Article from Unsealed 4X4

As part of a plan to have a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) through every model in its range, Jeep Australia is expecting to launch the new Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe (pronounced ‘four by e’) in late 2022 as their first electrified off-roader in Australia.

“Our vision for the brand is zero-emission freedom and 4xe is the kickstart to that,” said Jeep’s head of global product marketing, Jeff Ellsworth.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe features a plug-in hybrid powertrain consisting of a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a 17.3kWh battery that feeds a pair of electric motors.

The zero-emissions range is around 40 kilometres before petrol power is required. When both petrol engine and electric motor are working together, the Grand Cherokee 4xe will reportedly perform better than the V8 version for a combined total of 280kW of power and 637Nm of torque.

Grand cherokee 4xe

2022 Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe © Jeep

Charging time and EV range

It will take around 12 hours using a standard powerpoint to fully charge the battery. However, it only takes around two to three hours with a dedicated wall box. EV vitals can be viewed by a phone app.

Driving modes and features

Choose between the three different modes of Hybrid, eSave and Electric. Electric runs on battery only, with the petrol engine only taking over when the battery depletes. In hybrid mode, both sources drive the car and in eSave, the vehicle will retain battery charge for later use.Advertisement

Driving modes are expected to be the same as the other Grand Cherokees for different terrains such as auto, rock, sport, snow and mud/sand. One surprising feature is that the 4xe can reportedly wade through water up to 610mm deep. Given that the Grand Cherokee will be used off-road, the battery pack is protected by 3.5mm steel skid plates.

Grand cherokee 4xe

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe © Jeep

Interior and exterior

Jeep says the Cherokee 4xe’s new interior is more upmarket. Expect to see contrasting wood and leather trim as well as LED ambient lighting, and double diamond-stitched quilted leather.

A new dash features Jeep’s new UConnect infotainment system with four 10-inch displays. Drivers and passengers can expect an interactive passenger display, Alexa integration, a 4G hotspot for up to eight devices, a wireless charge pad and heating, cooling and massage functions.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe has kept the seven-bar grille layout but now has a sportier look. This look means improved aerodynamics and more glass area with a boot space of 487 litres.

Safety

Safety features include all the usual we would expect in a new model vehicle such as collision warning, auto braking, active lane management, lane departure warning, rear-view camera with parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist and tyre pressure monitoring.

Jeep Grand Cherokee © Jeep

Pricing

Jeep hasn’t officially released prices for Australia yet but USA pricing is around $10,000 over the standard models. This would place it at approximately $90k -$100k in Australia.