Okay, maybe it’s not the flying cars mid-century science fiction promised us. But the 2024 Jeep Wrangler will be its most powerful model ever. Get ready to supercharge your off-road adventures and your daily commute!
Meet the Magneto
Jeep debuted its Wrangler EV, dubbed the Jeep Magneto, in 2021 at its Moab testing grounds. The automaker is basing the battery-electric concept SUV on the popular Wrangler Rubicon and will be putting it through its paces at Moab.
In a video documenting the Magneto concept vehicle, Mark Allen, Head of Jeep Design, noted that there are “a multitude of batteries in this vehicle. And the whole reason for doing this was just to see what does a battery-electric Jeep do in the off-road environment of Moab”.
Through testing, Jeep hopes to find out how an electric 4×4 measures up to its ICE siblings in capability. Jeep executives also plan to use testing to determine consumer reaction to its battery-electric offering.
Wait. Doesn’t Jeep Already Have a Wrangler EV?
Not exactly. While the Magneto is going to be all-electric, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe (say it “four-by-e”) is actually a plug-in hybrid. The gasoline and battery-powered engines team up for a combined 375-horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, which is comparable to the V8 Wrangler Rubicon.
So What Can We Expect in the Magneto?
This is not going to be a Wrangler-lite by any stretch of the imagination.
Allen noted that engineers have left in place the legendary Jeep articulating suspension. Magneto also has the Rubicon Dana front and rear axles, as well as the 4:1 transfer case and the six-speed manual transmission.
If it sounds a little odd to have a manual transmission in an all-electric vehicle, Allen explains why Jeep designers kept it in place.“The reason we did that was to get the best of both worlds with the automatic transmission off-road and the manual transmission.”
Allen describes the control and gear selection available with a manual transmission that allows drivers to crawl over rocks without worrying about stalling the engine. “It’s great torque delivery. We can drive this vehicle at very, very low speeds with high torque,” he says.
Other Details about the Electric Wrangler
Jeep has been very open about the design and testing of their possible new offering, inviting fans to keep their eye out for when they test it in Moab. You won’t find camera-confusing wrap covering this Jeep.
The Magneto is based on a two-door Wrangler Rubicon. As far as we can tell, there are no plans to redesign the vehicle other than a planned Wrangler refresh in 2023. From what we can see, the front fascia stays largely the same with the signature grille bookended by the iconic Jeep round headlamps. Updated details include an LED light bar that spans the width of the grille.
The Most Interesting Jeep
We’ll leave the final word on the Jeep Wrangler Magneto with Mark Allen. “This is probably one of the most interesting vehicles we’ve ever worked on for the Safari.” Keep an eye out for testing in Moab and ask your Jeep dealer for updates and future pre-order information.
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