3 minute read
to Moab Safari
Jeep Brings Taste of the Electric to Moab Safari
With the Ford Bronco and the reimagined and electrifi ed Hummer set for comebacks, Jeep is upping its game and green cred with new concepts.
The landscape is changing for Jeep. The venerable brand hasn’t faced serious off -road compe on for the better part of a decade or more.
But with the Ford Bronco and Hummer — reimagined and electrifi ed under the GMC brand — set for comebacks, Jeep is upping its game and green cred with new concepts.
Jeep has combined electrifi ed power and the internal combus on engine with off -road prowess to engineer the set of custom-built Wrangler and Gladiator concepts.
The Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah — Saturday, March 27, to Sunday, April 4 — is the tes ng ground for the newest 4x4s, capped by the fi rst ba ery-electric vehicle from Jeep — the Magneto — another milestone in Jeep’s quest to become the greenest SUV brand.
Magneto
The Magneto, based on the two-door Wrangler Rubicon, is equipped with a custombuilt axial fl ux electric motor that revs up to 6,000 rpm. The motor is connected to a six-speed manual transmission, crea ng a powertrain with a clutch that operates as it would with an internal combus on engine. Jeep says the compact motor delivers up to 273 pound-feet of torque and 285 hp. Calibra ons permit the powertrain to emulate the driving experience, torque and horsepower of a V-6 engine. The Magneto concept runs 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, Jeep says. Continued on Page 7
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Red Bare
The Red Bare concept is a Gladiator Rubicon equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine, rated at 260 hp and 442 pound-feet of torque, with standard stop-start technology. To handle greater torque loads, the V-6 connects to a TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automa c transmission, calibrated for low rpm shi s and to maneuver over rigorous terrain. The Red Bare features a 91:1 crawl ra o to tackle tough trails.
Jeepster Beach
The Jeepster Beach concept started as a 1968 Jeepster Commando and was blended with the performance of a 2020 Wrangler Rubicon. The Jeepster Commando, created around growing interest in leisure use of 4x4 vehicles, was the fi rst compact fourwheel-drive vehicle with an automa c gearbox. But unlike the Jeep CJs of the me, it featured modern standard ameni es: doors, roll-up side glass, a heater and a roof. The Jeepster Beach features a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a custom, concept calibra on that increases output about 25 percent above the produc on version, to 340 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque. The interior features lowback bucket seats trimmed in red leather. The rear seat was replaced with a chrome four-point safety cage, and the carpets were removed to make cleaning out sand a cinch.
Orange Peelz
With the Orange Peelz, based on the two-door Wrangler, Jeep pays homage to unbridled openair endeavors. Mopar designers enhanced the Wrangler’s open-air heritage by removing side and rear windows, installing prototype Jeep Performance Parts half-doors and a custom removable one-piece glass sunroof. The Orange Peelz is powered by a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine with 285 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque, bu oned to a TorqueFlite eight-speed automa c transmission. The powertrain is upgraded with a cold-air intake and cat-back exhaust system, both from the performance parts division.
