Nov 30, 2021 at 9:32am ET

As part of the merger between FCA and PSA Group, newly formed Stellantis announced a much more aggressive pace toward electrification. In fact, it has already released the Wrangler 4xe, which is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) that’s quite popular. Jeep has plans to introduce a 4xe version of every model by 2025, with the Grand Cherokee 4xe coming to our shores in 2022.

Jeep’s SUVs are very popular in the States, as are pickup trucks. One would think the brand could quickly launch a 4xe version of the Gladiator compact pickup since it seems to be simply a Wrangler with a bed. With the electric pickup truck battle heating up, this would arguably make sense.

We actually talked to a Gladiator owner who lives nearby. He said he thinks automakers should be offering PHEV or BEV versions of gas-guzzlers like the Gladiator rather than expensive, performance EV “sports cars.” He believes this would help average people save money and own cars that are better for the environment, more than say, something like the Tesla Model S.

Sadly, based on information gleaned from Mopar Insiders, Jeep may not offer a Gladiator 4xe until 2024, just ahead of the time it’s supposed to have an electric version of every model. It’s important to note, while the current 4xe models are PHEVs, Jeep’s plan is for all models to be fully electric by 2025. That said, some publications are stating that Jeep will offer “electrified versions” by 2025, which seems to be inaccurate.

In July 2021, Christian Meunier, Jeep Brand Chief Executive Officer said:

“We are fully committed towards a vision of zero emission future, and by 2025 we will be offering a zero-emission fully electric Jeep 4xe in every SUV segment.”

We’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out. In the meantime, a few other Jeep models are joining the Wrangler 4xe soon as PHEVs.

The Wrangler and Gladiator may see a mid-cycle refresh for the 2023 model year. However, apparently, the 4xe variant won’t join the Gladiator lineup until the following model year. Moreover, even though Jeep may plan to wait until 2024 for a Gladiator 4xe, it seems it will simply have the current Wrangler and Grand Cherokee 4xe’s PHEV powertrain rather than being fully electric.

This is interesting since Jeep says a fully electric version of every model is due by 2025, though it’s waiting until 2024 to “electrify” its popular pickup truck, only to make it a PHEV with old technology.

For many more details about Jeep’s PHEV powertrain, follow the source link below. As always, let us know what you think of this story. Keep in mind, it’s a report based on unreleased information reportedly given to the publication, so take it all with a grain of salt. 

Source: https://insideevs.com/news/551443/jeep-gladiator-4xe-production-timeline/