concept vehicle
Jeep shows electric off-roader Magneto in a new version – a powerhouse with over 600 hp
The Jeep Magneto is significantly revised compared to the previous concept vehicle
©Jeep
Last year, Jeep presented its Magneto electric car as a concept vehicle for the first time. The US car brand is now presenting the Wrangler Magneto 2.0. The electric off-roader appears with over 600 hp and has been significantly revised overall.
With the Wrangler Magneto, Jeep presents its first all-electric vehicle as a concept model. The off-roader is one of several vehicle models that the US automaker is currently presenting at the “Moab Easter Jeep Safari” fan gathering in the Mojave Desert in Moab, Utah. Visually, the Magneto 2.0, which was developed on the basis of the Wrangler, has hardly changed compared to its predecessor prototype, but technically it brings with it some improvements.
The peak current of the drive system has been more than doubled to 600 amps. As a result, the off-roader can transmit up to 1,152 Newton meters of torque to the wheels – more than three times the torque of the previous concept vehicle.
Jeep Magneto 2.0 “even stronger and more powerful”
Jeep announces that the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 is “even stronger and more capable”. It has a 625 hp “high-tech” electric motor and, according to the manufacturer, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in two seconds. The powerhouse owes this to the new calibration of the electric drive train, which maintains the peak current for up to ten seconds. “You could imagine it like electric nitrous oxide,” it says.
In addition, the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 is equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, which is quite unusual for an electric vehicle. But this should give the driver maximum control over the vehicle off-road.
The car has four lithium-ion battery packs with a total output of 70 kilowatt hours that operate an 800 volt system. The division into four battery packs is intended to give the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 “optimal weight distribution”. Its bumpers are tailored and lightweight, and the carbon fiber fender flares also save weight, according to Jeep.
The wheelbase of the two-door body has been extended by 30.5 centimetres. In addition, the off-roader is almost eight centimeters higher and has 40-inch off-road tires on 20-inch wheels. Jim Morrison, Senior Vice President and Head of Jeep Brand, North America said, “The Easter Jeep Safari is the perfect opportunity for Jeep to push the boundaries of four-wheel drive vehicle development.”
Market launch still unclear
Meanwhile, Jeep design chief Mark Allen emphasized the very positive reaction of Jeep fans to the first Magneto at the past Easter meeting. According to Allen, customers would particularly love the high torque and the quietness of the motor when it comes to electromobility. In addition, the new design possibilities of the drive are convincing, ranging from the lower space requirement to the increasing attractiveness of the convertible rear. However, it is unclear whether and when the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 will go into series production. In any case, it would be the first purely electric car that Jeep would have on the market.
In addition to the Wrangler Magneto, other concept vehicles will also be presented at the “Moab Easter Jeep Safari”. The hybrid vehicle Grand Cherokee 4xe Trailhawk, “the most 4×4 capable and sustainable Grand Cherokee”, the ’41, which is also a hybrid vehicle and features a khaki soft top and camouflage paint job, and the short pick-up Bob, a Wrangler/Gladiator combination. Several models of the group brand Mopar, which are refined with accessories, can also be seen there.