The Drivetrain in the 4xe Wrangler
The Drivetrain In the Jeep 4xe Wrangler
Explained by the Jeep Experts at Cerritos CDJR of Cerritos, CA
It wasn’t long ago when Wrangler buyers had just one engine choice, and that was a good old V6. Today, new owners can order their Jeeps in four engine flavors: either a turbocharged four-cylinder, a diesel V6, a 6.4-liter SRT V8, or as a Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV). In this article, we are going to look at the PHEV Wrangler, also referred to as the 4xe model, and see how its drivetrain functions.
How different is the 4xe drivetrain from the gas/diesel models?
Believe it or not, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe’s powertrain is similar to the other Wrangler models. Up front, the 4xe has a 4.0-litre inline-4 bolted to an 8-speed automatic transmission driving the central transfer case. In the transfer case, the power is split between the front and rear axles which are connected to the four wheels. This all seems rather conventional for a 4x4, doesn’t it? Well, Jeep has added a few additional components.
Where does an electric motor come into play?
First, there are two electric motors. One is attached directly to the engine and the other is built into the 8-speed automatic transmission. The front motor electric motor performs two functions. First, it can operate as a powerful electric motor to apply additional power directly to the drivetrain when needed. Second, it can be driven by the engine to generate electricity, similar to how an alternator works.
The other electric motor, within the transmission, replaces the torque converter and can also apply further power to the driveline when needed. Output from the inline-4 gasoline engine and the two electric motors are managed by a computerized control system that ensures the whole system operates seamlessly.
Where are the battery packs in the 4xe Wrangler?
The battery packs are located under the rear seat of the vehicle where they are fully protected from the elements. The battery’s storage capacity is sufficient for 21 miles of all-electric propulsion and the vehicle delivers an EPA estimated 49 MPGe.
In the 4xe, the battery can be fully recharged in approximately 2 hours using the Level II 240V charger or 12 hours using the Level I 120V charger.
The new Wrangler 4xes are in stock at Cerritos CDJR!
The folks at Cerritos invite you to visit and test drive a 2021 Wrangler 4xe and see for yourself what all the excitement is about. Want to take a look at what we have in stock now? Click here to view our current Wrangler 4xe inventory and, of course, feel free to contact us to set up a test drive!