Pa Mopar (Stellantis) is putting muscle where their mouth is. Promising to deliver electric-powered vehicles to match the blistering performance of their mighty internal combustion Hemis, the company unleashed a Jeep Wrangler concept dubbed the Wrangler Magneto 2.0. We emphasize “concept” not production ready so as to prevent a stampede to your local Mope dealer, but we know how concepts can morph into showroom models if Stellantis sees enough consumer interest.
One look at the specs and performance numbers, and if that doesn’t spark your interest, you’d better have someone check you for a pulse. Take acceleration, who doesn’t have an interest in acceleration (hey you in the back of the room with your hand raised—please leave now). How does zero to 60 MPH in 2 seconds grab you? That matches Tesla’s $135,990 Model S Plaid sedan, said to be the quickest production car in the world. The Jeep would probably price in for a couple of bucks cheaper.
The Wrangler pushes the performance envelope by ramping up the amps in their propulsion system to hum out 850 TQ and 625 HP—and maintain peak power for 10 seconds—more than enough to obliterate just about anything you’d want to obliterate. Compare that with Jeep’s top power option available today—the 6.4 Hemi which delivers only a “paltry”” 470 TQ and a “measly” 470 HP. And the music doesn’t stop there.
Where most EVs have a single gear transmission made possible by the wide torque range of electric motors, the Magneto 2.0 has a manual 6-speed transmission for the timeless joy of banging up and down the gearbox. ‘Course while Stellantis is currently mum on the subject, we see no reason that what they’re doing for Jeep can’t be done for Dodge (maybe not for Fiat). So while we all may bemoan the predicted demise of our beloved internal combustion engine, the Magneto 2.0 bodes well for Pa Mopar’s next salvo in the horsepower wars.