Cold climate = no go

[CJ SCION]

We are at the same latitude as Sioux Falls. I am not worried one bit and am enjoying the 4xe. It sits in a warm garage and cost $1.50 to fill the battery for a 26 mile drive. The 4xe is not for everyone and will perform better for some depending on their circumstances.

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[631_Islander]

While waiting for the wrangler I have on order I wanted to check all my options . Have owned a tj unlimited for about 18 years . Looking for a replacement . My wife's to and from drive to town is about 12 miles total . I checked into the 4xe . After reading on this site and another that is dedicated to the 4xe I am shocked . Apparently at about 50 f problems start to happen . The lower the temps go the more problems . Last year it got to -32 here . I'll bet I see 0 of these models up here because of the winter temps . Thinking these models should be sold in florida only .
I can't believe jeep is selling them in cold climates without a disclaimer .
Going to stick with a Willys with gas motor .
Good luck to all that purchased this model in an area that gets below freezing , let alone below zero .
Not a hater , but am glad I did the research .

Given your location, I would tend to think that a Diesel is not for you either. Probably a 3.6 or a 2.0 or a 392 cu in Gas motor would have been my best bet if I was living in the Dakotas. The Diesel probably would have been a headache also due to gelling and what not IMO.

 

[Slaw32]

Given your location, I would tend to think that a Diesel is not for you either. Probably a 3.6 or a 2.0 or a 392 cu in Gas motor would have been my best bet if I was living in the Dakotas. The Diesel probably would have been a headache also due to gelling and what not IMO.

Not so , I own 2018 ram dually diesel . Up here if you want a diesel motor in your pickup that starts up every time you had better own one . Mine starts every day , no matter the temp . My friends cannot say that about their ford's or chevys , unless they plug them in . Again , from experience if you want your diesel to start in the winter time in south dakota , get a cummins diesel. Sorry if I drifted off the subject . If jeep offered a cummins diesel I would have ordered it in a heart beat

 

[BXFXJeep]

 

[Slaw32]

Have you tested that range in the cold yet?

I don't consider it cold out untill it gets below zero f . If your vehicle has any mechanical or electrical issues or weakness it Will more than likely show up then . Lived up here all my life . I like to say nothing WANTS to work in the cold , including me . Again not hating jeep . I love my 04 tj unlimited . I just don't think jeep did their homework for real world winters .that was a nice video someone just posted , wonder what would happen if they left the 4xe outside overnight , not plugged in .

 

[mllcb42]

wonder what would happen if they left the 4xe outside overnight , not plugged in .

This is likely highly dependent on how much charge was in the battery when it was parked and how cold it actually is. If it was cold enough and the state of charge in the battery was low enough that the battery pack got below -22F, it won't start.

If you're in the corner case where you have to use up all the charge, can't plug in, and need to leave the vehicle out in very cold temperatures for long periods of time, then perhaps a phev isn't the right tool for the job for you.

 

[mllcb42]

if it will just run the ICE under a certain temp to keep the battery warm.

One of the big "it isn't working properly" complaints of people in the cold is they go to start it up in EV mode and the engine turns on to warm things up, at least temporarily.

 

[jimmym1981]

If you calculate the tax rebate in the purchase and never plug it in, besides the small mile hit, I feel the 4XE would still beat the 2.0L overall in price/efficiency.

 

[Jhawth]

This is why I live in Southern California lol. How can humans survive in that kind of weather?? I need to be able to surf every day of the year!

We wear layers and grow ice beards whilst outside for extra protection

 

[CJ SCION]

Have you tested that range in the cold yet?

I have yet to see a reduction. My strategy is to begin in hybrid mode with the transmission in manual mode, this brings the engine coolant up to temp and carries the load for cabin heating. Depending on the travel distance of the day, hybrid mode with trans auto (<26 miles) or trans manual (>26 miles). Hybrid mode and trans manual causes the ice to carry 65% of the load. Also, the drive begins from a heated garage.

 

[mcjeff]

IMO if you live in a very cold climate in the winter, you really should not be buying a PHEV.

I personally owned a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, and like you said, once it starts to get really cold you start having some electrical gremlins pop up. I owned it for a year (drove it 1 winter) and realized it was not the right vehicle. I do not have a garage so I parked it outdoors while plugged in. on the really cold mornings/nights it was not happy. Or the gasoline engine would have to kick on immediately to get the battery further up to temp.

PHEVs are different than BEVs, like teslas, because the PHEV system is a bit more complicated - there are more components to regulate, control and maintain for the whole system. With sub freezing temperatures, even if one relay in the system messes up - the whole system will be unhappy.

also PHEVs are more limited in range - you can expect about a 40% decrease in range in colder weather (resistance driving in snow, heater, heated seats, etc.). This isn't as much of an issue with BEVs since their range is significantly higher, but a PHEV takes a hit.

If you still insist on getting a PHEV/4xe just make sure you have it plugged into a level 2 charger overnight, and try to park it in a garage. do not leave it outside overnight on very cold nights.

That winter BEV hit is a big reason I sold my Tesla and went back to a Jeep. It was about 35% during Pittsburgh winters.

 

[HungryHound]

I gotta go with: if you can't garage it, you don't need a Jeep above the 38th parallel.

 

[Slaw32]

I gotta go with: if you can't garage it, you don't need a Jeep above the 38th parallel.

From the posts I see on this forum and the posts on the 4xe forum I am very glad to not be a owner or soon to be owner of the 4xe . I called to check with the dealer near me as I was driving home today . The response I got was to stay away from this model , that was from the dealer that sells jeep , chrysler , ford , chevy . When a dealership tells me not to buy a specific model from them that tells me there are wide spread problems . I have never had a dealer tell me this . Thinking jeep should put this model on the shelf before the feds make them .

 

[HungryHound]

From the posts I see on this forum and the posts on the 4xe forum I am very glad to not be a owner or soon to be owner of the 4xe . I called to check with the dealer near me as I was driving home today . The response I got was to stay away from this model , that was from the dealer that sells jeep , chrysler , ford , chevy . When a dealership tells me not to buy a specific model from them that tells me there are wide spread problems . I have never had a dealer tell me this . Thinking jeep should put this model on the shelf before the feds make them .

Mine has been flawless.

 

[Trident1231]

Owner of a 4xe here. Getting cold in Toronto. Saying that it's getting below 0 (Celsius). For the past 2 weeks, jeep is starting with the motor on, after about 15-20 turns to eletric mode after everything heats up. Obviously I turn on heated seats/heated steering wheel, and keep the heat on about 25 Celsius in the cabin. Fuel mileage is about 13-16 L per 100km and keep on mind I'm on a 5 inch lift with 37s. This is running I'm hybrid mode. This fuel mileage is still better then my 2019 jl 3.6 with stock tires and 2inch lift (was around 17-18 L per 100km. I can gladly say this vehicle excels in summer conditions but that gas mileage is still netter then a pure engine vehicle. Still love my 4xe and the gas mileage improvements, power, torque. Gona have to say any vehicle in those -25 conditions will have problems/issues. I have 8700km on my jeep now , and only gassed up 3 times in that span. With the cold now obviously it means I'll be seeing gas station more frequently but during the summer it was well worth it.

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