Electric Wrangler Will Take On Moab Easter Jeep Safari

After dropping in everything from diesels to burly V8s, the latest Jeep Wrangler paves the ‘Road Forward’ with electricity.

What hasn’t been dropped into Jeep Wrangler? The first ones arrived with the classic Pentastar V6. A turbo-four soon followed. Then, the diesel Wrangler dream came true through the EcoDiesel V6. Finally, the first-ever hybrid system landed in the 4xe plug-in, followed later in 2021 by the big power of the 392 V8. Each powertrain contributes to the diversity of the Wrangler, opening the icon to more fans.

So, where do you go from there? You jump into the electric circus. Jeep’s annual Easter celebration at Moab this year will be a preview of the “Road Forward”: an all-electric Wrangler.

The much anticipated 2021 Easter Jeep Safari is right around the corner, Jeep is getting ready to debut several concepts in Moab, Utah, March 27-April 4. These concept design sketches provide a sneak preview of what’s in store.

Tucked in the frame rails of this special Jeep, the electric Wrangler ditches the fuel tank for a battery pack in the back, linked to the electric motor up front. Planting the power to the corners is an eight-speed auto and transfer case straight from the Wrangler parts bin, instead of something specific to full-electric drivetrains. Then again, it was built with the Easter Jeep Safari in mind, where all sorts of magnificent ideas come to life; thus, not every part can be a one-off.

The electric Wrangler’s configuration sticks out from the usual EV crowd. In other vehicles, there is a big battery pack linked to one or more motors in each axle. There also usually is a single-gear transmission, as electric motors turn fast enough any in direction to generate all the power.

What the Jeep does have in common with EVs, though, is tons of torque from the word go. And when it comes to climbing those big rocks at Moab, torque is more valuable than horsepower. Thus, it makes plenty of sense for Jeep to build an electric Wrangler demonstrator, especially for the big Easter extravaganza.

We can’t wait to see what Jeep has in store for us on the electric front, stay tuned!

Photos: Jeep/Stellantis

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Cameron Aubernon

Cameron Aubernon's path to automotive journalism began in the early New '10s. Back then, a friend of hers thought she was an independent fashion blogger.

Aubernon wasn't, so she became one, covering fashion in her own way for the next few years.

From there, she's written for: Louisville.com/Louisville Magazine, Insider Louisville, The Voice-Tribune/The Voice, TOPS Louisville, Jeffersontown Magazine, Dispatches Europe, The Truth About Cars, Automotive News, Yahoo Autos, RideApart, Hagerty, and Street Trucks.

Aubernon also served as the editor-in-chief of a short-lived online society publication in Louisville, Kentucky, interned at the city's NPR affiliate, WFPL-FM, and was the de facto publicist-in-residence for a communal art space near the University of Louisville.

Aubernon is a member of the International Motor Press Association, and the Washington Automotive Press Association.

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