Jeep has redesigned the all-electric Jeep Wrangler Magneto concept car with a raft of performance upgrades— including an updated EV powertrain with an “electric nitrous” that can launch the electrified off-roader from 0-60 mph in less than 2.0 seconds!
Jeep Launched the electric Wrangler Magneto “2.0” at this year’s Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari, along with a number of other concept vehicles designed to “take four-wheeling to the next level and prove why there’s nothing quite like legendary Jeep 4×4 capability,” according to the official Stellantis press release. But, while that kind of talk is usually dismissed easily enough, this is one company that doesn’t tend to over-inflate those kinds of claims.
“Easter Jeep Safari is the perfect opportunity for the Jeep brand to push the limits of four-wheel-drive development and, most importantly, to stay connected with our customers,” said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. “Moab is a rite of passage for many Jeep owners, and to own a Jeep is to truly understand the lifestyle – it’s what the Jeep brand is all about. Whether it’s a Jeep concept or the latest Jeep production vehicle, our customers have the chance to get up close and personal with our passion projects during this event. From a fully capable BEV off-roader to rugged and powerful terrain tacklers, every concept is a true reflection of what our customers tell us they want and give a taste of where the future of the Jeep brand and off-roading can go.”
Want an example? Take a look at the off-road Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hybrid Rubicon concept (below) and see if it’s enough to give that statement some credibility.
Wrangler 4xe Hybrid Rubicon
Cool as that is, the star of the show was undoubtedly the new Magneto 2.0. The powertrain was “amped up” from last year’s 1.0 version with a custom-built axial flux electric motor that operates up to 5,250 rpm and sends power through a six-speed manual transmission (with the first gear ratio changed from 5.13 to 3.36) for precise control over the systems prodigious power.
The Magneto 2.0 team set their sights on the “strap in and hold on with both hands” end of the performance spectrum, and tuned the Jeep’s powertrain to deliver up to 850 lb-ft. of TQ to the wheels. That’s more than three times the output of last year’s concept, and good enough to positively get the electric Wrangler from 0-60 in “2.0” seconds.
Four lithium-ion battery packs are distributed throughout the chassis for ideal weight balance, and offer a 70 kW/h capacity. Combined with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon’s Rock-Trac transfer case, the Jeep’s EV powertrain demonstrates “unequaled rock-crawling capability with its instant on-demand torque delivery, a driver-selectable maximum regeneration function … (and a) true, ‘one-pedal’ driving experience.”
Off-road Awesomeness
Jeep upgraded its electric Wrangler Magneto concept with a 12 inch stretch to the wheelbase of the two-door Wrangler body, giving the Magneto 2.0 proportions similar to the “LJ” Wrangler Unlimited from 2004-06. A 3-inch lift kit and 40-inch off-road tires wrapped around a set of 20-inch powdercoated wheels augments the car’s stance. Its list of component upgrades includes a stout, off-road specific chassis setup featuring a Dynatrac 60 Pro-Rock front axle and a massive Pro-Rock Dynatrac 80 rear with a 5.38 gear, front and rear lockers, and a host of other custom driveshaft and an off-road suspension bits. Custom, lightweight bumpers replace the factory units, front and rear. Carbon-fiber wheel flares, front and rear, cover the extra-wide tires.
If you can make sense of any of that, you already know you want one. Keep coming back, or tuning into the Electrify News Podcast, to learn more about the company’s BEV production plans in the coming weeks.
SOURCE | IMAGES: JEEP.
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