Jeep turns to its heritage for newest and cheapest plug-in hybrid Wrangler

Jeep unveiled Wednesday the latest plug-in hybrid to join its lineup, a vintage-inspired Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe that is the brand’s most affordable trim to date.

The Willys 4xe, which debuted Wednesday at the 2022 Detroit Auto Show, has a base price of $53,995, excluding any tax credits or the $1,595 destination fee. That makes the Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe the cheapest trim in the brand’s growing plug-in hybrid portfolio. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe sits at the top of the lineup, followed by the High Altitude 4xe, the Sahara 4xe and now, the Willys 4xe.

Jeep’s decision to add yet another trim to its Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid lineup is indicative of its success. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the top-selling plug-in hybrid for both North America and Europe.

And it comes as the Stellantis brand prepares to reshape the rest of its portfolio with the launch of two EVs in North America by 2025 and one in Europe next year. Earlier this month, the automaker announced that the Jeep Recon and Wagoneer S would be the first fully electric Jeeps for the U.S. market when they enter production in 2024. Two more will be announced later, as the automaker charges ahead in electrifying its lineup.

2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe. Image Credits: Jeep

For that price, buyers will get a four-wheel drive Wrangler that combines two electric motors and a 400-volt 17 kilowatt-hour battery pack with a 2.0-liter four-cyclinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain produces 375 horsepower and 470-pound feet of torque.

As all of the other Jeep Wrangler 4xes, the Willys can be driven in hybrid or all-electric mode. In all-electric mode, the battery allows drivers to travel 21 miles. In hybrid mode, the vehicle gets about 49 miles per gallon equivalent.

The vehicle also comes standard with Dana 44 axles and 17-inch black-painted alloy wheels wearing mud-terrain tires, a factory suspension lift that delivers 10.1 inches of ground clearance, LED headlamps and fog lamps, Alpine nine-speaker audio, all-weather floor mats, rear limited-slip differential and rock rails.

2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe. Image Credits: Jeep

The Willys stands out thanks to the decals and badging that are throughout the vehicle, including on the hood and swing gate. The look is finished off with electric blue accents in the front and rear tow hooks and the Jeep and “trailed rated” badges.

Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe will be assembled at the Stellantis Toledo Assembly Complex in Toledo, Ohio. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Jeep turns to its heritage for newest and cheapest plug-in hybrid Wrangler by Kirsten Korosec originally published on TechCrunch

source https://techcrunch.com/2022/09/14/jeep-turns-to-its-heritage-for-newest-and-cheapest-plug-in-hybrid-wrangler/