The Jeep Gladiator pickup truck will get a 4xe plug-in hybrid variant, while the upcoming Recon SUV could get a hybrid powertrain alongside the previously discussed all-electric option.
The Gladiator 4xe was confirmed by Jeep North America CEO William Peffer in a LinkedIn post. Peffer said the plug-in hybrid will come to market “later next year,” likely sharing a powertrain with the Wrangler 4xe that was the top selling plug-in hybrid in the U.S. in 2022, and got a price cut for 2024 as part of a mid-cycle refresh of the Wrangler lineup.
2024 Jeep Gladiator in Tuscadero pink
The Wrangler-derived Gladiator was introduced for the 2020 model year, with small updates since then. It got a refresh for the 2024 model year, along with a vibrant Tuscadero pink color option. The Gladiator 4xe will be the third plug-in hybrid in Jeep’s U.S. lineup, after the Wrangler 4xe and the Grand Cherokee 4xe, which debuted as a 2022 model.
Meanwhile, Autocar reports that Jeep is mulling a hybrid powertrain for the Recon, slated to be on the brand’s first two EVs for the U.S., alongside the Wagoneer S EV that’s due to go on sale this fall. The Wagoneer S will definitely be all-electric, but Jeep is studying potential alternative powertrain options for the Recon, Jeep brand boss Antonio Filosa said in an interview with the magazine.
Jeep Recon
“Recon will be built on a platform that is very versatile,” Filosa said, adding that a pure internal-combustion powertrain is unlikely. That leaves a hybrid as a possibility if Jeep decides to back down from keeping the Recon all-electric, which is still the plan for now, Filosa said.
Jeep has already begun selling more internal-combustion versions of the European-market Avenger crossover than originally planned, a shift the automaker reportedly attributes to slowing EV sales growth. It could it do the same for the Recon.