Jeep has a pair of new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models on the way, and they’ll use a unique powertrain that could make them a suitable choice for some buyers. Company executives announced last week that hybrid versions of the full-size Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are on the way. They’ll likely borrow the powertrain from the unusual 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger.
Jeep debuted its first electric vehicle (EV) for the U.S. market last week, the Wagoneer S. A 600-horsepower, pavement-focused midsize SUV with a 3.4 second 0-60 time, it doesn’t fit the classic Jeep off-roader mold.
However, Jeep is also developing an off-road-focused EV, the 2024 Jeep Recon, which will appear later this year.
The pair isn’t Jeep’s first foray into electrified vehicles. Jeep already sells two plug-in hybrid models, the Wrangler 4xe and Grand Cherokee 4xe. Like traditional hybrids, plug-in hybrids use an electric motor and a gasoline engine. However, unlike conventional hybrids, PHEVs can recharge their batteries from a wall outlet and travel a limited distance — 21 miles for the Wrangler and 25 miles for the Grand Cherokee — on electricity alone.
Jeep Is a Leader in Plug-in Hybrids
Jeep has quietly become dominant in the PHEV space. The Wrangler 4xe is America’s best-selling PHEV, and the Grand Cherokee 4xe is in the top three. Together with the Toyota RAV4 Prime, the three make up 45% of all 2023 PHEV sales, according to analysis by Kelley Blue Book parent company Cox Automotive.
Jeep knows how to build a successful PHEV. But for its two largest vehicles, it will borrow a drivetrain from its corporate cousin, Ram.
At the launch of the Wagoneer S, Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa told Car and Driver the Wagoneer PHEV models would use a “range extender.” Green Car Reports heard the same.
A ‘Range Extender’ Is a PHEV Perfect for Towing
A range extender is a gasoline engine unconnected to the wheels. It acts solely as a generator to recharge an EV-like battery.
We’re aware of only one such vehicle on the market for the 2025 model year — the Ramcharger. A version of the Ram 1500 full-size pickup, it uses electric motors producing 663 horsepower and 615 lb-ft of torque to drive its wheels. Its EV-size battery is good for 145 miles between charges. Also, it carries a V6 to recharge that battery on the go.
That makes it a bit of a towing specialist. It allows owners to drive an electric truck day-to-day but tow long distances without worries about what pulling a heavy weight does to an EV’s range. Diesel-electric trains use the same mechanical setup to get maximum torque with reasonable fuel economy.
The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer ride on the same platform as the Ram. This shared setup would simplify borrowing the powertrain and serve a similar function — many buyers use their full-size SUVs to tow boats and travel trailers.
It would also give Jeep dealers the opportunity to sell nearly every kind of powertrain. “We have everything but fuel cells,” Filosa told reporters last week.
