What Will Be Powering The Upcoming Jeep® Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer?

There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the upcoming 2022 Jeep® Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer (WS) models after Jeep teased us with the Grand Wagoneer Concept last month in Detroit. While the concept vehicle has shown us about 90% of what we can expect from the production vehicle, Jeep remained quiet about what powerplants would be powering its new full-size SUV. So we figured we would take a deeper look into what to expect from Jeep’s newest SUV.

Based on the Ram 1500 architecture, it is predicted that the new Wagoneer model will come standard with the Ram’s award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with eTorque system rated at 305 horsepower and 269 lb.-ft. of torque. The e-Torque mild-hybrid system replaces the traditional alternator on the engine with a belt-driven motor generator unit that performs several functions. The motor-generator unit works with a 48-volt battery pack to enable quick and seamless start/stop function, short-duration torque addition to the engine crankshaft in certain driving situations, and brake energy regeneration, which improves responsiveness and efficiency.

With the engine running, eTorque’s motor generator unit feeds 48-volt current to a 430 watt-hour lithium-ion Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC)-Graphite battery. The small-suitcase-sized, air-cooled battery pack would mount somewhere in the cabin. In addition to spinning the engine for restarts, the eTorque unit also recaptures energy during deceleration and braking to feed charge to the battery pack.

The eTorque system adds up to 90 lb.-ft. of torque to the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.

The second powertrain expected to make the lineup is the legendary 5.7-liter HEMI V8. According to our sources, the HEMI will be optional on the Wagoneer but will be the standard powerplant on the more luxurious Grand Wagoneer. The 5.7-liter HEMI will offer two variants, one with a traditional alternator and another with the eTorque system. Both variants deliver 395 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft. of torque, however, the eTorque version adds up to 130 lb.-ft. of torque.

Both the Pentastar and HEMI powertrain options are paired with ZF-based TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmissions.

The third powertrain is a new plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) combination. While Jeep has yet to release details on the new electrified powertrain, but it was teased on the Grand Wagoneer Concept showcased last month. Sources are telling us that the new powertrain will be the same powertrain under the hood of the new 2021 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe models.

That powertrain will consist of a 2.0-liter turbocharged GME-T4 (Global Medium Engine – Turbocharged 4-Cylinder) engine, an engine-mounted motor-generator unit, a ZF-sourced 8-speed 8P75PH automatic transmission that features a transmission mounted motor-generator, and a 400-volt, 17-kWh, 96-cell lithium-ion, nickel manganese cobalt battery pack.

The PHEV powertrain allows the Wrangler Unlimited 4xe to make a whopping 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft.  of torque. In the Wrangler platform,  the PHEV powertrain makes an estimated 50 MPGe.

You might remember that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) announced back in March, that it will invest $400 million to repurpose an idled transmission plant in Kokomo, Indiana, to build the GME-T4 engine. The Kokomo plant is centrally located between the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois,  the Toledo Assembly Complex in Ohio, and can feed the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in Michigan that will manufacture the new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer in the second quarter of 2021.

Our sources have indicated that the Pentastar and HEMI models will be launched in the second quarter of 2021. As for the PHEV version of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, you can expect that model to come late in 2021, wearing the 4xe nameplate.

To discuss more about the new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models, be sure to visit our sister site WagoneerForums.org.