by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-in-Chief
After showing off renderings of a 20th anniversary Rubicon Wrangler and some kind of Wrangler/Gladiator mashup over the past few weeks, Jeep Tuesday got back into the electrified concept game with what appears to be a military-themed plug-in hybrid Wrangler or Gladiator 4xe.
”The Jeep brand loves a good trip down memory lane, especially during Easter Jeep Safari,” the brand said in a release on parent Stellantis’ website. “This year, the Jeep design team is hard at work on an off-roader that pays homage to a Jeep vehicle of the past. Hint, it blends military grit and determination with 4xe electric vehicle technology.”
The green or olive paint scheme and American flag just above the Jeep logo clearly are meant to indicate this military theme which has a special place throughout the brand’s history. The vehicle also sports a side black charging port indicative of all Jeep hybrid models and the company stenciled “RU31-CON / 4XE” along the hood to reinforce it is a hybrid concept. There also could be some significance to the "RU31-CON", but it may also just be a play on the Rubicon name.
Filling up the wheel wheels look to be knobby military-style tires with vintage alloy wheels, while not much appears changed or modified in the front end. Jeep did not release any vehicle details, keeping in line with how it has handled other concept image releases.
The concept rendering is the fifth Jeep has released since early February, and it may have a few more to come as the days tick down towards EJS. Normally, the brand trickles out concept releases and then unveils its full arsenal of vehicles right before Easter Jeep Safari week begins.
Jeep has already teased four other concepts headed to Moab, including a possible 4xe plug-in hybrid Grand Cherokee, potentially an electrified Gladiator, 20th-anniversary edition Wrangler Rubicon and a combination Wrangler/Gladiator. The latter two should appear with Jeep’s 392 Hemi crate engine.
This year’s EJS event runs from April 9 to 17 in Moab, Utah.
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