Jeep has laid out its electrification plans, which in addition to the all-electric Wagoneer S and eventual Recon, also includes 4xe hybrids for its whole line. The brand’s CEO, Antonio Filosa, noted yesterday at the Wagoneer S’s reveal that the next plug-in hybrids would be the Gladiator along with the Wagoneer and Wagoneer L. The real news came during a Q&A session with the press, when he also confirmed those Wagoneers would be utilizing a powertrain based on that of the Ramcharger range-extender plug-in hybrid.
Jeep has hinted at a Wagoneer 4xe for a long time now, all the way back to the concept version shown in 2020. That was well before the Ramcharger, so at the time, it seemed like a variant of the Grand Cherokee’s plug-in hybrid would be the go-to option. But the Ramcharger system makes more sense in a number of ways. For one thing, the Wagoneer line is built on the same platform as the Ram 1500 pickup trucks, so it should be able to be modified for the Ramcharger’s electric motors and V6 generator relatively easily.
The prodigious power of the Ramcharger powertrain will also be well-suited to the Wagoneer’s size and need for heavy payload and towing duties. The pickup is set to have 663 horsepower and 615 pound-feet of torque, as well as a 92-kWh battery pack, nearly as much capacity as the all-electric Wagoneer S.
Filosa and Jeep Senior Vice President and Head of Brand Bill Peffer did note that the Wagoneer 4xe’s specs might not be identical to the Ramcharger, though. So it’s possible we’ll see a bit less power or battery capacity in Wagoneer 4xe. But the idea of a highly electrified full-size SUV has a lot of appeal, and would certainly help set the Wagoneer apart in a segment where the only hybrid so far is the Toyota Sequoia.
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