Jeep Wrangler EV Preview
Motor Trend has a quick preview on their site for what the Wranger EV could be like. Let's see how close they are when it gets revealed.
The 2024 Electric Jeep Wrangler Won’t Be the First Electric Jeep, But It'll Be the Jeepiest
Jeep has been teasing and previewing an electric 4x4 for a long time, and it's finally about to become a reality.
WHAT IT IS: A fully electric Wrangler is happening, and Jeep is so giddy over the idea, it's now shown two iterations of an EV Wrangler concept at each of the past two Easter Safari annual off-road pilgrimages to Moab, Utah. Dubbed the Magneto and Magneto 2.0, the electric rock bashers provide a good preview of what to expect from the 2024 Jeep Wrangler EV.
WHY IT MATTERS: Jeep has already taken the Wrangler halfway toward a fully electric future with the 4xe plug-in hybrid, a powerful (if not entirely efficient) electrified 4x4 that's proven surprisingly popular. An all-electric Wrangler will strip the guilt—and pain at the pump—associated with wheeling the off-roader around town while also offering a thrillingly silent experience off-pavement.
PLATFORM AND POWERTRAIN: The first Magneto hypothesized an all-electric Wrangler built largely like a gas-fed model, with a motor under the hood oriented north-south and driving, get this, a manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case.
Far from a Teslafied Wrangler, the Magneto wasn't hugely powerful. In fact, its 285 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque merely matched the performance of the base V-6-powered Wrangler. Heck, the motor only spun to 6,000 rpm, 600 shy of the V-6's max, with 70 kWh of batteries on board, split among a quadrant of fully sealed lithium-ion packs. This year's Magneto 2.0 upgraded the motor to an axial-flux unit that, while having a lower 5,250-rpm limit, brought a huge power jump (thanks to double the amperage and an 800-volt architecture) to 625 hp and 850 lb-ft.
Figure the more powerful setup makes it to the production Wrangler EV around 2025, along with more battery capacity. The Magneto's 70-kWh setup is, if anything, constricted by the concept being based on the shorter two-door model; we imagine a four-door—likely with, or at least offering, an automatic transmission (or simply direct drive)—would be more palatable while delivering more space to stash the batteries that are key to giving the electric Jeep workable driving range.
Given the Wrangler's relationship with the aftermarket, we doubt Jeep will change much about the body, suspension, and key hard points in order to maximize how many existing parts can fit. Look for blue-tinged accents, such as the 4xe's blue tow hooks and badges, and potentially more bits.
ESTIMATED PRICE: $50,000-$60,000
EXPECTED ON-SALE DATE: 2024
