Staggering rock formations tower over visitors like skyscrapers in New York City. Lush hues of red and maroon organically drip from each formation, enticing onlookers for a closer look. Moab, Utah, home of the annual Easter Jeep Safari, or EJS, is surrounded by red rocks and challenging trails, inviting off-road enthusiasts to a place like none other. Each year at the week-long event, Jeep presents its latest concept vehicles, garnering feedback from the public and a select few who drive them.
While some auto manufacturers are already firmly entrenched in the EV space, Jeep is methodically changing its line-up to position the brand as the greenest SUV marque in the world. Currently, production Jeep 4xe plug-in hybrids are circulating on showroom floors but the first fully-electric Jeep production model has yet to be revealed. In the meantime, Jeep is carefully telegraphing that it wants to not only be the greenest, but also the most capable off-road. Given the legacy Jeep trades on, it doesn’t have much of a choice—showing up with anything less than the massive and massively capable Magneto 2.0 Concept would expose a chink in its armor.
During our time with Jeep, Christian Meunier, the brand’s Chief Executive Officer, stated, “Electrification is an amplifier of our DNA.” When pressed, Jim Morrison, the Senior Vice President and head of Jeep Brand North America, politely declined to answer. But a week earlier during a press conference, Morrison said, “We’re convinced more than ever that this is the future; electric [powertrains] are fast, powerful, quiet and offer great control,” adding, “there’s a lot happening at Jeep right now, and very quickly by the way.”
Judging by the massive advances made by the Magneto 2.0 BEV, a new and updated version of the original Magneto concept that debuted last year, a production Jeep EV is close to becoming a reality. The all-electric 2022 Magneto 2.0 concept doubles the horsepower and triples its torque, making it a lean, mean, and massive battery-powered machine.
Along with extra power, Magneto 2.0 sees increases in capability, technology and control. Debuting as a stick shift in 2021, Magneto 2.0 followed suit. The build started by stretching the Magneto 2.0’s two-door wheelbase by 12 inches, removing the stock Rubicon engine, retrofitting it with an improved battery-electric system, and, curiously enough, retaining a manual transmission. Although an unusual choice, Jeep maintains the position of the BEV as an “open laboratory” to acquire a succinct sense of how this vehicle is tested in a real-world environment.
Jeep also “left the slinky Jeep suspension, the stick axles, and the transfer-case,” Mark Allen, the Head of Jeep Global Design, said. “Stuff we know, and we know how it works. People who are out [in Moab] looking at these vehicles can relate to it because it still has all that stuff.” additional cosmetic features include a Surf Blue paint job with unique graphics, a custom bikini top, and carbon fiber accents. Additionally, an eye-catching hood showcases a blue-hued window displaying the under-hood power unit.
The 2021 Magneto’s initial showing was impressive, but Jeep beefed up this year’s Magneto in a massive way. “The motor is actually the same, but we programmed it differently,” said Allen. Whereas Magneto 2.0’s predecessor matched its gasoline equivalent’s 280 horses, this year’s Magneto produces 625 horsepower and up to 850 pound-feet. torque.
To manage Magneto 2.0’s increased power, Jeep “bumped up the whole vehicle.” A Dynatrac 60 Pro-Rock front axle teams with a Dynatrac Pro-Rock 80 rear axle, both packing 5.38:1 ratio gearsets provide front and rear locking action for true four-wheel drive operation. A three-inch lift kit and 20-inch Vision wheels wrapped in 40-inch Maxxis Razr mud-terrain tires provide stable footing no matter how off-camber Magneto 2.0 gets.
Powertrain specifics include a new, custom-built axial flux electric motor with a 5,250 rpm redline drawing power from four lithium-ion battery packs that pump out a total of 70 kWh; the system operates at 800-volts. Not only have power and capability increased, but peak amperage is more than doubled, arriving at 600 amps. The beauty of an electric motor, of course, is the wave of maximum torque they develop at low rpm, an ideal characteristic for any off-road vehicle. Although we only piloted it off-road, Magneto 2.0 is said to sprint from 0-60 miles per hour in an impressive two seconds thanks to a new electric powertrain calibration that maintains peak amperage for up to 10 seconds; on the other hand, Jeep won’t quote a range number.
Unlike an old-school stick shift, Magneto 2.0’s manual transmission has a learning curve. Drivers choose either 2WD, 4WD high, or 4WD low and a specific gear to start in, then let out the clutch without finding the intuitive “friction point” as one would in a traditional vehicle. Let the clutch completely out with it in gear, and Magneto 2.0 won’t stall or kick. The clutch is only used to select and change gears; even in gear, however, the vehicle won’t roll until the throttle pedal is pressed.
Magneto 2.0’s power is noticeable yet refined when compared to its 2021 predecessor. Its refined demeanor allows for smooth throttle transfers, especially when climbing off-camber stairsteps and uneven ground in low range. Additionally, Magneto 2.0 retains its unique electric “whine” as it meanders through boulders and evergreen trees, a noise first experienced with last year’s rendition. Seasoned wheelers will experience a momentary readjustment of their senses as the Magento 2.0 crawls over obstacles unaccompanied by a throaty exhaust of a gasoline engine. It’s a unique experience, but a pleasurable one.
While the Jeep Magneto 2.0 EV remains a pure concept, it serves as a welcome example of how EV wheeling is not only a possibility but one likely closer to reality than one might expect. When, exactly, the transition might take root is still undetermined, but Jeep is working hard to ensure it won’t be caught off-guard.
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