Jeep Hybrid Wrangler Will Have Unexpected Upsides

While the European arm of FCA’s rugged Jeep brand has already unveiled a pair of plug-in-hybrid models aimed at that market, the Renegade 4xe and Compass 4xe, the US has been left wanting for details on its first plug-in Jeep 4×4: the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. Jeep has taken to spending the time leading up to the model’s reveal by teasing the quiet, fuel-efficient off-roader, making a point of building up what is perhaps its principal selling point: peace and quiet.

A new ad, titled “So Quiet,” shines a spotlight on that attribute, depicting the new 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon traipsing about silently off-road with the text “So quiet you can hear your own breath… until it takes that away too.”

That’s actually some rather ominous text, if you stop to think about it. Never mind the not-so-subtle implication that the Jeep Wrangler 4xe might be plotting to suffocate us; our real issue is with the word “too.” What else is the plug-in-hybrid 4×4 plotting to take away from us? Hopefully, just our dependence on foreign oil.

Indeed, the new Jeep Wrangler 4xe ought to deliver some substantial fuel savings over its non-electrified stablemates. The new plug-in-hybrid SUV will pack a pure-electric driving mode, with around 20 or 30 miles of total range expected, although precise details are still unknown. That may not sound like a lot, but it’s enough to cover the average American’s daily work commute using battery power alone.

The gas-burning portion of the Jeep Wrangler 4xe’s powertrain is expected to consist of FCA’s turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder, working alongside a single electric motor through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. As efficient as the hybrid is expected to be on the road, it’s off-roading, where there are plenty of opportunities for regenerative braking, that it really ought to shine.

Reports indicate that the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe could be shown as soon as early-September, so stay tuned for more.

This will also be the first electrified Jeep in the US, although reports suggest a fully-electric Jeep is on its way.