Charging Toward the Future in Powerful New Wrangler Hybrids

For all those Jeep drivers who love the outdoors so much they want to keep it cleaner, your dreams are about to come true. The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is about to hit dealership lots, and Southern California Jeep Dealers are going to be ready for the buyers who will want to test the new Jeep hybrid. Jeep has a plan for offering several models as plug-in hybrids by the end of 2022, but because the Wrangler is one of the most popular vehicles of the Jeep brand, it makes perfect sense to have the Wrangler be the first of its kind.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe will be available in four-door models, including a base level trim known simply as the 4xe, the Sahara, and the Rubicon. As with the gas-powered Wranglers, the Rubicon will offer the most off-road capability, but even the base trim will be ready for adventure with standard 4×4 and excellent ground clearance. Expect the Wrangler 4xe to have all the same tech, safety features, and options as the rest of the lineup, and expect to be pleasantly surprised by a few extras.

What Will a Hybrid Jeep Be Able to Do Off-Road?

A Jeep’s power begins with the engine. Before the latest advances in hybrid and electric technology, a hybrid engine was considered incapable of driving at high speeds or managing heavy loads. But technology has come a long way since the Prius first hit the market, and now Jeep is utilizing a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four hybrid engine that delivers an impressive 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. With that much power available, a Wrangler 4xe can handle those slow crawls on rocks and steep inclines and has all the same 4×4 goat-like capability Jeep lovers have come to expect from a Wrangler.

Jeep also made sure the 16 kW lithium-ion battery pack in the Wrangler 4xe is safely waterproofed and sealed to keep your Jeep running as it should. Wranglers are made for splashing through creeks and stream beds, and the 4xe has the ability to ford water up to 30 inches deep, just like every other Wrangler. The battery will also act as an extra power boost for traction, so you can count on the climbing capability of the 4xe to get you anywhere you want to go in the outdoors. One extra feature you won’t get in a gas-powered Jeep is the quiet of an electric engine. Imagine how much wildlife you will spot when you can silently creep through the wilderness.

What Is It Really Like to Own a Hybrid Jeep?

If you’ve never owned or driven a hybrid, you may be wondering how your life would change if you owned a hybrid instead of a gas-powered vehicle. That’s a legitimate concern, given the fact that while most manufacturers are now ramping up their electric and hybrid models, the automotive world still largely revolves around gas as the primary fuel. Fortunately, there has been a concerted effort in a growing number of communities to offer charging stations in more locations to make owning a hybrid or electric vehicle easier, and hybrids do still use gas to get around.

In terms of the 2021 Wrangler 4xe, Jeep has built a hybrid that offers a good driving range. On a fully charged battery, your Wrangler 4xe can drive an estimated 50 miles on electricity alone. That means if you drive in the city, you can probably be emission-free all day. If you plan on adventuring out of town, the Wrangler hybrid can drive up to 400 miles with a combination of gas and electricity. Jeep offers driving modes to assist in keeping your driving habits economical so you save energy and can drive longer without having to charge as often and without having to think too hard about it.

Jeep has partnered with Amazon to help buyers purchase a home charging station that speeds up charging, and it can be installed by any certified electrician. This isn’t necessary, though, if you plan to charge it overnight using a normal electrical outlet. If you rent or park on a city street, there are several apps and websites dedicated to mapping the locations of charging stations across the US and Canada. These resources can help find the right kind of charging station for your Jeep and will come in handy if you want to go on a trip so you can check for charging stations along the way.

What’s also great about the Wrangler 4xe is that it has regenerative braking to help charge the battery, so when you’re in stop and go traffic, your battery will capture a charge. That’s why city driving usually has a higher MPGe than highway driving when you own a hybrid or electric vehicle. The engine actually captures the energy that would normally be lost in heat and friction, turning it back into an electrical charge to keep the battery running longer.

Finally, the E-Selec drive modes for the hybrid battery feature one particular mode called eSave. This mode will utilize the gasoline engine, allowing you to conserve battery power for later. The best news about this driving mode is that if you’re on a long trip, you can flip on the eSave and have a fully-charged battery when you reach your destination. You can then switch to Electric Mode and silently creep along the trails in the wilderness as stealthy as a cougar on the prowl. The third and final E-Selec option is Hybrid Mode, which balances between the gasoline engine and electric motor for maximum efficiency. Choosing between modes is as easy as pressing a button on the dashboard.

Will There Be More Jeep Hybrid Models?

Jeep has made a point of stating that it will offer all models with plug-in hybrid technology by 2025, which is exciting for the brand. In fact, it has already released 4xe versions of the Jeep Compass and Jeep Renegade for the European market. For the buyers who are savvy enough to purchase a hybrid Jeep, this new generation of Jeeps could revolutionize off-road experiences in a whole new way. Aside from the potential of the quiet engine and lack of emissions, hybrid and electrical engine technology are still young in their development. When gas engines were first developed, it took decades for engineering to make vehicles run smoothly and reliably. As hybrid and electric engine technologies continue to improve, we can only expect more power, range, and efficiency.

As it is now, the Wrangler 4xe can go from zero to 60 mph in less than six seconds, can tow like a gas-powered Wrangler, has as much torque as the upcoming 6.4L V8 HEMI Wrangler, and can be fitted with all the same features and options as the rest of the Jeep models available. If anything, the possibilities will only get better from here. The future of electric Jeeps is exciting to imagine as each year, more powerful engines come out with longer driving ranges and more exciting features. For Jeeps, an electrified future holds mountains of potential as engineering continues to innovate new ways to explore the world.