Jeep

This 2021 Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited 4xe Hits The Drag Strip!

Owner Guts Interior, Takes 4xe Down The 1/8-Mile...

Robert S. Miller July 15, 2021

The Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited 4xe is the greenest, most efficient, and capable Wrangler yet. Thanks to a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine with two electric motors, a high-voltage battery pack, and a unique TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission, the 4xe can deliver up to 25 miles of propulsion on pure electric power alone with a gasoline motor helping for those extended trips.

2021 Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited Sahara High Altitude. (Brandon Haneline).

With a combined output of 375 horsepower (280 kW) and 470 lb.-ft. (637 N•m) of torque from its gasoline and electric motors, it makes the 4xe the second-most-powerful Wrangler ever behind the new HEMI-powered Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 392. While Jeep loves talking about the fact that the 4xe’s electric motors instantly provide torque allowing for added capability in tough situations on the trail, we wonder how does that comes into play in other situations… say like the drag strip.

YouTuber Brandon Haneline, recently, took his 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara High Altitude 4xe to the local drag strip to find out if the added electric boost would turn the new “green” Jeep into a drag strip sleeper. The first thing is did was to cut the interior of his Sahara 4xe, leaving only the center console, door panels, instrument panel, and driver’s seat helping to cut down on the added weight by the electrified powertrain on the already lefty 5,100 lb. SUV.

Even though, he cut as much weight as he could down, the PHEV powertrain was left untouched. Brandon admits it was his first time on a drag strip before, but could the plug-in Wrangler hang with vehicles like a HEMI-powered Dodge Charger Daytona in 1/8-mile?

In the end, the Wrangler 4xe was capable of laying down runs around 8.85 to 8.88 seconds @ around 78 mph. That would mean it would be in the high 13-second range if it was raced down the quarter-mile. Not too bad considering how heavy the Wrangler 4xe is, and that Car & Driver has tested a standard Wrangler Unlimited with the 2.0-liter turbo on the 1/4-mile with a 15.1-second pass @ 88 mph.

Be sure to subscribe to Brandon’s YouTube channel for more 4xe related content.

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bill burke Jul 16, 2021 #1

Pretty clear that Mopar Willy is an old school kind of guy clinging to his Hemi with stubborn determination. But he is also open minded enough to new things when they are inevitable or obviously better. I own a 2019 Jeep Cherokee 4X4 Overland and a 2019 Challenger R/T Plus and the technical differences between these two 19s are stark and telling. The Challenger is an old car, thrilling, fun, but long in tooth. The Jeep is modern. This Jeep 4Xe provides a path forward for Challenger(Charger) in the future to keep just enough old school with new school tech and keep the performance heritage of Dodge alive. Willy thinking follows:
Entry level, similar power train to this 4e Jeep with the four cylinder engine
R/T 5.7 Hemi with cylinder deactivation and this electric boost.
Scat Pack with 6.4 Hemi and this electric boost.
Hellcat, the new AWD electric muscle car hearaled by Dodge this week.
Plenty more power, old school rumble and an all electric monster. Everyone is happy and Dodge meets fuel economy numbers. It’s a plan.

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