Jeep revealed the 2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe, the primary plug-in hybrid model of the automaker’s best-selling SUV. It’s the second Jeep car to get an electrified model, following the hybrid 2021 Wrangler 4xe launched final 12 months. Jeep additionally introduced an off-roading model of the Grand Cherokee, the Trailhawk, which additionally comes with a hybrid motor.
Tellingly, Jeep is just not saying a pure electrical model of the Grand Cherokee, nor promoting any battery-electric automobiles. The automaker just lately introduced that it will launch “zero-emission” variations of all of its automobiles by 2025, together with plug-hybrid variants.
The Grand Cherokee 4xe (“4 by E” in Jeep parlance) is estimated to get 25 miles of all-electric vary and 57 miles per gallon equal (MPGe) for a complete driving vary of greater than 440 miles (708 km). Jeep says that its plug-in hybrid propulsion system consists of two electrical motors, a 400-volt battery pack, 2.0-liter turbocharged, four-cylinder engine, and an eight-speed automated transmission. Total, the 4xe system delivers 375 horsepower (280 kW) and 470 lb.-ft. (637 Nm) of torque.
Drivers can tailor the vitality output to finest go well with their driving scenario. There are three modes to select from: Hybrid, which blends torque from the electrical motor and fuel engine; Electrical, which operates on zero-emission electrical energy solely till the battery is depleted; and eSave, which prioritizes the engine, saving the battery cost for later use.
Homeowners can monitor the hybrid system by way of the infotainment display screen, in addition to the quantity of energy created by regenerative braking. Regen could be adjusted for minimal and most ranges to finest go well with driving types and the quantity of energy it creates. Drivers also can schedule charging instances to benefit from decrease electrical charges and examine their driving historical past with element of electrical and gasoline utilization.
The Grand Cherokee’s 4xe system additionally consists of one thing known as an Built-in Twin Charging Module (ICDM) that mixes a battery charger and a DC/DC converter in a single unit and a Energy Inverter Module (PIM) that’s shrunk. These are mounted underneath the car and guarded with metal shields.
Jeep’s are supposed to be taken off-road, and as such, the corporate claims its digital are correctly sealed and waterproofed. Jeep says the Grand Cherokee 4xe is able to water fording as much as 24 inches.
Jeep didn’t announce pricing for the 2022 Grand Cherokee, although if the Wrangler’s window-sticker value is any indication, it received’t be low-cost. (The 2021 Wrangler 4xe Sahara begins at $52,520, the Rubicon at $56,220, and the Excessive Altitude at $58,340.) The federal EV tax credit score of $7,500 ought to take a number of the sting out of it.
Whether or not prospects flock to Jeep’s new hybrid powertrains stays untested. The Wall Road Journal’s Dan Neil just lately panned the 2021 Wrangler 4xe, calling it “shameless greenwashing, unable to clear the bottom pace bump of skepticism.”
The corporate, which is an iconic American model, has been gradual to embrace electrical car know-how in comparison with its rivals. Whether or not the brand new Grand Cherokee will help Jeep choose up the tempo stays to be seen.
