Stellantis, which has its North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, unveiled its 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid. The automaker also has partnered with Virginia’s Electrify America to create the Jeep 4xe Charging Network.
For the rollout, Jeep-branded electric vehicle charging stations will be installed at or near the trailheads of Jeep Badge of Honor off-road trails over the next year. The stations are scheduled to open this spring at three off-road trails for the Jeep brand — Moab, Utah; the Rubicon Trail in Pollock Pines, Calif.; and Big Bear, Calif.
Additional stations are expected to be operational around the country by the end of the year, with locations to be announced soon. They will be located near Jeep Badge of Honor trails, an industry exclusive off-roads reward program. The stations will be either directly connected to the power grid or use solar power to generate electricity.
“Electrification opens a new chapter in the Jeep brand story, and it brings an entirely new level of excitement and enjoyment to our enthusiastic owners,” says Christian Meunier, CEO of the Jeep brand. “Key to making Jeep brand the greenest SUV brand is assuring our owners can enjoy the benefits of electric propulsion wherever they go, including the most iconic off-road trails in the country.”
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid will offer zero-emission propulsion and torque designed for trails.
Jeep is working with Electrify America to establish the charging sites and install the equipment. Jeep 4xe owners will be able to login to unlock free charging through an Electrify America app, which will also allow users to initiate and monitor charging sessions.
“It is our goal to provide electric vehicle drivers with the freedom to get to where they want to go — whether it be on a highway or off-road — and we look forward to bringing Jeep enthusiasts along on the journey,” says Giovanni Palazzo, president and CEO of Electrify America. “Through the customizable electric vehicle charging offerings of our Electrify Commercial B2B brand, we were able to work with Jeep to identify where their drivers will need charging access most and make it a reality.”
The chargers will delivery 240-volt charging. The 17-kilowatt-hour battery pack in the Jeep Wrangler 4xe can be fully recharged in two hours, delivering 49 miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent and 21 miles of electric range.
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe will deliver up to 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. The driver can tailor the performance of the hybrid powertrain to match planned activities via E Selec modes. The mode options include eSave, which saves the Wrangler 4xe’s battery charge for later use by prioritizing propulsion from the 2.0-liter engine. The driver can also choose between battery saving and charging during eSave via the Hybrid Electric Pages in the vehicle’s Uconnect monitor.
The vehicle launched in Sahara 4xe ($47,995 manufacturer suggested retail price) and Rubicon 4xe ($51,695 manufacturer suggested retail price) trim levels. Prices exclude the available $7,500 federal tax credit, any additional state and local credits, and $1,495 destination charges.
