The Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in powertrain is offered only in the four-door Wrangler Unlimited model, not the shorter two-door Wrangler. The 4xe’s 17.3 kWh battery pack sits under the rear seat.
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe electric motor is rated at 100 kilowatts (134 horsepower) and 181 foot-pounds of torque. It’s sandwiched between a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (rated at 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque) and the 8-speed automatic transmission.
The combination is connected to a transfer case that distributes power mechanically to all four wheels. The e-motor also provides regenerative braking to recharge the battery, and there’s an integrated 33 kW (44 hp) starter-generator as well. Total output is quoted at 375 hp and 470 lb-ft, which is exceeded only by the Wrangler version with a massive 392-cubic-inch V8.
The charging port sits high up on the cowl, between the back of the hood and the front edge of the driver’s door. It’s covered by a latched black plastic cover, but that and some graphics are the only exterior signs that this Jeep differs from any other version in the current lineup.
Inside, a row of three buttons lets users select among Hybrid (the default), Electric (when the battery is charged), and e-Save (to hold battery charge for later use) modes. The e-Save button also toggles to invoke Battery Charge, which recharges the pack using engine power.