Electrification ruled the roads when the Stellantis-branded Jeep landed in Moab, Utah, this week for its annual off-road and concept roadshow.
The automaker this week unveiled seven concepts from Mopar’s Jeep brand and Jeep Performance Parts (JPP), four of which are ahead of the Easter Jeep Safari, an annual multi-day event hosted by Moab’s Red Rock 4-Wheelers. is electrified). Jeep is not the organizer of the Easter Jeep Safari. However, the company is using its annual gathering to showcase a handful of concept cars and give the world (and the media) a sense of what’s to come. I was on hand to test everything.
The concept car was equipped with an array of powertrains, but a variety of plug-in hybrid and battery electric setups could not be ignored.(The brand’s first convertible compact truck, the Jeep, launched in 1981 Also not to be missed is the Jeep Scrambler 392 concept with a 6.4-liter HEMI V-8 engine inspired by the Scrambler (CJ-8).
Magneto 3.0
The main electric showstopper was the Magneto 3.0, the third version of the battery electric vehicle concept developed by the Jeep brand.
By the way, Magneto 2.0 is unveiled last year, It was equipped with an 800-volt electrical architecture and four lithium-ion battery packs (70 kWh total) placed in the center and rear to distribute weight. The axial-flux electric motor ran at up to 5,250 rpm, along with a race car-derived inverter that converted his DC power to AC in the new motor.The most notable feature in The Jeep Wrangler Magneto Concept 2.0 had a 6-speed manual transmission and a propulsion system capable of sustaining a peak current of 600 A for 10 seconds. The end result was a system that could deliver 850 lb-ft (1,152 Nm) of torque to the wheels and go from 0 to 60 mph in 2 seconds.
Jeep has made many improvements to the Magneto 3.0, including the addition of a more efficient motor that increases torque output. Importantly, this manual transmission remains in this third version.
Magneto 3.0 also has three new driver settings, and developers have tweaked the vehicle’s software to increase available energy and range by 20%.
Drivers can choose between two output settings for Magneto 3.0. On standard settings he gets 285 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft of torque, or on max settings he gets 650 horsepower and 900 lb.-ft. of torque. There is also a two-stage power function that allows the driver to use the electric motor to increase or decrease braking recuperation. Jeep has also added a low-end selectable aggressive hill descent mode to provide “one-pedal” off-road driving in serious rock-crawl situations.
Image credit: jeep
Jeep designers also tweaked the vehicle’s proportions and touches on the exterior and interior.
The door openings have been moved back an additional 6 inches, and the B-pillar has also been moved back slightly to make room for custom anti-roll bars. According to Jeep, the windshield has been adjusted back about 12 degrees to give the feel of a chopped roof without shortening the windshield.
On the exterior, designers stuck to the white and surf blue paint motifs, adding red accents with zippers. Inside, the front seats have been re-trimmed in blue leather and feature a xxx color theme with red accent stitching to match the exterior.
To complete the look, the Jeep team gave the concept a Dynatrack 60 front axle, Dynatrack 80 rear axle, 20-inch off-road beadlock wheels, 40-inch mud terrain tires, and a custom 3-inch lift.
Plug-in hybrid concept
image credit: Jeep
Jeep also showed off three other electrified concepts. These are all plug-in hybrids on his 4xe label that have become the brand’s go-to sellers.
The company offers a magenta Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Concept in a spectacular hue, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Departure Concept that experimented with spare wheel and tire mount positions to push the boundaries of departure angles, and a modified Jeep Cherokee. Developed 4xe. A concept that pays homage to the 1978 two-door Jeep Cherokee SJ.
1978 Jeep Cherokee 4xe Concept image credit: Jeep
These are all concepts, but there are elements that could be on the showroom floor. Do you think a restore mode SJ will hit the market?
But under the hood, so to speak, the ’78 Jeep Cherokee 4xe Concept includes features that will always be there. The powertrain combines two electric motors, a battery pack and a 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 engine. Combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission paired with a 4:1 transfer case, it has plenty of power on and off-road.
The same is true for other 4xe concepts. These concepts include many elements that are available now or soon. For example, look over the special paint and gloss black accents of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Concept and you’ll notice the 7-slot grill borrowed from the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 20.th Anniversary model.
The deceptive paint job and boundary-pushing exterior design may not hit the market next year. But based on what Jeep is showcasing at Easter Jeep Safari 2023, there’s no doubt the brand will keep electrification central to its roadmap.
