by Matt Konkle
Managing Editor
LAS VEGAS — It all started, like many of these things do, as a brainstorming session during an overcast mid-winter weekday morning way back in January. Coffee on the table. Papers strewn around the various half-filled cups and mugs. Sun struggling to make headway against a sea of clouds.
The topic was simple. How to take all the momentum of last year’s popular YJL Specialty Equipment Market Association build and move the needle even higher for the next one.
Of course, there were plenty of ideas and suggestions, but Quadratec Director of Content Eric Ammerman soon navigated through all the information and settled on something he thought would be a stunner come November SEMA time.
A two-door Jeep truck.
Not just any truck either, but a hybrid electric one.
And not just any build either, but one that tied directly in with Quadratec’s new ’50-for-50’ Trail Stewardship Initiative in partnership with Tread Lightly! that aggressively plans to perform 50 trail maintenance events in all 50 states over the next two years.
As the fog began to lift a little in the creation process, and the picture became a bit clearer, it soon became apparent not only would this be a fun and engaging project, but it had a real chance to be a true conversation piece throughout the entire show — and beyond.
Tuesday, inside the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall, the vision became known to everyone as Quadratec officially unveiled that two-truck affectionately named JTe.
“As you’ll see all around SEMA this year, electrification is more than just a trend, it is here to stay,” Ammerman said. “So we wanted to create a build that not only reflects this growing importance of electrification in the Jeep aftermarket, but also something to highlight our synergy with Tread Lightly! and the ’50-for-50’ Trail Stewardship program.
”We also know just how popular a two-door truck is with Jeep enthusiasts, and while Jeep may not be building one, we’re excited to show off what could be if they did.”
Built by renowned Jeep fabricator Greg Henderson, owner and founder of Unofficial Use Only, the JTe began life as a 2022 Jeep Wrangler 4Xe Rubicon because, after all, there is no such thing as a real two-door Gladiator.
Henderson cut the 4xe behind its front doors to eliminate the vehicle’s back seat and cargo area, and then attached a Gladiator truck bed and factory Mopar body replacement panels to create a smooth, impressive, showroom look. Henderson then sliced up a factory hardtop into nine different sections, then reassembled to create a custom hardtop, complete with working Freedom Panels, to seal off the cab.
The result is a Wrangler-sized wheelbase with a truck bed a little over 10 inches longer than a traditional Gladiator, perfectly sized to carry trash and other debris from the coming trail events. It is clad in a custom, sparkling green paint design that includes a few of Henderson’s own drinking glasses that were crushed up and mixed in with that paint.
Under its hood, the JTe maintains a factory 2.0L inline-four cylinder engine that pairs with the vehicle's 17.3 kWh battery. In all, this allows about 25-ish miles of combustion-free driving, along with 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque.
The JTe rides on 37-inch Nitto Recon Grappler tires wrapped around Lynx Trailgunner wheels, while a 2.5-inch Lynx suspension provides plenty of clearance for just about all trail conditions during clean-up events.
Up front is Quadratec’s extra durable Carnivore bumper including new Res-Q Teton 12,000-pound-capacity winch with synthetic cable, 9-inch Tactik LED headlights, along with inner fender liners and high-clearance Baja HD fender flares.
Additionally, instead of an exterior light bar which can impact air resistance, the JTe incorporates Quadratec’s 50-inch Stealth Interior Light Bar.
Inside, the JTe standard seats were swapped to Katzkin leather for extra comfort and durability, while an Alpine infotainment system replaced the factory set-up, Quadratec floor liners protect footwells and custom 3D-printed door pockets eliminate factory standard mesh organizers.
Henderson spent well over 800 hours fabricating and customizing the JTe, much of it working with wiring and battery issues involving the 4xe system. He relocated the battery slightly rearward from its stock 4xe position and slightly angled the bed to accommodate the new battery position.
Rounding out the vehicle’s rear is a specially adapted 9,000-pound-capacity winch to assist with pulling out any stubborn trash or debris, as well as a large tailgate decal United States map that will indicate completed trail projects as they finish.
While the JTe spent all of its time preening in Quadratec’s booth at the SEMA show, it was also entered into the event’s prestigious Battle of the Builders competition. Later Tuesday, voters named it as one of the competition’s top-40 builds — one of only a handful of Jeep vehicles to make it that far in Battle of the Builders, and the first new Jeep custom build ever to reach that position.
”It’s amazing, exhilarating and humbling all at the same time,” Henderson said. “This is truly a fantastic project and I’m thankful, once again, that Quadratec asked me to create another fantastic SEMA build.
”I think we really built something here that people enjoy, and something that isn’t going to go away once SEMA is done. We’ll see this thing all over the country in the coming years.”
Once SEMA is finished, Tread Lightly! will utilize the JTe at numerous ’50-for-50’ trail events as a support vehicle, helping maintain important off-road access throughout the country.
Quadratec’s ’50-for-50’ stewardship grant fund helps project managers pay for equipment, fees, volunteer support, food, fuel, signage and other miscellaneous costs.
Quadratec has been a supporting partner of Tread Lightly! for more than 20 years, and a longtime fundraiser for Tread Lightly!’s stewardship programs. The company has also promoted Tread Lightly! and other trail restoration efforts through its Quadratec Cares ‘Energize the Environment’ program.
Clubs and individuals are required to be active, supporting members of Tread Lightly! to be eligible to apply for ’50-for-50’ grant funding. To learn more about the Quadratec ’50-for-50 program, visit Quadratec's 50 for 50 Trails Stewardship Grant Initiative.
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