1 month with the Wrangler 4XE

[guarnibl]

Today marks one month with my Wrangler 4XE. Still amazed and still impressed with the design decisions. It’s just a great overall vehicle. I have developed just a short wish-list. These are not complaints as much as just things I wish were possible.

1-Latching max regen. I would also like to see the max regen button moved to the steering wheel and give a button that could either be momentary or latching. The idea is a button that could be pushed for momentary then pushed and slid to a locked position for latching

2-Eco mode for the cruise control when in EV mode. I have found the cruise control is aggressive enough to cause an engine start. If I’m on back roads and come to a stop sign then hit resume after stopping, the vehicle wants to get back to speed fast enough to cause an engine start.

3-Engine start in EV mode only when the accelerator pedal is floored. I would like to see a way to set the bias in electric mode even more toward electric so that the engine would not start until the pedal goes all the way to the floor. Mercedes utilized a “drop down” button under the gas pedal. It causes the transmission to drop down a gear. Smarts do the same thing. It would be cool to see an “engine start” button under the accelerator pedal to prevent the engine from starting unless that button is pressed.

4-Some method of measuring electrical energy. On the trip odometer and the overall MPG screens, I’d like to see something to indicate miles per kilowatt hour. It would also be nice to see some method to track energy consumed during charging.

5-Larger glove compartment.

6-Slightly larger battery. I’d like to see around 35-45 miles of electric range.

7-Uconnect is horribly slow. I know this isn’t necessarily a 4XE thing but the Uconnect is just way slower than I think most consumers would expect in 2021. That seems like a point that should get some major work done on it. As it is right now, I have no plans to continue with the service once the free period runs out due to this issue.

8-The randomly appearing backup parking lines. This issue isn’t unique to the 4XE but it’s something Jeep should really get fixed.

Surprised to hear that re Uconnect. Not saying it’s good but slow it is not, for me at least.

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[Firestarter]

Doubling the range without changing the aero, rolling resistance, or weight, would require a massive battery pack... Since when is doubling something considered "slightly."

Also, Lithium Polymer batteries are a very mature technology and unlikely to gain much without a significant technological or process change.

Maybe an accessory battery pack could be sold that fits in the carbo area to increase range. Under the seat storage is quite limited, so I don't see how else they can put in a larger battery in the cab out of the elements without affecting the cargo area. At least this way it's end user removable so you can unhook it and charge it while you wheel.

Initially the 4xe didn't interest me, but I'll be watching it continue to develop over the next couple years. I like point 6, a 35-45 mile range. I think that's pretty attainable as battery tech continues to advance. That point would also cover longer commutes, which would really peak my interest.

Today marks one month with my Wrangler 4XE. Still amazed and still impressed with the design decisions. It’s just a great overall vehicle. I have developed just a short wish-list. These are not complaints as much as just things I wish were possible.

1-Latching max regen. I would also like to see the max regen button moved to the steering wheel and give a button that could either be momentary or latching. The idea is a button that could be pushed for momentary then pushed and slid to a locked position for latching

2-Eco mode for the cruise control when in EV mode. I have found the cruise control is aggressive enough to cause an engine start. If I’m on back roads and come to a stop sign then hit resume after stopping, the vehicle wants to get back to speed fast enough to cause an engine start.

3-Engine start in EV mode only when the accelerator pedal is floored. I would like to see a way to set the bias in electric mode even more toward electric so that the engine would not start until the pedal goes all the way to the floor. Mercedes utilized a “drop down” button under the gas pedal. It causes the transmission to drop down a gear. Smarts do the same thing. It would be cool to see an “engine start” button under the accelerator pedal to prevent the engine from starting unless that button is pressed.

4-Some method of measuring electrical energy. On the trip odometer and the overall MPG screens, I’d like to see something to indicate miles per kilowatt hour. It would also be nice to see some method to track energy consumed during charging.

5-Larger glove compartment.

6-Slightly larger battery. I’d like to see around 35-45 miles of electric range.

7-Uconnect is horribly slow. I know this isn’t necessarily a 4XE thing but the Uconnect is just way slower than I think most consumers would expect in 2021. That seems like a point that should get some major work done on it. As it is right now, I have no plans to continue with the service once the free period runs out due to this issue.

8-The randomly appearing backup parking lines. This issue isn’t unique to the 4XE but it’s something Jeep should really get fixed.

 

[Thill444]

Doubling the range without changing the aero, rolling resistance, or weight, would require a massive battery pack... Since when is doubling something considered "slightly."

Also, Lithium Polymer batteries are a very mature technology and unlikely to gain much without a significant technological or process change.

Maybe an accessory battery pack could be sold that fits in the carbo area to increase range. Under the seat storage is quite limited, so I don't see how else they can put in a larger battery in the cab out of the elements without affecting the cargo area. At least this way it's end user removable so you can unhook it and charge it while you wheel.

I 100% think you will see impovements in battery technology over the next 2-3 years. GM and Tesla have both promised it. I am not sure the size and weight will change much, but the range is expected to rival ICE vehicles. For example GM is expecting their improvements to yield at least a 450 mile range for vehicles that cost less than $30K.

Obviously at that point we are likely looking at full EV Jeeps and not PHEV, but they will get there.

 

[Ratiogear]

If they do, there will likely also be some aftermarket solutions for upgrading your batteries.

 

[michail]

I 100% think you will see impovements in battery technology over the next 2-3 years. GM and Tesla have both promised it. I am not sure the size and weight will change much, but the range is expected to rival ICE vehicles. For example GM is expecting their improvements to yield at least a 450 mile range for vehicles that cost less than $30K.

Obviously at that point we are likely looking at full EV Jeeps and not PHEV, but they will get there.

I hope so, but we are only a few weeks in here on a whole new vehicle! I suspect, outside of Tesla, it will take a while for these improvements to really hit the market. Traditional manufacturers are slow to turn around.

For today, I'm happy to have a PHEV, that looks cool, is fun, can off-road, built like a tank, gets me though day to day as a full EV, can survive away from the electrical grid, has lots or torque, looks good dirty, goes topless, and is super peaceful to drive (even when the battery is depleted).

Not having a starting motor to crank is even a pleasure. Have you noticed how jarring it is, when your top is down and all the stop/start cars crank up?

People can't seem to stop thinking of it as an EV that goes 20 miles and then has to lug around 500 lbs of dead weight.

If it sounded like the 392 the press would be going nuts over it.

 

[PriceForFlight]

Surprised to hear that re Uconnect. Not saying it’s good but slow it is not, for me at least.

I think he means the UConnect Phone App, which is laughably slow at updating.

 

[HungryHound]

Today marks one month with my Wrangler 4XE. Still amazed and still impressed with the design decisions. It’s just a great overall vehicle. I have developed just a short wish-list. These are not complaints as much as just things I wish were possible.

1-Latching max regen. I would also like to see the max regen button moved to the steering wheel and give a button that could either be momentary or latching. The idea is a button that could be pushed for momentary then pushed and slid to a locked position for latching

2-Eco mode for the cruise control when in EV mode. I have found the cruise control is aggressive enough to cause an engine start. If I’m on back roads and come to a stop sign then hit resume after stopping, the vehicle wants to get back to speed fast enough to cause an engine start.

3-Engine start in EV mode only when the accelerator pedal is floored. I would like to see a way to set the bias in electric mode even more toward electric so that the engine would not start until the pedal goes all the way to the floor. Mercedes utilized a “drop down” button under the gas pedal. It causes the transmission to drop down a gear. Smarts do the same thing. It would be cool to see an “engine start” button under the accelerator pedal to prevent the engine from starting unless that button is pressed.

4-Some method of measuring electrical energy. On the trip odometer and the overall MPG screens, I’d like to see something to indicate miles per kilowatt hour. It would also be nice to see some method to track energy consumed during charging.

5-Larger glove compartment.

6-Slightly larger battery. I’d like to see around 35-45 miles of electric range.

7-Uconnect is horribly slow. I know this isn’t necessarily a 4XE thing but the Uconnect is just way slower than I think most consumers would expect in 2021. That seems like a point that should get some major work done on it. As it is right now, I have no plans to continue with the service once the free period runs out due to this issue.

8-The randomly appearing backup parking lines. This issue isn’t unique to the 4XE but it’s something Jeep should really get fixed.

Second that on #1. Just turned 1 week old on mine and I get that "oh sh!t" moment when I realize I didn't turn the Max regen back on. I put a request into the guys ar Tazer to add a latching max regen feature along with the hybrid modes latching. I'm very happy with mine so far too.

 

[KarlN]

on top of that, Max Regen does not remember it's last position like it says in the owners manual and it turns off every ignition cycle. I would like to use it as the default when driving around town.

 

[alpha1847]

I find the Max Regen button is pretty darn close to 1PD.
I have 1PD on my Mach-E and don't like using it. Some people like it....some don't. Great to have the choice but in this vehicle it would be very hard to program since the 4xe has a traditional type automatic transmission. When a full BEV Wrangler is available then maybe 1PD can be a feature.

No way for DCFC on a battery pack this size. Not a usable one anyway. It would be a costly feature to add for little to no benefit. Not to mention that DC fast charging on a regular basis is a good way to wear out your battery. Even a 11 kw on board charger would be too much for this vehicle so that is why we are stuck with L2 at 30/32 amps.

In fact.....I think it is incredible that Max Regen is so effective on this vehicle. It must be using the gears in the transmission to achieve the retardation effect because normally the regen level is heavily determined by the motor size and battery capacity. The Teslas have larger batteries and powerful motors so they can operate with a very aggressive regen level. Something like a Chrysler Pacifica PHEV or Fusion PHEV with the power split transmission won't have as much regen because of their relatively small motors and air cooled battery packs.

Just like when accelerating......aggressive regen creates a lot of heat so that thermal gain has to be managed by the cooling systems. Keep that in mind when enjoying this vehicle.

Disagree on DC fast charge incompatibility. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, with a smaller 13.8 kWh battery, has it and can charge 80% in 25 mins. I'd argue that is more important for a PHEV than a full electric. PHEVs require more frequent charging to maximize.

 

[alpha1847]

I love everything about my 4xe, but I think the biggest miss is the lack of generator hookups like the F-150 Pro Power options. The drive motor is 2x more powerful and the battery has about 18x more capacity. Being a frequent tailgater and camper, that would have been nice.

Any chance Jeep planned ahead with a bi-directional charge port that could have an accessory adapter with 120v outlets? I know, wishful thinking......but it would be cool.

 

[SnB4xe]

Disagree on DC fast charge incompatibility. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, with a smaller 13.8 kWh battery, has it and can charge 80% in 25 mins. I'd argue that is more important for a PHEV than a full electric. PHEVs require more frequent charging to maximize.

80% in 23 minutes on a 13.8kWh battery pack is hardly considered DC fast charging.

Mitsubishi is wreckless with allowing DCFC on that small of a battery pack. As a general rule, DCFC should be used as a last resort when all other charging methods are exhausted or unavailable. Used frequently, it is incredibly hard on the battery pack.

 

[alpha1847]

80% in 23 minutes on a 13.8kWh battery pack is hardly considered DC fast charging.

Mitsubishi is wreckless with allowing DCFC on that small of a battery pack. As a general rule, DCFC should be used as a last resort when all other charging methods are exhausted or unavailable. Used frequently, it is incredibly hard on the battery pack.

Time will tell about durability, but based on their specs it sounds like they are taking the usual precautions to only fast charge up to 80% and then slow down to normal speeds. Most modern lithium batteries can handle that. If you can deplete 80% of the battery in 20 minutes, shouldn't you be able to charge in a similar amount of time if there is sufficient cooling? In any case, faster charging would be welcome. Would come in handy on those new Jeep charging stations they are adding to certain trails.....

 

[SnB4xe]

Time will tell about durability, but based on their specs it sounds like they are taking the usual precautions to only fast charge up to 80% and then slow down to normal speeds. Most modern lithium batteries can handle that. If you can deplete 80% of the battery in 20 minutes, shouldn't you be able to charge in a similar amount of time if there is sufficient cooling? In any case, faster charging would be welcome. Would come in handy on those new Jeep charging stations they are adding to certain trails.....

Good question. I think the dentrites (or whatever those things are called) form more readily when charging and less aggressively when discharging.

But you are right.....it is all about managing the heat. Has been that way since transportation was invented.

 

[Firestarter]

right now the gains are coming from tab-less cells that yield more battery per volume. I am not saying they won’t make small gains, just that the tech is very mature now and don’t expect anywhere close to double the range from the same pack.

this is why companies are desperately researching the next best battery tech like solid state and graphene.

most of the gains are in reliability and cost to produce. It’s just not feasible to expect any significant gain in performance at this time and those companies are using huge battery packs to reach those estimates.

I 100% think you will see impovements in battery technology over the next 2-3 years. GM and Tesla have both promised it. I am not sure the size and weight will change much, but the range is expected to rival ICE vehicles. For example GM is expecting their improvements to yield at least a 450 mile range for vehicles that cost less than $30K.

Obviously at that point we are likely looking at full EV Jeeps and not PHEV, but they will get there.

 

[Windshieldfarmer]

I like the 4xe concept a lot...but 21 miles of range is not enough for me. A plug in hybrid with 50 miles of range would be far more attractive to me. That said weight would become too much if current battery technology was used. This thing is already a heavy beast.

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