Back in January, Jeep quietly teased a plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe model at CES. We’ve spotted the electrified Wrangler out in the wild since then, and FCA has been keen to tease it these past few weeks. That only means one thing — the hybrid Wrangler is coming soon. And now we have an exact date as to when it’s coming: December 2020.
For those of you who have been following TFLcar for awhile, we did report earlier this month that FCA’s Q2 2020 financial report pointed to a Q4 launch. Now, though, we know with certainty it’s coming at the end of the year.
So, what does the Jeep Wrangler 4xe bring to the table? In terms of styling, it’s more or less the same as the standard car. It still looks like a Wrangler, and you may actually be hard-pressed to spot one unless you know what to look for. Namely, the cowl-mounted charging port and a small “4xe” badge on the back. The concept at CES had special blue decals as well, so it’s likely those will make it to production.
Check out more from CES in the TFLoffroad video below:
In terms of what powertrain lurks within the Wrangler 4xe, there’s not too much we know with certainty beyond what’s visually obvious. It packs a J1772 charger. On that basis, it will support Level 2 charging in addition to plugging the car in on a standard 110V outlet.
Beyond that, virtually everything else isn’t certain yet. There’s certainly no official information from FCA, though there is more Jeep news coming on September 3. Odds are the Wrangler 4xe will mate an existing Jeep engine with an electric drivetrain. However, it’s not clear whether that drivetrain is derived from the Pacifica Hybrid, or its more of a bespoke setup befitting the Jeep’s unique characteristics.
We also have the Jeep Renegade and Compass 4xe as points of comparison. These models detailed a 240 horsepower drivetrain for the European market. The Wrangler, on the other hand, demands something more potent, given the current engine options. Efficiency is also another question mark, though we should know more on that soon.
Of course, many of you are more interested in the new Grand Wagoneer. More on that is also coming September 3, so stay tuned for more updates.
