Jeep Magneto All-Electric Wrangler Leads 2021 Easter Jeep Safari Lineup

Jeep is back in the Easter Safari in a big way. The American off-roading brand announced a quartet of new concepts heading to Moab later this month. Leading the charge—sorry—is an all-electric Wrangler concept, dubbed Magneto. Joining it are three other concepts for 2021, and a selection of models originally meant for last year’s event.

The Magneto takes a unique approach to electrifying Jeep’s icon. Instead of using battery power to augment an existing setup—like the 2021 Wrangler 4xe—the Magneto mimics the V6 powerplant as much as possible. Whereas the 3.6-liter six-pot is good for 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, the Magneto’s custom-built axial flux electric motor posts the same pony count and 273 lb-ft of torque. It also spins up to 6,000 rpm. More intriguing than that: it’s hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission. Jeep says the motor will use regen during clutch engagement to minimize rev-hang.

Providing all the Magneto’s juice is a quartet of battery packs, totalling 70 kWh combined. The lithium-ion packs are dotted around the Wrangler chassis to optimize weight distribution. Jeep states the Magneto uses an 800-volt system, like the Porsche Taycan and upcoming GM Ultium trucks, to enable faster charging.

Jeep says the Magneto is capable of delivering all of its torque whenever the driver needs it. Performance between the V6 and the EV is close—it’s just that the latter does its thing in near-silence.

Given the name, you might expect the Magneto to feature a red-and-purple color scheme. Nope—Jeep’s gone for a clean white exterior and flashes of blue all around. A suspension lift allows for 35-inch mudding tires, while a custom roll cage, steel bumpers and belly pan, and a Warn winch give it the proper off-road chops.

The Magneto shares the desert stage with three other debuts. Pegging the cool-meter is the Jeepster Beach, a resto-modded 1968 Jeepster Commando. Jeep hasn’t messed with the cute looks much, pairing the original chrome pieces with a two-toned paint job (“Hazy IPA” and “Zinc Oxide,” if you’re asking). The original engine is chucked for the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder out of the Wrangler, with a bump in power to 340 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed auto handles shifting duty. Inside there’s a lot—a lot— of red, though not for the back seats; they’re gone, making way for a four-point safety cage. 35-inch tires round out the whole look.

The final 2021 concept, the Wrangler Orange Peelz, uses a similar interior pattern in its eponymous hue. The Orange Peelz is all about open-air fun, thus Jeep’s torn the doors and roof off. Okay, it’s replaced them with prototype Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) half doors, plus a removable one-piece glass sunroof. Jeep has replaced the windshield too, with a tougher Gorilla Glass item to protect against chips and cracks. The exterior sees a prototype 2-inch steel grille guard front bumper, A-pillar-mounted off-roading lights capable of providing 4,800 lumens each, and the expected chunky tires. Orange Peelz also features a JPP Swing Gate Hinge Reinforcement, which makes a larger spare tire possible. Under the hood is the 3.6-liter V6, sending power to the 37-inch tires via an eight-speed auto.

In addition to the new stars, Jeep is bringing three more concepts to Moab, since they missed the festivities last year. The Farout is a diesel-powered Gladiator overlander, while the Top Dog spins the pickup into a rig meant for serious mountain bikers. The third returning face is the Wrangler Rubicon 392, the V8-powered off-roader that has since been confirmed for production.

The Easter Jeep Safari will begin its nine days of festivities on March 27.

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