cm) stays unchanged due to the watertight encapsulation of all electrical components.
The Jeep Wrangler 4Xe will be introduced as a special edition vehicle to commemorate the company’s 80th anniversary. The basic scope of delivery includes, but is not limited to, leather upholstery, a painted hardtop in the body color, and all available safety aid systems. A Mode 3 charging connection is also provided, as is a cargo space storage system. Additionally, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe First Edition comes with a 24-month maintenance plan that includes inspections.
Fears that the Jeep Wrangler 4xe will follow the lead of other SUVs equipped with plug-in hybrid drives have happily not materialized. A more sophisticated technique was adopted by integrating the electric motor between the engine and the automatic gearbox rather than the torque converter.
This will almost certainly pay off, particularly when it comes to the Jeep Wrangler 4xe’s off-road skills. Not simply the high-torque, whisper-quiet driving in difficult circumstances. True mechanical all-wheel drive, which may be entirely electric if wanted, clearly provides benefits in terms of traction and ruggedness, even though power consumption is likely to be somewhat greater.
Keyword: Jeep Wrangler 4xe Concept, Fully Appreciated 4×4 Experience