{"id":27294,"date":"2021-04-29T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T13:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=27294"},"modified":"2021-04-29T09:23:53","modified_gmt":"2021-04-29T13:23:53","slug":"payne-jeep-wrangler-4xe-a-mean-green-machine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2021\/04\/payne-jeep-wrangler-4xe-a-mean-green-machine","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Jeep Wrangler 4xe a mean Green machine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Green cars are a snore. Electrified cars are, well, electrifying.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the difference Tesla figured out with Ludicrous mode Model S sedans that could blow away Hellcats at Woodward stoplights. Sports cars like the Acura NSX and Ferrari SF90 Stradale have figured it out, too. And now it\u2019s the plug-in hybrid Jeep Wrangler 4xe\u2019s turn to show off how electrification can make better toys.<\/p>\n

The Wrangler is just a big kid\u2019s Tonka toy. I mean, just look at it.<\/p>\n

Goggle eyes, oversized tires, plastic fenders, roll bar\u00a0and removable doors, for goodness’ sake. Built on a rock-hard ladder frame, the Wrangler\u2019s most capable model \u2014 Rubicon \u2014 can climb over just about anything, thanks to a suite of goodies: a low-speed 4×4 transfer case, locking differentials, decoupled sway bar. And when they get bored with that toybox, Wrangler owners go buy more accessories like snorkels, lights, skeleton doors, monster tires.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

No surprise, then, Jeep\u2019s elves are offering an electric motor for more giggles. In my experience, there are few more passionate owners than the Jeep and Tesla nations. Gather members of either tribe and they\u2019ll talk in their own language for hours.<\/p>\n

Electrifying the Wrangler will open Jeep owners’ eyes to what Tesla geeks have been wowing about. Let me count the ways.<\/p>\n

After an overnight charge in downtown Austin, Texas, my 2022 Jeep 4xe woke up and thought it was a Model S. I poked Electric mode (Hybrid\u00a0and E-Save\u00a0also available, more on that later) on the left dash, then Regen\u00a0on the center console and plied the Lone Star state\u2019s capital city Tesla-style.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Fully charged, the 17.3-kWh lithium ion battery under the rear seat will get you 21 miles, while Regen enables one pedal driving. The regeneration toy is something pure-EV owners (this author included) have come to love, but the Jeep 4xe brings it to the hybrid realm as well.<\/p>\n

I one-pedaled around Austin, easing into lights by taking my foot off the accelerator and letting electric motor resistance do the braking. It\u2019s fun. It saves on brake pad wear. Jeep Nation will love it.<\/p>\n

Or save your 21 electric miles for the Outback. Select E-Save\u00a0mode and Wrangler 4xe will bank your battery charge for when you want it \u2014 say, at Holly Oaks north of Clarkston, or Ink\u2019s Ranch outside Austin.<\/p>\n

With five miles of battery left on the Jeep 4xe, I toggled E-Save mode as I crossed Austin\u2019s Colorado River and headed south for Ink\u2019s. As I learned, however, you have to be REALLY diligent about banking electrons because the Wrangler 4xe\u2019s ample torque encourages bad behavior.<\/p>\n

After a rest stop, I merged with authority into traffic, the Wrangler throwing its mane back like Secretariat down the home stretch. FOOM! I left traffic behind. The combination of 2.0-liter turbo-4 and electric motor means 375 horsepower and relentless low-end torque \u2014 470 pound-feet total. That\u2019s the biggest number in the Wrangler family, including the stump-pulling diesel.<\/p>\n

Zero-60 flies by in just six seconds, better than anything this side of the Wrangler 392 (which is stuffed, ahem, with the same 6.4-liter V-8 as a Dodge Challenger).<\/p>\n

The acceleration is addictive \u2014 especially in 4×4 High\u00a0with all four hooves clawing the pavement\u00a0\u2014 and I torched Texas stoplights and passing lanes all morning. But all that aggression is also not possible without accessing the battery \u2014 so I also burned off the five miles of banked charge. Dang it.<\/p>\n

\"With<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

In the wide-open spaces of Texas, this would be cause for concern in a Tesla \u2014 or any other all-electric vehicle. Wide open throttle sucks precious electrons and reduces range, a concern when charging infrastructure thins beyond metro areas.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s an advantage of Wrangler\u2019s plug-in drivetrain. With the gas engine, fuel infrastructure is always nearby so I could exercise my lead foot free of range anxiety.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a lesson for the Green Church, now running Washington, D.C., which insists on an absolutist, zero-sin \u2014 er, emissions \u2014 future. Plug-ins are much more convenient. Let consumers decide.<\/p>\n

The downside is that carrying two drivetrains around ain\u2019t cheap.<\/p>\n

My Wrangler 4xe Sahara-trimmed tester cost a hefty $56,380 ($49,490 standard) \u2014 a cool 10 grand north of a comparable\u00a0gas-powered model. Add another $1,000 to equip your garage with a 240-volt charger, and going green requires a lot of green.<\/p>\n

To blunt the premium, D.C. pols are handing out $7,500 tax credits to the swells that can afford these expensive toys. Seriously? Another benefit that Tesla Nation has enjoyed.<\/p>\n

The electrified fun continues off-road.<\/p>\n

Entering Ink\u2019s Ranch 63 miles south of Austin with no range anxiety worries and 300 miles of range still on the gas tank, I tackled some of the Southwest\u2019s best rock-crawling landscapes.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Electric-only off-roading is a hoot. I jumped from the 4xe Sahara into a $62,415\u00a04xe Rubicon (about the price of a Tesla Model 3 Performance) that had been juiced up on a DC fast charger. It\u2019s part of the \u201cJeep 4xe Charging Network\u201d of 240-volt chargers at off-road trails around the U.S. A full charge will take 2.5 hours \u2014 much less for just a few miles.<\/p>\n

Jeep plans two charging stalls at each location (not the eight Tesla Nation is used to), so you might have to wait a bit if Jeep sells a lot of 4xes.<\/p>\n

Rubicon\u2019s rock-crawling ability is legendary (Jeep Nation: Dude, have you followed a Pink Jeep Tour around Sedona, Arizona\u2019s red rocks? Awesome!<\/em>) and electrification adds to the experience.<\/p>\n

Like a stealthy predator, I crawled silently through Ink\u2019s brush, streams\u00a0and rocks. Off-road parks are Jeep Nation social time, and the quiet powertrain will help you hear fellow Jeepsters as they call out navigation instructions for insane cracks, cliffs\u00a0and quarries.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep right! OK, straight ahead! Go back! More throttle!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Whether you are in full-electric mode or hybrid mode, the electric motor\u2019s torque is instant. And the battery is unfazed by the elements. Not only did I navigate streams and flooded gulches in 4xe, but I did it under black skies that rained buckets.<\/p>\n

Like a bathtub toy, Wrangler\u2019s electronics are good in up to 30 inches of water. Not sure I\u2019d try that in my Tesla. Off-road durability? Something Tesla Nation could learn from Jeep Nation.<\/p>\n

2022\u00a0Jeep Wrangler 4xe\u00a0<\/small><\/h3>\n

Vehicle type: Front engine, four-wheel-drive, five-passenger\u00a0plug-in SUV<\/p>\n

Price: $49,490, including 1,495 destination fee ($56,380 Sahara model and $62,415 Rubicon as tested)<\/p>\n

Powerplant: 2.0-liter turbo-4 cylinder mated to an electric motor and 17.3 kWh lithium ion battery<\/p>\n

Power: 375 horsepower, 470 pound-feet torque<\/p>\n

Transmission: 8-speed automatic<\/p>\n

Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.0\u00a0seconds (mfr.); towing capacity, 3,500 pounds<\/p>\n

Weight: 5,222 pounds (Rubicon as tested)<\/p>\n

Fuel economy: EPA 20 mpg combined (18.7 mpg as tested); range: 370 miles<\/p>\n

Report card<\/p>\n

Highs: Cool EV features like regen, battery-only mode; insane off-road capability<\/p>\n

Lows: Gets pricey; EV learning curve<\/p>\n

Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Green cars are a snore. Electrified cars are, well, electrifying. That\u2019s the difference Tesla figured out with Ludicrous mode Model S sedans that could blow away Hellcats at Woodward stoplights. Sports cars like the Acura NSX and Ferrari SF90 Stradale have figured it out, too. And now it\u2019s the plug-in hybrid Jeep Wrangler 4xe\u2019s turn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27294"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27294"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27294\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27295,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27294\/revisions\/27295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27294"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27294"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27294"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}