Jeep Just Dropped Two New Models: The First Electric Jeep and Finally, a 3-row Grand Wagoneer
Jeep ups the game for luxury, family and electric SUVs.
Lately, Jeep has been quietly plotting its future as other brands have announced 4 wheel drive adventure vehicles that target Jeep’s turf. But not one to stand still, Jeep one-upped the market by announcing the first electric Jeep will hit the market and FINALLY, a 3-row SUV so you can bring your all your people with you when you head out off the grid.
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe, or 4-by-electric, adds a hybrid plug in electric engine to the existing 4 cylinder gas engine so you have the best of both worlds: Electric for when you need it and gas for when you can’t plug in your car. The Wrangler 4xe, which will be available in the US, China and Europe in early 2021, will have 375 horsepower and 25 miles all electric driving. The electric motor will give the 4xe the instant torque that EVs are famous for, a big bonus for the super-capable but boxy Wrangler. Pricing isn’t announced yet but expect the 4xe to carry both a plug-in premium and state and federal tax incentives.
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Decide How to Spend Your Electric Miles
Many Jeep enthusiasts may hesitate to commit to an electric Jeep because of the lack of charging opportunities in far-flung places. So Jeep designed the 4xe for mostly city driving on electric power, letting owners refrain from using gas for short trips, but keeping the same powerful gas engine for longer distance, off road and more remote trips.
But if you really want to leave a pristine footprint on your environmental adventures, you can hold the electric charge and use it when you like. Owners can use that all electric power to silently climb mountains and crawl rocks without burning fossil fuels or emitting emissions. The 4xe has three drive modes: hybrid— gas and electric combined to optimize fuel economy; e-save— running on gas only; and electric only— which is just that: all electric (as long as there is charge to support it). When the electric battery runs out the Jeep 4xe will run on gas and overall it’s expected to have a 400 mile range.
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Welcome Back Grand Wagoneer: My, How You’ve Grown!
Fans of the Jeep Grand Cherokee can thank the Grand Wagoneer for setting the standards of top performance and luxury in a single full size Jeep. For many years the Grand Wagoneer, which went out of production in 1991, was the ultimate in luxury capability, pairing premium materials with off road performance.
Recognizing that the demand for high-end high-capability SUVs continues to grow, Jeep is bringing back the Grand Wagoneer. It will make its debut in the US next year.
In the Grand Wagoneer Jeep is giving it its all: it’ll be appointed with top notch materials like hand hewn wood, custom leather, a glass panel roof embossed with a map of Detorit and a heritage MacIntosh sound system. On the outside it boasts a new version of the slotted grille, this one accented by LED lights between the slots and a backlit Wagoneer logo across the hood. And for the first time Grand Wagoneer will have a third row.
As a concept vehicle, it’s shown as an EV and it promises to carry a luxury price tag somewhere in the $70,000-$90,000 range. We won’t know if Jeep will stick to these ideas until the Grand Wagoneer comes to market next year.
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Screens, Screens, Everywhere
But from the concept the interior certainly looks luxe: Jeep completely rethought form and function, adding screens everywhere—including one especially for the front seat passenger and three in the second row: two seat back screens and a climate and function control screen between the seats.
With all the innovation that Jeep’s been plotting lately, we wouldn’t be surprised if both the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Wagoneer make it to dealerships with even more fantastic features. But for now, we’ll take the electrified, 3-row Jeep. It’s more than we ever dreamed of.
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