Quick, give us your best guess: What’s the best-selling plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) in America today? The traditional champion, the Toyota Prius Prime? America has a love affair with sport utility vehicles. Maybe a midsize SUV like the Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV?
Would you believe it’s a Jeep Wrangler?
According to Jeep, the 2021 Wrangler 4xe (Jeep pronounces that “four by E,” in case you were wondering) sold faster than any other plug-in hybrid in America last quarter.
There’s a lot to recommend the plug-in 4-wheeler. With 375 horsepower, it’s among the most powerful Wranglers. Yet it lets drivers travel just over 20 miles on battery power alone before its turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine kicks in.
In practical terms, that means it’s a functional electric car for most Americans on most days but capable of long road trips, off-road fun, and bad weather grip. That’s an enticing package.
Enticing enough that Jeep is pretty sure we’ll all pay more for it. The company has raised the price of the 4xe.
The 4-door Sahara 4xe now carries a sticker price of $51,025 (plus a $1,495 destination charge). That’s a $3,030 price increase. The higher-end Rubicon 4xe now starts at $54,725. The top-of-the-line High Altitude edition starts at $56,845.
The price increases may be a letdown for Jeep lovers, but they’re a great sign for Jeep. The company plans to introduce a Grand Cherokee 4xe PHEV for the 2022 model year. Long term, Jeep will introduce at least one electric vehicle in every segment it competes in – so we’re holding out hope the Wrangler Magneto stick-shift electric finds its way into dealerships someday.
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