A Promising Future

Jeep's foray into the electric vehicle is one of the bullet points of its future propulsion strategy, and based on the information we have, we feel that the future is full of promise for Jeep. The real challenge, though, is for Chrysler tech engineers to build an electric vehicle Jeep enthusiasts won't pass over. What they've come up with so far is a Wrangler Unlimited that uses an electric motor to drive the rear wheels, lithium-ion batteries to store the energy, a super-computer controller to manage the energy flow, and a small engine/generator needed to produce power when storage ratings in the batteries fall below 30%.

Electric Power in a Jeep?

Moving on full electric power for up to 40 miles the Jeep EV then kicks into hybrid mode, where the generator produces power directly to the electric motor as necessary. Any extra energy during braking or off-throttle situations will be routed into the batteries. The gasoline tank (which can also hold E85 fuel) will allow the vehicle to travel, depending on the types of loads and environmental conditions, an extra 400 miles or so. In addition, because of the capabilities of the on-board dual-voltage generator, the Jeep EV can have a 15-amp 110/120-volt outlet as well as a household 30-amp 220/240-volt power outlet.

The Jeep EV packs a punch with strong and smooth acceleration, ramping up power progressively where the vehicle just keeps pulling up the speedometer at an almost unnerving pace. Being all electronic, the console-mounted stick shift is gone and the gear selection is done by pushbutton just below the nav screen. The nav screen itself allows for several different options to help the driver monitor all sorts of vehicle parameters like battery temperature, power levels, strength, range, charge/discharge direction, and more.

Handling and Capability

During driving, the added weight underneath the vehicle helps to take away some of the Wrangler's usual "tippy" feel when cornering at higher speeds. Of course, all test driving was done on pavement, but the Jeep guys said this vehicle has to be able to do everything people expect a Jeep to do if it's going to be a success. In fact, we've been hearing that a pair of wheel-mounted electric motors could work on a future model to make the SUV more trail capable, but the computer power needed to make the front and rear motors sync is prohibitive. Our guess is that it's still a few years out at best, but opens up all sorts of ecofriendly 4x4 possibilities Jeep is hoping will catch on. The key will be to make them work like a typical 4x4. In the 2WD vehicle we drove, there was nothing that made the vehicle look or act compromised, with the exception of noise and absence of a transmission. Additionally, under the hood was tons of room to store various gear and tools, or mount a winch.

Only one of the models that Chrysler has had for demo will be available in 2010. To us it would make the most sense and be an easier fit in the Town & Country as they are priced better to deal with the added technology, the platform has built-in under floor storage capacity for the batteries, and it's just about the only segment making money right now. You can expect more on this coming in the near future. And we'll see if we can get a few more tidbits from the Chrysler EV development team at the L.A. auto show.

ENVI Technology

ENVI which takes it's name from the first four letters of ENVIronmental is Chrysler's foray into the electric vehicle realm. ENVI's variations on this "updated" electric theme appear on three different platforms-front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and four-wheel drive-and from all three brands: Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep.

The other technology ENVI developed went into the Chrysler and Jeep products: the Town & Country minivan and Wrangler. While the Dodge is called "electric," these two are referred to as "range-extended electric." The first clue that the Wrangler isn't the Renegade? Gas, not diesel.

Chrysler uses the word "modularity" here-as in, the minivan and Wrangler can share hardware (let's hope the electric power train is the only modularity mentioned for these two in the future). Like the Renegade (and Volt), the battery pack in these two EVs can run 40 miles on one charge (Chrysler says 40 percent of us are driving less than that each day).

The small engine and electric generator are there for up to 400 miles of refueling/recharging freedom. The recharge comes from run-of-the-mill household electricity, just like your cell phone. However, we hope that unlike our cell phone, the Jeep battery will still hold a charge after a year.

Besides the differences in the regular and EV Wrangler power trains, there's the center of gravity. The EV's is significantly lower; the battery pack is axle height. However, Chrysler says the weight of the two Jeeps is about the same.

Chrysler swears an electric vehicle is going to be available to the public in 2010 (like the Volt). And while we implied that this Jeep was a '10 model in the title, the truth is that none of these three may see the light of day. It could be another front-, rear-, or four-wheel-drive Dodge, Chrysler, or Jeep product.

Jeep seems to be pulling ahead of the pack once again by making strides into new technologies which set them apart from the competition. This is an atypical trait for Jeep. Wrangler is somewhat of a throwback, with live axles, mechanical locking differentials, and part-time four-wheel-drive systems. The need for advanced technologies is certainly there, and the decision makers at Chrysler seem to have heeded the call with the research and development of these and other new technologies.