The Wrangler is finally facing some stiff competition now that Ford is getting ready to start customer deliveries of the Bronco. Jeep’s reputable off-roader still has the edge over the Blue Oval newcomer when it comes to electrification by offering a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Unveiled at the beginning of September, the first-ever electrified Wrangler 4xe finally has a price tag in the United States.
Math starts at $47,995 for the Wrangler Sahara 4xe and then you add the mandatory destination charges of $1,495, so you end up with $49,490. The starting price is before any incentives applicable to PHEVs, which will make the Wrangler 4xe more attainable. Mind you, the price tag refers to the Launch Edition, with the regular 4xe to arrive later on.
Jeep is also announcing pricing for the off-road-oriented Wrangler Rubicon 4xe Launch Edition. It starts off at $53,190 after destination and before the $7,500 tax credits. It comes as standard with the 4:1 Rock-Trac Heavy-Duty Full-Time 4WD System, along with the nine-speaker Alpine sound system and LED lights offered for the Sahara as well. Both are also fitted with an 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system as standard.
The 4xe models share a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine, two electric motors, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and a 17-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The electrified Wrangler produces a combined output of 375 horsepower (280 kilowatts) and 470 pound-feet (637 Newton-meters) of torque and offers 25 miles (40 kilometers) of pure electric range.
Performance is not too shabby either, with Jeep saying the Wrangler 4xe takes only six seconds to complete the 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) sprint. Beyond the zero-emissions range, efficiency when running as a hybrid is quite impressive seeing as how Jeep estimates it will return 50 miles per gallon equivalent. It’s worth pointing out the PHEV model is the torquiest Wrangler of them all, eclipsing even the 442 lb-ft (600 Nm) of the EcoDiesel while matching the beefier V8-powered Rubicon 392.
Jeep will start customer deliveries of the Wrangler 4xe in the first quarter of next year.
