Not a lot of power, but you can shift it yourself.

For Jeep, the traditional response to any issue around alternative fuel and powertrains has been simple: more V6 and V8 engines.

With Jeep now part of the greater Stellantis corporate structure, changes are coming, Although one of the very few truly profitable brands within Stellantis, product planners at Jeep realize that big petrol engines are possibly going to become problematic in future.

The American off-road vehicle brand has now revealed its Wrangler Magento, which is a battery-powered Rubicon. With huge tyres and the same ladder-frame platform that you’d find on any V6 or diesel-powered Wrangler, this Magneto’s only distinguished exterior design detail, is the lack of a rear exhaust.

Powering the electric Wrangler is a 70 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, providing energy for a very interesting drivetrain. Peak power s rated at 215 kW, supported by 370 Nm of torque. That seems very mild for a modern battery-electric vehicle and there is a good reason that the Magneto matches the outputs of Wrangler’s 3.8-litre V6.

Unlike other dedicated battery-electric vehicle platforms the Wrangler Magneto retains its six-speed manual gearbox and differentials. If Jeep’s engineers used all the power available from the battery pack, it would overwhelm the Wrangler axles and drivetrain components.

By limitingthe Magneto’s outputs, Jeep has produced a battery-powered Wrangler that can be driven as a conventional manual. There is a rev-compensating technology to make it more intuitive and you can shift into first gear without engaging the clutch.

Engineers have placed the batteries strategically throughout the Wrangler floorplan, including where the fuel tank was, but the net result is a very heavy 4×4, with a kerb weight of 2 600 kg.

Despite its mass, the Wrangler Magneto is capable of 0-100 kph in 6.8 seconds, although Jeep has not confirmed this e-4×4’s driving endurance.A Wrangler Magneto is an interesting concept from Jeep, showing what can be done by retrofitting batteries and electric drive modules to a legacy 4×4.

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