Yahoo Autos Driving the electric Jeep Magneto and the other Easter Jeep Safari concepts
MOAB, Utah – Jeeping and off-roading are synonymous. For more than 80 years, Jeep has manufactured extraordinarily capable 4x4s, and because of this, Jeep enthusiasts continue to flock to the iconic moniker.
Electrifyingly eye-catching yet different, the four new 2021 Jeep concepts at the Easter Jeep Safari display distinctive personalities despite all being capable, well-equipped and adventure-ready. We got the chance to drive them all. Lucky us.
Boasting batteries: Jeep Magneto BEV concept
This impressively capable battery electric vehicle (BEV) is an important marker in the automaker’s “Road Ahead” quest to become the greenest SUV brand. Joining prototype and production Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) from Mopar, along with a key partnership with Webasto, the Jeep Magneto BEV was carefully constructed with efficiency, sustainability and Jeep’s renowned off-road capability as its focus.
Juiced by a quartet of batteries totaling 70 kilowatt hours and running an 800-volt system, the Magneto delivers up to 285 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The two-door open-air Magneto offers a charging port that can utilize both level 1 and level 2 sources, but not DC fast charging.
Add to that a manual transmission — yes, you read that right — and the mighty Magneto springs to life, both on- and off-road.
In broad terms, driving the Magneto is similar to any other clutch-equipped vehicle: clutch in, choose your gear, and go. However, there are some unexpected nuances that took a bit of getting used to, specifically in terms of bringing it to life. With the Jeep Magneto BEV, the clutch is pushed to the floor while the other foot is on the brake with the emergency brake on. Then, drivers hit the “run accessory” button once, wait about two seconds, press it again to put it into “run mode” and it’s nearly ready to go.
However, this is where the Magneto gets interesting: Drivers can choose a range (2WD, 4WD high, or 4WD low) and gear to start in, then they can let out the clutch without finding the friction point to start moving. Magneto drivers can let the clutch completely out — with it in gear — and it won’t stall out or buck. The clutch is only used to put the vehicle in gear and to then change gears. There’s no need to give it throttle on clutch uptake. Just depress the clutch, put it in gear, let clutch out — it’s now in gear and ready to drive whenever the driver would like it to. Drivers can have it in gear with the clutch out, and it won’t go until the throttle is depressed.
This two-door all-electric variant is based on a gasoline-powered 2020 Jeep Wrangler, but uses a custom-built axial flux electric motor operating up to 6,000 rpm. The Magneto BEV concept was tuned to emulate the rig’s original 3.6-liter V6 in both horsepower and torque. When running errands, the differences between the V6 and manual-electric powertrain are said to be “negligible except for near-silent operation.”
Shifting gears boast smooth transitions as the Magneto whines its way through a dirt and rock off-road course here in Moab. Its electric motor sounds more like a Jetsons car, with a spirited and undulating voice versus the quiet whir of traditional EVs.
However, the e-motor instantly provides powerful forward momentum, sprinting to 60 seconds in an athletic 6.8 seconds — similar to both the V6 and 2.0-turbo offerings. The instant power is both gutsy and gratifying — especially on the flat rocky sections. Did we mention this has a stick shift?
Rock-crawling showcased the Jeep Wrangler-esque performance the automaker is known for: precise, capable, and dialed. Articulated attempts were met with ease; the Jeep Magneto is impressive. Beyond its unique powertrain hardware, the Magneto is equipped for electrifying off-road adventures with a JPP 2-inch lift kit, 35-inch mud-terrain tires, a custom roll cage (donning a Surf Blue accent color), Mopar rock sliders, beefy steel bumpers with a Warn winch, and a steel skid plate for underbody protection.
