For most people Easter means chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, but for off-road fanatics it means Jeep’s annual Easter Safari. For nine days across the Easter period the American off-road brand hosts thousands of off-roaders in Moab, Utah for a week of challenging driving across rocks, sand and dust.
To make the week even more memorable, Jeep reveals a variety of concept cars each year to showcase its latest models and its possible future models. For 2022 that means a focus on its new 4xe technology that promises to keep off-roaders relevant in an electrified future.
For this year’s event Jeep has unveiled even new concept cars, including an upgrade to the electric Wrangler it revealed in 2021. Known as the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 concept, this zero emission off-roader is powered by four lithium-ion battery packs that have been carefully positioned in the car for better weight distribution than the original Magneto concept from last year.
The new batteries provide more power too, with the Magneto 2.0 packing 466kW and 1152Nm of torque, enough for the Wrangler to sprint from zero to 100km/h in just 2.0 seconds; although that will probably need some tarmac under its wheels, not loose gravel.
Alongside the Magneto there are three other electrified models, that fall under the new ‘4xe’ branding for the famous 4×4 company, including the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe, the military-inspired ‘41 concept and the rugged Birdcage concept by JPP (Jeep Performance Parts by Mopar).
Jim Morrison, Head of Jeep Brand North America, explained the significance of the event and the electrified concepts.
“Easter Jeep Safari is the perfect opportunity for the Jeep brand to push the limits of four-wheel-drive development and, most importantly, to stay connected with our customers,” Morrison said. “Moab is a rite of passage for many Jeep owners, and to own a Jeep is to truly understand the lifestyle – it’s what the Jeep brand is all about. Whether it’s a Jeep concept or the latest Jeep production vehicle, our customers have the chance to get up close and personal with our passion projects during this event. From a fully capable BEV off-roader to rugged and powerful terrain tacklers, every concept is a true reflection of what our customers tell us they want and give a taste of where the future of the Jeep brand and off-roading can go.”
Other 2022 concepts include the Jeep Bob, a hybrid that takes elements of the Wrangler and Gladiator ute and combines them with the off-road trend of ‘bobbing’ (shortening the overlands on utes for better off-road capability).
The fifth and final concept built for the Easter Safari is the Jeep D-Coder by JPP. Starting life as a Gladiator, it has been modified with more than 35 JPP and Mopar accessories and each is labelled with a QR code to turn this car into a rolling catalogue for Jeep Performance Parts.
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