We learn how the Wrangler performs on electric power
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe is the first of the legendary all-terrain vehicles to combine the off-road-grade Wrangler capabilities with all-electric driving . It is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and a twin-engine electric starting system, providing a total engine power of 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque . This output enables the all-wheel drive Wrangler with an 8-speed automatic transmission to accelerate straight to 100 km/h in just 6 seconds , making it the fastest Wrangler alongside the new 392 horsepower V8 models.
More importantly, the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe combines emission-free power with the brand’s legendary capabilities, allowing all-electric driving both on and off-road. However, some people are concerned that the addition of electrification will reduce Jeep capabilities, but after a day on the road and off-road with a Wrangler 4xe, skeptics can rest assured that no compromises will be made from the 4xe package.
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is available in three trim levels, Sahara, Rubicon and High Altitude . In my 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe, I spent a day driving a Rubicon 4xe on and off road, including towing a small trailer. I’ve driven a few hundred miles and all I can say is that there are some key differences in how the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe’s traction drivetrain feels, but once you get used to the 4xe’s unique personality, it’s a package you can’t go without. In fact, the Jeep Wrangle 4xe can be recommended for every driver who commutes to work every day and crosses an average of 20 – 30 km in traffic.
DRIVING ON ASPHALT
My driving time in the 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe has begun. I started the journey with a fully charged battery and drove in “Electric” mode until I was out of town. There’s also the Hybrid mode and the E Save mode, but we’ll talk about those later. Electric mode, as you can imagine, degrades the performance of the Wrangler Rubicon. But unless there is a problem with the water in the battery, the gasoline engine seldom kicks in even at high speeds. In fact, I did the first 17 miles of my journey, most of which was in heavy city traffic, without using any gas.
The gasoline engine kicked in for the first time when going up a very steep hill, but as soon as I went up the hill and stopped at an intersection, the gasoline engine turned off and I drove 30 km in total on all electric power. This driving experience made me feel how good traction and power the Wrangler Rubicon has. The drivers of the vehicle, whose electric range is determined as 21 miles by Jeep, can shorten or extend this distance depending on the load conditions. It’s also impressive, however, that even during fairly hard driving it falls just one-tenth behind the official figure.
Probably one of the reasons why they didn’t get better electric range is the instant torque delivery of the electric traction system, the hard kicks that give us great pleasure out of the car. Unlike petrol engines, which spin up to their peak output, the key advantage of electric traction systems is instant torque delivery. This makes the Wrangler 4xe accelerate with very little lag when you hit the gas.
Driving the Wrangler 4xe in all-electric mode is truly a unique experience, as it feels like every other Wrangler I’ve driven in the past decade – and I’ve driven a lot of – it’s completely silent, which is incredible. All you hear in town is the sound of aggressive Rubicon-specific off-road tires on the pavement and the faint “buzz” of electric driving.
Driving Modes Mixed Mode
When the electric range was 0, the Wrangler 4xe went into Hybrid mode. At this point, the gasoline engine provides most of the power. The electric drive components work with the petrol engine to achieve the highest power levels, with the petrol engine switching on and off frequently during low speed driving, conserving fuel in traffic. In hybrid mode, you get the traditional driving feel of the internal combustion engine. When you’re in hybrid mode, the 4xe feels like any other new Wrangler Rubicons. While it will run for short distances in all-electric mode, the petrol engine will run most of the time at highway-level speeds.
Like many vehicles, when you stop your Wrangler 4xe in Hybrid mode, the petrol engine shuts off with an automatic start/stop system, but unlike what non-hybrid models need to re-engage before setting off, the electric motor propulsion system lets you get off without starting the engine on petrol. While underway, the petrol engine shuts down and the electric drive system helps maintain speed, but when you want more power, the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine fires up smoothly and aids acceleration.
Maximum Regen Braking
One of the unique features of the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe package is the Max Regen Braking system controlled by a button in the center console. When this system is engaged, Max Regen Braking automatically applies braking when the accelerator pedal is not depressed. Some automakers call such functions one-pedal drive because the vehicle brakes itself when you are not accelerating, and the friction resulting from this braking is used to charge the drive battery. Unless you need to come to a complete stop or slow down significantly, in most driving situations you can save a lot of fuel by leaving the vehicle alone instead of pressing the brake pedal. For example, when the traffic starts to slow down in the distance, we can say that instead of pressing the brake immediately, let the vehicle flow as much as possible.
It’s a useful system, but when it comes to automatic braking, it feels very unusual for someone who has never driven anything like it before. Most 4×4 drivers won’t intentionally slow themselves down when the vehicle is idling, but when you’re confident about how to use the throttle to both accelerate and decelerate, you’ll likely leave the Max Regen automatic braking system on at all times. The braking system still provides some charge when you turn off the system, but can only do so when you are actively braking. If you say that automatic braking does not suit me or you do not really like the feeling it gives, you can turn this feature off and use the conventional braking system.
All-Electric Off-Rad Drive
After driving the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe on asphalt roads for a few hours, we arrived at the farm where we were going to do the off-road drive. Jeep has one of the solar-powered charging stations to charge its Wrangler 4xe batteries when not in use. I parked my Rubicon 4xe for lunch and charging and let the batteries recharge some energy for off road driving. As a result, I was able to pass the entire off-road course without using petrol mod, even on the most difficult obstacles.
The off-road course started with a fairly deep drainage ditch that tested the Rubicon’s ability to wade through the water, and then we hit a slightly muddy road. It had rained all day, so the ground was wet and the ground muddy. Without the sound of a petrol engine, I could hear every little noise the tires made on the surface. The path we followed took us to several large rock formations.
When the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe was locked in 4-low, the electric drive system climbed even the steepest rocks with ease. During these steep rock climbs, I noticed the most obvious difference of all-electric off-road driving. I’ve rock climbed a Wrangler Rubicon with a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine but not a 4xe in the past, and I can say its engine is never as powerful as a 4x for climbing steep rocks. On the other hand, as soon as you tap the gas in Electric mode, the Wrangler 4xe starts digging with its beefy Rubicon tires. With the fully electric traction system, the throttle stabilization application keeps the engine in the ideal power band, keeping you
The Wrangler 4xe outperforms other Rubicon models, as the throttle response is much sharper. Off-road driving in hybrid mode, the 4xe is just as good as the non-4xe models, but the addition of electric traction gives it a big advantage when off-roading in mud or rocks with extra throttle response
During my off road driving experience with the Wrangler 4xe, I had the opportunity to tow a 2500-pound land trailer, and on dirt roads the Wrangler 4xe had no trouble pulling that weight. I almost forgot about the trailer when accelerating or braking.
A Great 4×4 Vehicle Option
Adding the 4xe package to the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon adds an additional US$6,000 to the bottom line of the bill, but if you’re considering a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon with a 4-cylinder engine, you should seriously consider the 4xe option. If you commute to work daily, these trips will rarely use gasoline as they will be within the electric range of use, save the extra fuel you will spend without sacrificing the legendary Jeep power with the fully electric driving capability.