Kyle Johnson
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Jeep Magneto Previews the Electric Wrangler You Know is Coming

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Jeep Wrangler Magneto BEV Concept in the Moab Desert
The Jeep Magneto foretells the electric Wrangler soon to come
Photo: Stellantis

In case you didn’t think Jeep was seriously considering going all-electric with the Wrangler, please direct your attention to the Jeep Magneto. The battery-electric vehicle concept, which debuted earlier this year, makes a strong case that an electric Jeep Wrangler is probably closer than you’d think.


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Revealed back in March during the Easter Jeep Safari, the Jeep Magento is unmistakably a Wrangler at heart. Using a 2020 Wrangler Rubicon two-door as the jumping-off point, the Magneto swaps in a custom axial flux electric motor paired to a six-speed manual transmission. The resulting power is pretty incredible — 285 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of near-instant torque, putting it on par with a Pentastar V6.

In addition to giving the Jeep Wrangler Magneto a 6.8-second 0-60, this mighty zero-emissions powertrain helps make the electric Jeep an off-road dynamo. The important components are all housed in a waterproofed space to ensure up to 30 inches of water-fording abilities, and features like 35-inch mud-terrain tires and a Jeep Performance Parts 2-inch lift certainly help ensure it lives up to what you’d expect from a Wrangler.

Wrangler EV would join 4xe plug-in hybrid

2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe parked in the desert
The Wrangler Rubicon 4xe shows that Jeep ain’t playing around
Photo: Stellantis

While the Magneto is a mere concept, it’s not far-fetched to think it lays some foundation for an eventual production Wrangler EV. Jeep has already thrown in on electrifying its most recognizable vehicle in the form of the award-winning Wrangler 4xe. The plug-in hybrid delivers 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque as well as impressive off-road prowess, showing that Jeep has no plans to compromise as it moves toward a lineup that focuses more on sustainability.  

As for when a production Jeep Wrangler EV could arrive? Rumor has it that we may see it by early 2022, if not possibly before the end of the year. How’s that for electrifying?


Speaking of Electrifying: The GMC HUMMER EV is coming this fall, and it looks ridiculous