Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hybrid

A 2.0L Turbo with More Torque than a 6.4L V8

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Words by Perry Mack Photos Courtesy FCA

The Wrangler 4xe is Jeep’s most technologically advanced Wrangler to date. The question is did they put it where it counts and does this make it the off-road 4x4 to beat in 2021?

Let’s start with the powertrain. The four by E Wrangler is powered by a 2.0L turbo charged in line four sourced from Alfa Romeo. On its own, the engine generates 201 kW (270 hp) and 295 lb ft of torque. However, combined with the two electric motors, one at 33 kW (44 hp) and the second at 100kW (134 hp), this gas/electric power plant will produce a combined 280 kW (375 hp) @5,250 rpm and (637 Nm (470 lb.-ft.) of torque @ 3,000 rpm. To put this in perspective, the Wrangler Rubicon 392 Concept with its 6.4L V8 produces 335 kW (450 hp) and 610 Nm (450 lb ft) of torque. 75 hp more than 4xe, but 20 lb ft of torque less.

It’s also more than the 2021 Bronco at 230 kW (310 hp) and 542 Nm (400 lb ft) of torque. We’re not looking at a head to head comparison here, just saying if you’re looking for the biggest numbers from a 2021 off-roader, the 4xe just raised the bar.

It uses the standard Wrangler eight speed transmission but that’s where many similarities end. There’s no torque converter, but instead a high voltage electric motor/generator called the P2 hybrid, that allows the 4xe to be driven in gas-assist mode, electric only mode with a 40 km (25 mi) range, or electric saver mode, which means gas only - saving the electric power until it’s needed.

What does all this mean to the driver on-road? Mike Wiacek, Jeep’s chief engineer for the 4xe says achieve 97 km/h (0-60 mph) in 6.0 seconds yet deliver the equivalent of 4.7L/100 km (50 mpg) in normal daily driving. In the fuel-saving “2WD high” gear range, the 4xe will be able to travel up to 644 kilometres (400 mi) with a full charge and a full tank of gas.”

Off-road it gets even more interesting. Traditional gas and diesel engines have to rev up to generate the torque needed for starting, climbing and crawling, but electric motors deliver maximum torque right from a dead stop.

“Without a torque converter, there’s no need to build engine RPM to get the tires to move,” Wiacek said. “Where it will stand out, however, is in its rock-crawling ability.”

“Off-road, the hardware, software and calibrations provide a more controlled and precise driving experience for climbing up or crawling over obstacles,” Wiacek said.

There’s also no mechanical starter. The front of the engine has a belt driven starter/generator that delivers extra torque to the crankshaft.

Power for the electric motors comes from a 400 volt lithium-ion battery rated at 17kWh, which has its own heating and cooling systems. Cooling is tied into the Wrangler’s refrigerant in the air conditioning system. FCA says the battery will last the life of the Jeep, but they don’t say how long that life is. Is it the design life of the 2.0L engine – the time before a major overhaul? Or is it measured in hours of use, or like other batteries by the number of recharges?

The battery is tucked under the rear seat and you can get to it by folding the rear seatbottoms forward. It is engineered to be waterproof and reinforced from below as the 4xe still maintains the Wranglers 76 cm (30 in) of waterfording ability.

Like many hybrids the 4xe uses regenerative braking to charge the batteries, but it also has a manually selectable ‘Max Regen’, which puts a major emphasis on charging.  When this is turned on you effectively have one-pedal driving as getting off the gas feels like putting on the brakes.

If braking isn’t enough to charge the battery, you can plug it in. At home it takes about 12 to 13 hours on standard household current or you can do it in two hours with a high voltage Level 2 charger. Unfortunately, the Wrangler isn’t equipped to handle the fastest level 3 fast charging system.

Similar to the non-e Wrangler the Rubicon maintains its 27 cm (10.8 in) ground clearance and all the 4xe models get the same Dana 44 solid axles front and rear. The entry level 4xe is simply called the 4xe and it, along with Sahara, get open diffs or an available Trac-Lok limited slip, while the Rubicon 4xe gets Tru-Lok electronic front and rear locking diffs.

Max towing and payload numbers are similar at 1588 kg (3500 lb) and payload at 580 kg (1278 lb). The payload number is odd since the battery adds about 200 kg (440 lb) compared to the 3.6L V6, making the 4xe about 2300 kg (5070 lb) total. We’ll have to follow up with Jeep on how that’s done.

The vehicles’ look the same as other Wrangler JL’s with the exception of the blue badging added to vehicle on the hood, blue front and rear tow hooks, and a few other subtle places. The cowl mounted charging port on the drivers side clearly says ‘I’m a hybrid’.

Wrangler 4xe is the third seven-slat-grill hybrid released, coming after the Renegade and Compass released earlier this year, but only in Europe. Pricing has yet to be released for this new Wrangler. In the Ram 1500, eTorque adds $1450 USD over the 5.7L Hemi, but the 4xe is a different and more complex system so we expect to see a bigger bump in the MSRP than Ram.

Does the most technologically advanced mean over-complicated? What’s your take on a hybrid off-road 4x4?

Watch 4WDrive’s video at https://youtu.be/AMREoeqnsW0