Electric vehicles are taking over the automotive market and there’s not much we can do about it. It started with hatches and sedans, but the transition is trickling down to hardcore off-roaders as well. We’ve already heard the news about an electric Jeep Wrangler.

So far, all we knew was that FCA is considering one and it will come down the line. It was bound to happen anyway. Now, however, Jeep’s design chief has ascertained that it will be better than the current ICE-powered Wrangler. Does this mean that the current Wrangler has reached its saturation point and there’s no scope for further improvement until an electric powertrain is plonked in?

What Will You Pick – Fuel-Powered Wrangler or an Electric Wrangler?

The statement was made by Jeep’s Design Chief, Mark Allen while speaking to CarAdvice. He further added that “It would be more capable off-road. It has the ability to do things that we can't do now.”

Electric motors indeed open up a lot more avenues to try and experiment with the vehicle and broaden the horizon. Take the tank-turn feature from Rivian, for instance. You can’t expect such stuff from fuel-powered vehicles.

He spoke about the Jeep Renegade 4xe and the Compass 4xe plug-in hybrids. He further added, “There is also a Wrangler PHEV that's imminent. We've shown one at the Show here. Beyond that, I can't speak of future plans.”

When it comes to tackling rough terrains and muddy patches, an electric powertrain’s instant torque and capability to control individual wheels certainly makes it a lot more versatile than an internal combustion engine-powered vehicle would. Mark Allen also spoke about the advantages of an electric powertrain from an off-roader’s point-of-view. He said, “If we did an electric vehicle, you'd have the ability to control each wheel’s speed and direction individually. That's huge. That's a big deal for maneuverability and off-road traction. The possibilities open up for us rather than close down.”

Final Thoughts

Although an electric Wrangler would have more pros than cons, it sucks the fun of fixing things on the move. Getting your hands dirty and greasy is completely eliminated here. Even the grunts and roars when you’re pushing the engine hard in tough situations will be replaced by silent whines from the motors. Sound emulators? No, thank you. But, that said, the electric off-roaders will have a lot more potential than the internal combustion engine beasts.

Given the Wrangler’s strong and loyal fan-following to date and purists’ skepticisms to move onto electric vehicles, will this news bode down well with them? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.