Last year, Jeep took the Easter Jeep Safari crowd by surprise with the unveiling of the all-electric Wrangler Magneto Concept.
The off-road concept demonstrated that a battery-electric propulsion system would be true to the Wrangler's heritage of off-road capability. Now, Jeep has taken things up a notch with the Wrangler Magneto 2.0 Concept, which it describes as a terrain-dominating off-roader designed to take driver and passengers far off the beaten path.
Compared to its predecessor, the Magneto 2.0 is much more powerful, with its front-mounted custom-built axial flux electric motor generating 625 horsepower and up to 850 lb-ft (1,151 Nm) of peak torque to the wheels—more than triple the torque output of last year's concept.
Jeep says that peak amperage in the propulsion system has more than doubled to 600 amps, with a new electric powertrain calibration maintaining the peak amperage for up to 10 seconds.
Just like the original Magneto, the 2.0 also features four lithium-ion battery packs distributed throughout the chassis for weight balance. They have a combined capacity of 70 kWh and run an 800-volt system.
Another important element carried away from last year's car is the six-speed manual transmission, although the first gear ratio in the manual transmission is changed from 5.13 to 3.36. Combined with the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon's Rock-Trac transfer case, the Magneto 2.0 is said to demonstrate unequaled rock-crawling capability with its instant on-demand torque delivery.
The vehicle also features a driver-selectable maximum regeneration function added to the propulsion system for a true "one-pedal" driving experience. Finally, the electric powertrain includes a race car-derived inverter that converts DC power to AC for the high-tech motor that operates at up to 5,250 rpm.
While based on the two-door Wrangler body style, the Magneto 2.0 has a 12-inch longer wheelbase to make room for additional powertrain components. The extended wheelbase gives the vehicle similar proportions to the "LJ" Wrangler Unlimited from 2004-06.
Off-road components include a custom 3-inch lift kit, 40-inch off-road tires mounted on 20-inch wheels, Dynatrac 60 Pro-Rock front axle and a massive Pro-Rock Dynatrac 80 rear axle with a 5.38 ratio and lockers for both axles, custom driveshaft, and an off-road suspension.
On the styling front, the Jeep Wrangler Magneto 2.0 brings custom lightweight bumpers, carbon-fiber wheel flares, Surf Blue paint, custom carbon-fiber B-pillar, custom bikini top, and a carbon-fiber hood with blue-tinted, transparent window that offers a glimpse at the power unit underneath.