The latest sensation from Jeep exudes silence in multiple aspects. According to Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, the annual U.S. sales of Jeep witnessed a 12% decline in 2022 compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, approximately a quarter of all Jeep Wranglers sold in the past year turned out to be the plug-in hybrid variant, the Wrangler 4xe. This translated to over 43,000 units of the Wrangler 4xe being sold in 2022, marking a 46% increase over 2021.
“Despite the challenging industry landscape with ongoing production restrictions and disruptions in the supply chain that prolonged from 2021 into 2022, we witnessed robust demand for our Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) lineup,” mentioned Jeff Kommor, Stellantis’ sales chief in the United States.
Introduced in 2020 for the 2021 model year, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe teams up a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors—a motor mounted on the engine and another on the transmission. These are energized by a 17-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, delivering a combined power output of 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. The 4xe boasts an EPA-rated electric driving range of 22 miles and a combined fuel efficiency of 20 mpg. While it may not be the most fuel-efficient non-luxury plug-in hybrid, this didn’t deter consumers from choosing it more frequently than any other PHEV in the market.
The upcoming 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe will be eligible for the revised Electric Vehicle (EV) tax credit, which was enacted last year under the Inflation Reduction Act. However, it remains uncertain if any battery sourcing requirements might diminish this incentive beyond March. As of now, the 2023 Jeep Wrangler is entitled to a federal rebate of up to $7,500 (in addition to potential state incentives), owing to its starting price of $56,530 inclusive of mandatory destination charges.
Jeep also disclosed that the Grand Cherokee 4xe, introduced in 2022 and also qualifying for the updated tax credit in 2023, recorded 5,813 sales last year, representing over a tenth of all Grand Cherokees sold during the same period.
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